Cradle Mountain and The Attack Of The Killer Possum

Trust me, this is a true story…

Today I spent a glorious day at Cradle Mountain doing lots of the walks. I had left Devonport very early so as to give myself the most amount of time at Cradle – for which I was very pleased. I got to the Visitor Information Centre about 1030 am and then after buying my National Parks pass ($16.50) I got the free shuttle bus to the Dove Lake Car Park. Unfortunately the weather was inclement, but that didn’t dampen my spirits – I had a great time, doing a range of the walks. I sort of started off doing the Dove Lake walk, but then saw the signs for Marions lookout and headed up that way. That took me past Lake Lila and Wombat pool where I met a couple walking in the opposite direction. By this point the weather was literally pinging it down, and you could barely see a few feet in front of your face, but it was just magical. They suggested a walk down to Crater Lake, which I did, and which I was pleased about. There was a cute little hut there and I sat down and had my muesli bars and coffee there looking out over the lake. At this point it had stopped raining so it was quite pretty. I then made my way down towards Crater Lake falls, which were also very pretty, and then around towards Walheim – where I encountered the same couple again. After this I made my way back to Dove lake, and literally just popped up over a slight incline and boom! You could actually see the mountain! How spectacular! Although I didn’t get to see it in full view like you do on the postcards (it was still quite misty) it was so beautiful. I then made my way back to Dove Lake and did a bit of the walk around there before getting the shuttle bus back to the Visitor Centre.

With reports that the weather might actually clear tomorrow, I had decided early on that I would spend the night at Cradle so as to have the option of further walks the next day. So I checked in to the cheapest (and so far most expensive accommodation of my trip) bed I could find – at the Discovery Parks caravan camping ground, where they also have bunkhouse beds for $32 per person per night.

Because when grocery shopping the other day I had forgotten to get (a) soy sauce or (b) noodles, I was faced with the prospect of yet another evening of chicken pesto pasta, instead of the stir fry I had hoped to prepare, having all the other ingredients. Now I don’t know about you, but after 7 or so consecutive days (pretty much) of this dish, I really needed a change. But with no means to purchase the missing ingredients – we are in the middle of a national park with no Woolies next door – I was facing down the barrel of pasta yet again.

But then I remembered that just up the road at the Waldheim Spa Resort they had a tavern serving evening meals. And a lovely, warm, fireplace – just the thing on a rainy night like tonight. And people… So let’s weigh up the options – chicken pesto pasta, cold room to eat in, rainy evening, and solitary confinement, or – a choice of menu, a lovely, warm, fireplace, maybe a tv, conversation going on all around you (maybe I could get in on a chat too?)… yep, it was a no-brainer – I went down to Waldheim.

And had a simply smashing meal – lovely lamb stew with sourdough bread – gorgeous fireplace – and I would’ve had the Christmas pudding with brandy custard but for the fact that it cost $9.00 and also there were people waiting for tables, it was so crowded, and I didn’t want to be hogging one any more than I really needed. So I hopped up with the idea of maybe ordering this dish and finish my coffee at one of the upturned kegs they had placed as like a bar table, when suddenly this couple came over, sat by the fire and then started chatting with me. We had a lovely chat, turns out I don’t remember what he does – but I remember his name was Giovanni – and I don’t remember her name, but I remember she teaches Art 2 days a week at a primary school and is a top equestrian trainer the rest of the time. But we talked about the walks they’d done today, ones he’s done in the past, bureaucracy and stuff within teaching, the weather… you name it, we chatted on it. I spent a few pleasant 30 minutes or so with them. Then their meals arrived so I said farewell, and seeing as it was still too crowded and there weren’t any more seats by the fire, I decided to head back to the bunkhouse. It was now 8pm after all and so with a spot of blogging, in no time it would be bed time.

When I got back to the bunkhouse I decided that, as I had missed out on the Christmas pudding, I would crack open some of the Ashgrove cheese I had bought the other day. Because the kitchen was a little cold, I thought I would bring it back to my room – there’s no one else there after all – and have it whilst typing up more blog entries. I have a pretty good heater in my room anyway so it would be all nice and snug by now.

As I left the kitchen, suddenly out the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of a huge, black blur running past – then felt a big bump on my leg, followed by clawing. What the?

It was the most gigantic possum (or maybe a quoll – I don’t really know) that I have ever seen. To be honest, I think it was too big to be a possum – if indeed it was a possum then he had obviously mutated into something enormous. He was quite heavy and quite strong too – I tried to flick him off my leg and he wouldn’t go – it took a very forceful kicking action to actually get him off – and immediately he pounced back. I was shrieking, flicking my leg and desperately trying to get the key in the door – but what to do once I got the door open? I didn’t want him coming in my room.

With one last superhuman effort, I flung my leg wildly out into space and he was launched a couple of feet away just as the key turned in the lock. Lickety split I was in that door and had it fully shut just as he fully sprung for me again – thud!

Can I just tell you, I was terribly shaken. Here is this giant possum thing scratching at my door for my Ashgrove cheese! I pulled back the curtain to have a better look at the window and he jumped over at me! Scary stuff – attack of the mutant possum!

So I turned off all the lights, lay low there in the dark, silent, watching, waiting, listening for him to leave. When I thought the coast was clear I tried the window again – with the light off – only to see him staring back in at me, perched on the handrail!

I can’t actually leave my room! If I need to go to the toilet, or do my teeth, I won’t be able to – he’s still out there, waiting – at one point he went further down the verandah, away from my room, and when I opened the door he literally flew back at me!

What to do? I’m prisoned in this dorm by a killer possum, desperately hunting a bit of cheese… I’ll have to wait it out to morning – but alas, I am starting to feel the after effects of that second cup of coffee…!