Loves Me Like a Rock

Both Honey Pie and I loved the guided tour of the Donna Cave at Chillagoe-Mungana Caves National Park.
Our tour guide, Fred, was very informative, knowledgeable, patient and friendly.  Our group was in the cave for around one hour.  This is certainly not a cave that can be explored without a guide.
What fascinated me most was the concept of false floors on which we actually walked.  False floors are a bit like mezzanine levels and I couldn't help wondering about how strong they are and how much weight they could take.  But after holding a piece of stalactite and feeling how heavy it is, well, perhaps a false floor is pretty strong?  I just had to trust Fred!

Look at the shadow, can you see the outline of the Madonna?  This is why this particular cave is called The Donna Cave.

Here is a beautiful example of a 'curtain', also in The Donna Cave.

This is a pathetic photograph of me but every time I see it I laugh.  I can't help thinking of the Lord of The Rings movie and the Hobbits.  Is this how humans are made to look small using trick photography?  Ha ha!

"Hang on, I can't leave yet, this rock needs me right now!!!!"

Me and My Shadow

Well, I was right about the ablution block...terrible, cold water, ripped shower curtains, no privacy...
Also, may have picked a bad spot to camp our tent, right under power lines.  Woke this morning with the worse backache I've ever experienced which eased almost as soon as I was out of bed.  Could the power lines have caused this?

Playing with shadows.

Beautiful sunrise.

The aforesaid power lines.

This is the penultimate full moon of the trip.  (Actually, it was full moon on Monday but it's been too cloudy to notice!)
We've booked in to visit The Donna Cave this morning and need to be at the cave by quarter to nine.
It's shaping up to be a hot day. 

Up the Bloomfield Track

Woke to a very wet morning!

Had a good sleep last night, which was sometimes interrupted by noises on the river.  Left the village at about fifteen minutes to nine, in the rain and heavy mist. Temperature: 21.2oC.

 Before crossing the Daintree River, we did our usual quick driving tour of the area, drove a little way along the Upper Daintree Road, then purchased a one way ticket for the car ferry to take us to the other side of the river.

The Bloomfield Track is an adventurous four wheel drive road that takes the coast route up to Cooktown.  We drove to Cape Tribulation along the Cape Tribulation Road and then followed the Bloomfield Track.  Some sections, like the one above where quite scary, and were under repair or construction.  A number of really steep climbs along the Bloomfield Track are surfaced with concrete to improve traction.

Weary Bay, close by our camp for the night, in Ayton at Haley's Cabin and Camping.


There is a lot to see along this section of the coast.  Unfortunately, the weather did not lend itself to sightseeing, especially the sort we wanted to do.  A lot of tracks, along creeks and in dense rainforest were far from inviting in the rainy weather we experienced and sadly, we did not stop at many places we normally would have if the weather was dry.
Alexander Lookout is a must do, in the Daintree National Park, Cape Tribulation Section.  Here we had great views to the ocean and we could see Snapper Island and Low Isles as well as many other landmarks.  The weather at this stage, although cold and wet, was still clear enough to make the stop worthwhile.
Next stop was the Daintree Discovery Centre.  This was a somewhat disappointing experience for us.  Perhaps the weather had something to do with the fact that we saw almost no wildlife except for one butterfly.  When we were having coffee, after having exited the centre, we spotted one bird.
Then we found Myall's Beach to be too crowded for our liking.  It was raining heavily so we moved on.
More rain at Cape Tribulation meant a wet walk to the lookout and the beach.
After driving through Wajul Wajul, an Aboriginal Community we came across Haley's Cabins and Camping at a little place called Ayton.  We anticipated rain so booked a cute little cottage for the night and Honey Pie prepared dinner in what I consider to be the best camp kitchen we've come across since leaving home in April.
I was feeling exhausted when we arrived at Haley's,so had a much needed nap before a light tea of pumpkin soup with toast.
In some ways, a disappointing day as we haven't really seen as much as we would like of this beautiful area.

Me Tarzan, You Jane

What a day, where do I start?

Tarzan and Jane playing Silly Buggers in the Daintree National Park.  Jane is on the Rex Creek Swing Bridge. Tarzan is on the Rainforest Circuit Track at Mossman Gorge in the Daintree National Park.
And we've only travelled fifty two kilometres today.
The weather was mostly miserable after doing our obligatory walks at Mossman Gorge and The Rainforest Circuit Track.  So much more civilised than I remember it on our very first trip to Cairns around thirty two years ago (!!!!).

Fungi of the Daintree Rainforest.

Tarzan and Jane enjoyed some sightseeing in Mossman, they just loved the retro cafe.  A definite plus was the great coffee.  Jane taught the waitress how to make affogato.  Good one!
After the walks and a bit of sight seeing in Mossman town, that is St David's Church, The Sugar Mill and Souvenir Shops, we had a delicious light lunch at a very retro little cafe.

