I wasn't prepared at all for what lay before me when I visited Lesmurdie Falls earlier in the week. The toll of the drought brutally apparent. I am not sure what propelled me forward, because in all honesty I did not enjoy what I was seeing. One foot somehow moved after the other and I found myself moving further along the trail. This is one of the hardest hit areas that I have seen. I can't begin to explain how I felt, shock rendered left me tearful, silent.
Making my way to edge of the falls I was numb. Never have I witnessed such devastation. All I could think about was how many animals have perished, how many insects. The trees and plants were not alone, the canopy of death had spread itself wide here.
The only life I saw or heard was one fairy wren and a family of magpies.
The magpies had found a source of water under a pile of dried shrivelled leaves. After refreshing themselves with what I can only imagine was stagnant water, some of the magpies retreated to a dead tree to preen themselves. Others trotted off to look for food. I found myself standing and watching the magpies for long time. It saddened me to watch them, yet I couldn't walk away. I did not want to retrace my footsteps past all the fatalities in this normally magnificent place...
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