Chapter 7 - Cairns & Port Douglas

 Day 35 – Sunday 23 August 2015

Two washing machines were in action by 7am to clean Cape York clothes.  The clothes were on the line by 7:30.  The rain started about 10 am.  It continued on and off all day, sometimes heavy, sometimes a drizzle.  Musical clothes was the order of the day.

After turning the caravan into a laundry we went shopping as all food was consumed before the Cape York Trip.

3:30 was the designated time for scones, cream and jam, with both plain and date scones on offer.  The congregation included 6 new friends from the Cape York trip.  They were all from South Australia - lovely people.

Scones drifted into happy hour, then into dinner - some having a BBQ, some having a light snack in their caravan.  It was not a late night - although I was trying to get the blog up to date.

Day 36 – Monday 24 August 2015

This was sort of a non-day with little jobs getting done - in between more rain shower.  The clothes were gradually getting dryer  The blog was gradually getting done.

4:30 was the designated time happy hour for the 11 of us - in the camp kitchen.  That drifted into dinner - some having a BBQ, some having caravan-cooked dishes.  Red wine was a popular drink (I now have a South Oz red wine drinking mate).  Sleep came easily.

Day 37 – Tuesday 25 August 2015

Shirley, Fay and I started the day with a BBQ brekky of bacon, eggs, tomatoes, mushroom and toast.  It was good.

After some lethargic time we headed into the hills to Karunda, a touristy-type town with markets etc.  We invested a few dollars, had lunch then moved on to Barron Falls. It was well worth the effort.

Barron Falls

The drive back down to Cairns was well worth a photo stop.

View towards Cairns from the Karunda Road

 We had happy hour with our new friends - this being our last evening together - and dinner in the camp kitchen.  All our caravans had chairs packed away and the awning stowed to help get a good start on the morrow.

Day 38 – Wednesday 26 August 2015

I was up early and wandered around until Shirley woke up.  We took our time and hit the road to Port Douglas (less than 60 km) about 9am.  We had a drive around Palm Cove, a lovely tourist spot, then arrived at our Port Douglas campsite about 10:30.

We drifted into town about 2 pm, had a mango smoothie, then headed for the yacht club to try a get a sail on a yacht - but to no avail.  So we headed to the Irish Pub in town for a Guinness and some Irish fare for dinner.

A "Wizard" Van

Another early night.

Day 39 – Thursday 27 August 2015

Another slow start to the day - quite a good habit really.  I had a 4.5 km walk about sunrise and took a photo of some alternate transport (quite popular in FNQ).

After a shower I finished the Cape York Sections of the blog.  Plotting the route on the map was the hardest part.

Fay and I drove into Port Douglas and booked our cruise out to the outer Great Barrier Reef, for some snorkelling and sea based fun.  Please note that Shirley is not into activities that are based on travelling over water.

It was a relaxing afternoon.  Dinner was a communal activity between the five of us.

I now need to tell a couple of stories:

Story 1: The guy in the caravan behind us is taking off tomorrow.  He spent about 6 hours today cleaning his car, caravan and hoses.  He has wrapped his outside mirrors in plastic presumably to keep the dew off the mirrors.

My Favourite Bird

Story 2: The guy in the caravan beside us has a mini strobe light affair that is lighting up the palms over his and our caravan.  It looks really good, but one wonders why someone would do such a thing - when most people are in-doors soon after dark.

Day 40 – Friday 28 August 2015

Another 4km walk to start the day, the highlight being a pair of kookaburras enjoying the fresh start to the day. 

Morning tea was scones, cream & jam - the last before Kay and Darryl start heading south tomorrow.

We then rested before venturing in to Port Douglas.  Darryl and I had another Guinness before joining the ladies in some shopping.  We then bought 2 kg of Tiger Prawns for dinner.

Dinner was the tiger prawns followed by pancakes, strawberries and ice-cream.  Not bad for poor old grey nomads.

Day 41 – Saturday 29 August 2015

Fay and I boarded the QuickSilver big cat at 9:30 and headed 34 miles out to Agincourt Reef, a small part of the Great Barrier Reef. Shirley was left at home as she is not a lover of boat travel.

                                               Chris in "Trimming" Lycra

We (in turn) donned our lycra suits, snorkelled, ate lunch, snorkelled, got changed and headed home.  It was a fantiastic day with very calm seas.  We had the bonus of a very low tide that allowed us to see a lot of the reef come out of the water, as well as finding Nemo.

Our coral reefs - the east and the west of the country - are a sight that all people should see at least once.  The range of coral and fish are amazing.  We had a marine botanist on the boat who gave us an small insight into the reef and it occupants.  He was not a big fan of existing and previous government policy on the topic.

Above & Below: A Visit to Agincourt Reef & Barrier Reef Scenes

Day 42 – Sunday 30 August 2015

On the Sabbath we rested - after a leisurely breakfast (bacon & eggs cooked outside), a stroll around the Port Douglas market and a walk along the main Port Douglas beach.

