We booked tomorrow’s tour before heading off to explore this morning. Pete and Pete had other things they wanted to do so we headed off and checked out Crystal Cascades first. Very pretty, lovely spot for a swim and I can see it being incredibly popular in the warmer months. There are lots of rocks with water running over them, with deeper pools for swimming, and then further upstream there were large waterfalls and pools too deep for swimming. We were tempted to go for a dip, but it was just that little bit too cold.
After a quick stop at one of the camping shops to try and get a replacement tap for our kitchen, we headed to the Botanic Gardens for an early lunch. How peaceful and relaxing! We then headed into town to look around the esplanade and see what we couldn’t really see much of last night in the dark. It is backpacker heaven along there! Never mind the fact that there is hardly any usable beach to sunbake on (crocs!), there is plenty of grass to camp out on and get your melanoma on! There’s also a massive lagoon to swim in, but we have it on good authority that it’s generally quite warm in there and they have to keep adding stuff to make it look blue instead of its natural yellow!
Sunset looked lovely over the water and behind the mountains. Kimmy and Luke met us for dinner again (had to make the most of our time up there!) and we had some more of that very awesome ice cream. Delicious!
Til next time
xxx
At least there were glimpses of sun this morning as we were packing up, but it still wasn’t clear enough for us to be confident that the rain had passed completely. There was one brief shower early on, but it didn’t slow us down too much, we just made sure that we had the plastic sheet over the bed so that the wet canvas wouldn’t soak in. We finished our packing up and headed south, still following that magnificent road along the ocean. Parts of the road were closed where there had been land slides, and there were portions of bitumen that had crumbled towards the ocean. Slightly alarming, but it was all on the mend.
We didn’t have too long to wait when we got to the Daintree River for the ferry. It was on its way back over with only one vehicle on board (which was, of course, a Patrol). It came off, and we drove on, and across we went. I was watching but I couldn’t see any crocs, there’s supposed to be heaps in the Daintree River. Maybe they were all still in bed?
We decided against going into Daintree Village as we would have had to backtrack. Our next stop was Mossman Gorge (along with EVERYONE else). There was an incredible amount of people and traffic in that area. The Gorge itself is very pretty, with clear water and a very rainforesty feel.
We stood around the camper in the carpark, and had our morning tea while we watched the arrivals and departures before heading off. As it was Sunday, we’d heard that the markets were on in Port Douglas, so that’s where us girls had decided we were heading! The markets were pretty impressive, there were people everywhere and I don’t think we covered all of it. They were certainly good for a look, and although there was lots of stuff that you expect to find at markets, there were also lots of things that we hadn’t seen before.
After lunch, we continued on our way south, and followed the ocean road between Port Douglas and Cairns. I don’t like winding roads but this is a lovely drive. Again, the weather was not our friend.
We made it into Cairns, and on our second attempt found a caravan park that we could fit into (but only just)! After setting up, Mick and I drove into the city centre to meet up with Kimmy and Luke for dinner and a catch up as promised. Great meal, awesome company and the ice cream was to die for!!
Til next time
xxx
Today we went exploring! First we headed north, back to Cape Tribulation. Sadly the weather was against us again, but what else do you expect in the rainforest?
We stopped at Myall Beach, which was where we’d had our lunch yesterday, and walked the boardwalk that has been set up there. We didn’t see a cassowary, but we did see a set of footprints that we are pretty certain came from a cassowary. We did see some interesting plants, and Mick experienced nature first-hand when a nectar-hunting bird crapped on him!
We then stopped for what turned out to be a fairly average (and over-priced) morning tea on our way back south. Strangely, we had some trouble finding somewhere to get a cup of tea, a few places seemed to be shut. We thought we were in tourist season!
We kept heading south and on our way to another boardwalk, which hopefully had undercover picnic tables so we could have a dry lunch, we stopped at the Daintree Discovery Centre. We’d looked at the brochure and figured it would probably be too dear, but it turned out to be affordable so we had a quick bite for lunch and headed in. This place was very informative! We learnt lots about the different types of trees and plants in the rainforest. They also have a series of platforms rising up above the canopy of trees. The highest one is 23 metres high!
We spent a couple of hours there, battling the tourists (!) and commenting on how nice it would be if we were the only people there so we could actually hear and see some of the birds. Apparently there are cassowaries there too but we had no chance of sighting one with all of the noisy visitors!