We camped at Daintree Village by the Daintree River which is alive with estuarine (saltwater) crocodiles. Centre right is the view from our campsite.  Absolutely stunning!
We drove the southern end of the Bloomfield track, eventually arriving at Daintree Village, alongside the Daintree River, mid afternoon.  The weather was mild, still sunny and slightly threatening.
We discovered a little camp ground across the road from the village itself, almost on the banks of the Daintree River and made enquiries about staying for the night. Next, we booked ourselves on the next Daintree River Tour which was leaving in less than an hour.
On the river we spotted a variety of wild life, from Rainbow Bee Eater Birds, to hatchling crocodiles sun baking in the forks of branches swaying over the water.
We saw a python twisted around a tree. a couple of very large crocodiles, (sunning themselves on the sandy banks), sailed past untouched, ancient rainforest jungle, and got tangled in a log below the crocodile infested water!  Luckily our tour guide got us out safely and back on shore we booked into our 'accommodation' for the night and set the fire for a dinner in the Dutch oven.
A covered area set us up for the night because it wasn't long before the drizzle shrouded us for the night.
As we sat, after dinner, chatting with fellow campers, I could hear splashing in the river below our camp ground.  I wondered to myself if that could possibly be the splashing sounds of crocodiles, but not wanting to sound too dramatic ignored them.
After more splashing I couldn't resist turning to look behind me to see if I could spot anything but it was too dark.
This caught the interest of one of the chaps we were chatting with and he asked, "did you hear that?  That sounded like a crocodile."
He suggested we grab a torch and believe it or not, we spent quite a bit of rest of the evening spotting crocodiles in the river with our torches...we could see their eyes shining just below the surface of the water!
The Daintree River is tidal, and as the tide came in,  lapping the top of the boat ramp below us, most of us wondered out loud to each, whether crocodiles every ventured up the village side of the river!

Sheridan Street to Mossman

Say our goodbyes to our nephew, wishing him all the best for his future in the army. Next weekend he will head south to New South Wales to commence his training and will have minimal contact with family and friends for the first three months. (And will miss his sister's wedding!)

His younger brother and sister will drive him to Townsville on Saturday and leave him to join up with the Defence Department.

This morning we departed south of Cairns to head north to Cooktown via the Bloomfield Track.

Shopping is first on the agenda to stock up on food for the four to five day trip. Next we fill up the fuel tanks and take the Bruce Highway out of Cairns and the Captain Cook Highway to Trinity Beach.
My how Sheridan Street has changed in the last twenty two years.
There's talk of removing the Captain! Heaven forbid.

Flight path over Sheridan Street - a bit reminiscent of Broome.

Trinity Beach

When we arrive at Trinity Beach, I don't recognize anything about the place from our last visit. In the eighties it was almost a deserted beach, now it's an esplanade of trendy restaurants, villas, town houses and holiday accommodation. Although it's not raining, the weather is far from ideal with an onshore wind blowing. We have lunch in a shore side park, go for a walk along what is signposted as a lookout, have a walk on the beach and make our way to Port Douglas. As we drive along we witness the rainforest clad hills cascading into the ocean.

My memory of Port Douglas is that of the town being the last frontier of North Queensland, (a bit of an exaggeration maybe?) now it is crawling with tourists and locals alike. A P&O cruise liner sails past, it's still windy, so we move on and find ourselves a spot at a caravan park in Mossman, squeezing in by the skin of our teeth. At the caravan park, people wanting powered sites must wait in the car park until they become available!

Our spot is not ideal, but it is a spot, in a very busy caravan park close to the road.

P & O cruise liner sailing by at Port Douglas.

Sunny Cairns

Our first real trip into Cairns proper.

I can't remember what Cairns CBD looked like the last time I was in Cairns, or even if I visited the CBD. But I guess I must have because I do remember going to the Botanical Gardens.

My sister (who only last Friday started some leave from work), drove us into Cairns. Or at least was going to until her car had mechanical problems. So we quickly re-arranged the back seat of our car and Andrew drove our car with my sister as navigator.

The car park at Cairns Esplanade was packed with young overseas tourists in their camper vans. Parking fees are only eighty cents an hour, until ten at night, so I guess that makes it cheaper than a campsite in a caravan park! Young bodies were all over the place (and at the man made beach - complete with life guards - on The Esplanade!)

When we arrived at the beach, the sun was trying very hard to shine and skimpily clad overseas tourists were sun-baking on the sand, many of them already looking like boiled lobsters. Within minutes, there was a heavy shower and everyone ducked for cover.

We made our way to the pier, dashing under shop awnings or into shops every time there was another shower.

Eventually found a place to have lunch on the pier and then walked to the Cairns Regional Gallery.

Afternoon tea, some window shopping and back home.

Cairns has certainly grown since the last time I was here.