Port Douglas from the Port Douglas Lookout

After that it was a mango smoothie then a casual lunch.  The afternoon was filled with pool, relaxing and reading activities, but was interrupted by a "damsel in distress" call.  There are no need for names but someone we love and care for had an issue with frogs invading her toilet.  I removed the first green frog yesterday, but a darker one appeared today.  The first one was removed from the toilet seat (no photo), but the second one took some coaxing to come out from the bowels (pardon the pun) of the toilet. However it was caught and placed on a fern some significant distance away.

Please note that no frog was harmed in the "frog relocation process".

Anyway it did not adversely dinner that was spaghetti bolognaise and damper, washed down with a superb Mojo Cabernet Sauvignon.

Day 43 – Monday 31 August 2015

We started with visit to "Yuda Juba Dungay Marrjanga", more commonly knows as Mossman Gorge.  This is part of the Daintree rainforest and is an amazing part of the world.  In some months, up to 40% more water is harvested by a process called "Cloud Stripping" - where low clouds deposit water on leaves, stems and trunks, which then drips or flows to the ground.  Cloud stripping is important in ensuring that the rainforest has a constant supply of water.

We heard many birds, but none of them appeared for a photo opportunity.  The following photos helps to show what we saw.

"I wish this bridge would stop rocking"

Strangler Fig

After a cuppa we headed further 20 km north to check out (for future plans) a little place called Wonga Beach. Wonga is a small town (no shops) with two caravan parks, one OK and one excellent.

The afternoon was a repeat of yesterday with the pool, a book and a comfortable lounge playing key roles.

Day 44 – Tuesday 1 September 2015

We started the day slowly (strange about that) and eventually drove into Port Douglas to do some grocery shopping.  I got relegated to Coles while Shirley & Fay drifted around the shoe shops. I did a grand job of my task, including the purchase of a small hunk of beef (on quick sale) that was perfect for my small gas bottle BBQ.

Surprise, surprise the afternoon was a repeat of yesterday with the pool, a book and a comfortable lounge playing key roles.  I think an ice-cream was also slipped in somewhere.

Roast Beef about to start cooking

As I bought the beef and it was my BBQ it was my job to cook the roast - so I did.  Happy hour was extended thanks to the welcome visit of friends form home - Chris & Erica - a delightful couple.

The roast was worth waiting for, as was the dessert of a bar of peppermint chocolate.  Fay was not really happy as this was her last night in FNQ (Far North Queensland) before we take her to Cairns airport.

Tomorrow we head to the Atherton Tablelands. 

Please stay tuned.

At the end of 44 days (less 10 days on the Cape York tour) we have:
-    travelled 4200 km (124 km per day)
-    spent $28 per day on diesel
-    spent $35 per day on accommodation
-    taken about 965 photos (including Cape York)
-    written about 10465 words in my blog (including Cape York).

 

This post is complete (last update 10 pm Tuesday 1 September 2015)

 

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Chapter 6 - Cape York - Part 3

Thursday 20 August

6-7-8 happened without fuss and we went for a walk along the road towards the Port Stewart settlement until Andrew caught up with us. Our first stop was the place when the Lama Lama people (traditional owners) were removed by police in June 1961 and taken to Barmega at the top of the Cape.  In recent times these people have been moving back and trying to re-establish their culture and traditions.  Click here to learn more. 

Helicopter tree leaf/seed

Flower from the Bombax plant

Andrew pointed out the Bombax plant that has a lovely red flower and has bark that is very good for making canoes.  He also pointed out the helicopter tree, so named because of flight patters of its leaves/seeds.

Next stop was the camp ground being developed by the Lama Lama people, where Andrew pointed out the mud that had therapeutic qualities, as well as the mistletoe on the native passionfruit plant.

A couple of the group were not happy with the tracks on the dirt road that were apparently either made by a python or a taipan.  We kept moving.

Next stop was the (former) trading post of Port Stewart, although there is not much there anymore.

Smoko was held at a large lagoon that was nearly covered in water lillies.

The White Band across the middle of the photo is masses of water lillies

Mail Plane

It was here that Andrew pointed out the Jesus Bird (Jacana) that appears to walk on water.

We then crossed the lands of Lilyvale Station and watched the mail plane land, drop off mail, and take off again.  Kristy had about 8 gates to open and close as we crossed the station.  It was an excellent dirt road.

We stopped for lunch at Musgrave Station, the original repeater station for the OTL.  A road sign soon after indicated that we were 570 km from the “Tip” and 450 km from Cairns.

Salt water creek was our next landmark as we headed further south and veered 3 km off the road into Low Lake – a very pretty spot.

Low Lake

Nifold Plain was next on the route – a rather flat and barren part of the world.  This was a huge change from the many rainforests and treed plains that we had experienced.  This soon changed as we entered the domain of many lagoons, virtually all of them covered with lillies.  Andrew assured us that the numerous lagoons that we saw were a small percentage of those that exist in this area.  Brolga and numerous water birds were ready for the photographers.