On our way back to our camp, we stopped at the Daintree Ice Cream Company for an ice cream. Yum! You get a cup with four different scoops in for $5, and the flavours are seasonal. They grow all of the fruit that they use in the ice cream on site. The flavours we had were wattleseed (cappuccino flavour), soursop (like lemon sorbet), apricot and mango. I would have liked to get some to take away but no freezer 😦
We returned to Lync-Haven (where we were staying) and had cups of tea at the cafe, before tackling one of the walks they have that goes around the property. We only did a small one as it was getting late and we didn’t actually have a map on us so we weren’t sure where we would end up otherwise. I did look at the map later and realised that it would have been difficult for us to get lost, as all of the tracks meet up in a big circuit. Back to camp for dinner and beer, and to start getting organised for the pack up in the morning.
Til next time
xxx
Amazingly, we all woke up alright this morning (no hangovers!), and once we had packed up (and mopped all of the water out of the camper!), we headed up to the pub for breakfast. Mick & I had spoken to Faith (one of the managers) last night about leaving a memento behind, and as it was our fifth wedding anniversary today we left one of our wedding stubbie coolers behind. Hope we can find it next time we get there!
After we left the Lions Den, our first stop was at Wujal Wujal to see the falls. Wowsers! These are really quite impressive. There is a short but somewhat challenging walk to the lookout, but it was worth it.
On the way back, we were alerted to something we had missed on the way out – there was a croc in the river! There he was, just sunning himself on a rock! I did some googling, and apparently he is a regular. I read somewhere that he was known as Spartacus!
Crocwatch = 1!
Back on the road, we crossed the Bloomfield River and headed towards the Daintree on the Bloomfield Track.
The Bloomfield Track is not overly challenging, it is quite steep in places and the track is sometimes narrow. There continue to be many other travellers that don’t seem capable of sharing the road, which gets a bit frustrating on a narrow track. Although it had been raining, the track wasn’t particularly slippery and we made it through to Cape Tribulation with no dramas. We tried to have lunch at one of the picnic spots but we ended out eating in our cars, as once our sangas were made it started to bucket! After lunch, we headed down to our accommodation – Lync-Haven Rainforest Retreat. They have a resident croc called Boris, and a few cassowaries, although we didn’t see any of them!
Til next time
xxx
Even though there was some rain around this morning, staying another night was not an option and we packed up and headed off early this morning. The drive back into Hope Vale was a bit messy as they were resurfacing the roads, and there was dirt all over the roads. With the rain, our trailers managed to pick up another 20kg of weight in mud!
It didn’t take us too long to get to Cooktown, and our first stop was the lookout at Grassy Hill. Wowsers! What a view! Sadly the weather was not the best.
We had a cup of tea at a fairly average cafe and then set off to explore the James Cook Museum. It is housed in an old convent so the building itself is very interesting. Mick has rated it as one of the best museums that he has ever been to. The anchor and a cannon from the Endeavour that was retrieved from the reef is on display, as well as many other ‘discovery’ items, displays from the goldrush era and the history of Cooktown. Most impressive.
I was particularly taken with a painting that they had on display. It is a copy of a portion of Aboriginal rock art, but what I found interesting is who painted it – Percy Tresize. We stayed at Jowalbinna, which his son Steve is now running.
After the museum, we wandered down to the water to find some lunch and look at the statues and monuments that line the bay. This guy features quite prominently – very popular in these parts!
We also visited the Croc Shop in Cooktown, which used to be at the Wenlock, and then Lockerbie (near the tip). Now they have the Croc Tent at Lockerbie. After picking up a few souvenirs, and meeting Linda (see here to find out about Linda Rowe), we headed off toward Helenvale. First stop on the way was at Black Mountain, which is an eerie place. It’s also difficult to describe the scale of it – these hills are massive. According to the signs, we were only seeing a small portion of it. You cannot access the rocks at all, it is much too dangerous. Apparently people have tried to walk in there and have disappeared, never to be seen again.
We continued down the road, and stopped at the Annan River Gorge for a look. Very rocky and very pretty, there was plenty of water flowing down.
