I couldn’t have asked for a better send off for my journey tomorrow than the experience Heidi and I had this morning with lyrebirds in the mist.

I wanted to spend my last full day in Australia being in a place close to my heart. The Gold Coast hinterland with its World Heritage subtropical rainforests is such an incredibly beautiful place. It is a place I go to reconnect with nature and myself.

Nature’s Gift

There is something incredibly calming spending time in nature. It rejuvenates me and helps me to switch off, breathe and be present to each moment.

There is also a sense of child-like curiosity and wonder in exploring nature. This morning turned out to be a very special morning too because we were treated by the rare Albert’s Lyrebird. Well, a few of them…

Rare Presence

The first one we watched for a full five minutes and wasn’t too perturbed that we were watching her as she went about scratching in the ear litter for her juicy morning breakfast.

The distribution of Albert’s Lyrebird has declined since settlement, and they are now restricted to only a few mountain ranges in south east Queensland and far north east New South Wales.

Masters of Mimicry

The below is an audio recording of one particularly bright and chirpy individual belting out his repertoire of bird songs. At first I thought I was listening to many different birds in the forest but it soon dawned on me it was this cheeky little fellow saying all the good mornings.

Lyrebirds or Liarbirds?

Lyrebirds are so convincing in their mimicry they need to be called ‘Liarbirds’!

Allowing Nature To Speak

Experience has shown me that the more quietly and carefully I walk through the bush the more that it begins to speak to me. Sometimes we just need to be silent in nature to give her a chance to speak to us. We need to slow down and allow our hearts to open and our mind to slow down.

The Best Send Off Ever

I had come to this special place to be left with a beautiful memory and maybe to be given a message. The lyrebirds in the mist left me with the best sending off gift that I could have imagined. Thank you.