In turn we crossed over Hahn Crossing, bypassed Red Lagoon and visited White Lagoon, where a crocodile was basking in the sun. Now having our nightly supply of wood we camped for the night at Kalpower Crossing.  Andrew pointed out a fossil in the rock and also a clumps of rocks that originated from a coral reef millions of years ago.

Fossil

Dinner was BBQ steak cooked as requested, either rare, medium or well done. 

Dessert was creamed rice and fruit. 10pm bed time.

Friday 21 August

6-7-8 happened, although I had my breakfast sitting by the causeway just 200 metres away, waiting for a local sea eagle that never appeared.  We had a good walk them jumped on the bus and headed south towards Old Laura Station – just 110 km north north west of Cooktown.

Old Laura Station

 

Kennedy Palm

We left the National Park and entered Battle Camp station, so named because of an indigenous/settler conflict that resulted in indigenous deaths.  Normanby Station was next on our route. Andrew explained the story of Normanby woman so named because of the while girl that the police attempted to take from the traditional owners of the land. The action resulted in the death of the girl and an autopsy showed that she was actually an indigenous child. Sad.   Smoko was held on the banks of Normanby river, where Andrew pointed out the Kennedy Palm, which lives for about 35 years, flowers, then dies.We crossed the Great Dividing Range and thin/bony cattle on arid land became fat cattle on lush green pastures.  The transformation in such a short distance was amazing.  Banana trees and cane fields started to appear.

We took photos at Isabella Falls then moved on. 

Isabella Falls

Then we crossed over the Endeavour River, so named because of a famous ship that was moored in it some time ago.

Cooktown was our camp spot for the night, a town named after the guy who captained the Endeavour.  After setting up camp Andrew gave us the “Cooks tour” (pardon the pun) of the town and set us free.  Lunch was fresh barramundi & chips following (over time) by coffee, more walking and a cold beer.

Cooktown Hotel

Andrew picked us up and took us up Grassy Hill for a 360 degree view of Cooktown and surrounds.  The Botanic Gardens were visited before we headed back to camp and happy hour.

View from top of Grassy Hill – Cooktown

My straw came out of the jar and I gave a thank you speech to Andrew & Kristy.  My mere words were not enough for the wonderful job that they had done.  Andrew, Kristy and OzTours all deserve the highest compliment for a job well done.  Thank you guys. 

Kirsty provided roast chicken and salad for dinner on our last night together.

Saturday 22 August

6-7-8 was modified to exclude the walk and get on the bus at 7:30.  This was accomplished without fuss.

The first notable milestone was crossing the Annan river, which effectively denotes the southern line of Cape York.  We had moved away from Lama Lama land onto land traditionally owned by the Kuku Yalanji people.  Black Mountain soon appeared and we stopped for a photo opportunity.  Black Mountain denotes the start of the wet tropics which extends for 890,000 hectares down the coast.

Black Mountain

We passed the historical (some say hysterical) Lions Den Hotel and moved south into Cedar Bay National Park. We ventured through the small township of Ayton which is probably the nearest town to Endeavour Reef, where Lieutenant James Cook reshaped his ship a little.  Soon after a crocodile was sighted on the bank of Bloomfield river enjoying the sun.  We followed the Bloomfield river for a while.

Soon after we entered Wugal Wugal community which has been alcohol free since the Tony Fitzgerald inquiry initiated some changes – encouraged by the female elders of the local people.  We were allowed to carry alcohol through the community as long as we stayed on a pre-designated road and did not open any alcohol.

Andrew then pointed out the stretch of road between Wugal Wugal and Cairns that caused so much angst in the mid 1980’s as the Queensland government of the day decided to put a  road through virgin Daintree rainforest.  We had traversed some hills so steep and rugged that Andrew locked the hubs into 4WD.

The group was amused to see the bridge (and hear the story) over Woobadda Creek that has a 70 degree turn in its middle, thanks to some redesign during construction when the path through some rainforest was banned.

Bridge over Woobadda Creek

Emmagen Creek was next, then the northern side of Cape Tribulation.  We stopped at Kulki and took a photo of the yellow footed scrub fowl and the eastern reef egret.

Yellow footed scrub fowl

The south side of Cape Tribulation beckoned where we strolled the extended board walk, while Andrew gave commentary.

Daintree Board walk

Chris, Shirley, Kay, Fay & Darryl at Cape Tribulation

Kristy provide a lovely salad for lunch prior to driving through the Daintree rainforest.

The ice-cream shop was an obligatory stop where everyone on the bus had some of the four flavours of ice cream, made from exotic tropical fruits.

We caught the Daintree ferry and drove through Mossman. 

Ferry Over the Daintree River

An osprey in its nest posed for us as we got closer to home.

Osprey at Home

We arrived at our caravan park about 4pm.  Eleven of us left the group after lots of goodbyes.  Kristy got 11 hugs and Andrew got a mixture of hugs and handshakes.

We were home after a plane flight and 1677 km over eight days.

It was a wonderful trip thanks mainly to Andrew and Kristy.

The following map gives a good approximation of our route.

OzTours Air/Land Route August 2015
(Land component only)

 

This post is complete (last update 10am Thursday 27 August 2015)

 

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