As we walked back up to the highway, we could see a car parked on the bridge. Stupid tourists! We told them that it was not the best place to park, as it was a highway, but they thought it was pretty funny and that if a car came around the bend they’d have plenty of time to see them! We just shook our heads and walked back to our cars, which were of course parked off the road.
Then we reached our destination – the Lions Den Hotel. By this stage it was getting quite late so once we’d set up the campers, we were off for showers and then over to the pub for dinner. No cooking or washing up tonight!!
It is a great place, you could never get around to reading all of the stuff that they have all over the walls and ceiling. We had a great night, with a few drinks, a delicious meal and a game or two of pool.
Til next time
xxx
This morning should have seen us pack up and leave Eddy’s camp for our next destination. But when the alarm went off at 6am and the rain was pouring down, it was very easy to go back to bed (or in my case, not get up) and delay the pack up for another day. When we finally got out of bed (quite a few hours after the alarm), cups of tea were in order. Lots of cups of tea. We also made some pikelets on the griddle for brunch, and then had another cup of tea. Good tea drinking weather.
It rained on and off all morning, but by early afternoon it was mostly clear and time for another walk along the beach. Pete and Pete took off towards the south, to see how far they could get and if they could get to the headland. Mick and I tried to find a way to get onto the massive sandbar that is exposed at low tide. We found a way, but ended up with mud half-way up our calves. It is a massive stretch of sand at low tide, we walked and walked. We did manage to find an easier way back, with no mud whatsoever.
I do love these lazy holiday days!
Til next time
xxx
Slow and lazy day today – the only thing planned was a walk up to the Coloured Sands, for which Elim Beach is known. So after a late lunch, we headed off.
We were not alone, however. Eddy’s dog Pluto decided to accompany us on our walk. He is kinda cute so we didn’t refuse!
He led the way for most of it, showing us the path through the mangroves and along the beach. He tried to hurry us up a bit too, but gave up after a while. Every now and again he would disappear into the bushes ahead of us and then jump out when we got closer, like he was trying to surprise us!
The Coloured Sands are stunning, beautiful mixes of colours contrasted against the green of the trees and the perfect blue of the sky.
We slowly made our way back and Pluto was still in front, leading us on. About half-way back we lost sight of him, so we figured he must have run ahead to get back to Eddy’s. Turned out we were wrong. A couple of hours later, we still hadn’t seen him, so we asked Eddy if he’d seen his dog around that afternoon. He hadn’t, and we explained that he had walked up the beach with us, but that he hadn’t returned with us. Whoops! Eddy asked if we left him there, with this worried look in his eyes, and our stomachs just dropped. Turns out there is a house near where Pluto disappeared where another dog lives. Eddy said he’d have to go up and get him, and we offered to walk up to try and find him, but Eddy said that he would drive up, and that we could come if we liked. Pete asked how many seats he had but Eddy said he had plenty of seats. So we all piled into Eddy’s Vitara and went for a drive up the track to find Pluto.
Pluto knew he was in lots of trouble. As soon as the car pulled up and we got out, he was off! But he didn’t go too far, and we were able to corner him. Pete grabbed him and pretty much dragged him to the car, and then had to pick him up to get him in. Success!
We returned to camp and went down to the beach to watch the sun set. Pluto did not accompany us this time, he was in heaps of trouble!
Til next time
xxx
We packed up and left Hann Crossing this morning, and travelled back to Kalpower Crossing to top up the water supplies before we left Lakefield. Our morning tea stop was at the Old Laura Homestead. Mick and I pulled up first, as we had overtaken Pete and Pete earlier when they had stopped to get some photos. They took ages to turn up, and we were starting to wonder if something had happened as they weren’t that far behind us. They eventually showed and it turned out that something HAD happened. They’d come across a vehicle with camper trailer pulled up in the middle of the road, and a wildly gesturing and waving woman who obviously wanted them to stop. They pulled right off the road and it sounds as though they were being abused before they had come to a stop. The people wanted to know if Pete and Pete were travelling with the vehicles in front because one of them had broken their windscreen! There was a great deal of ranting, and not a chance to get a word in at all. Not long after they pulled up, a Patrol that they had passed going in the opposite direction pulled up and started abusing them too for breaking his windscreen! He must have turned around pretty damn quick to get back so fast. Apparently they didn’t slow down enough, don’t you know you’ve got to slow down when you pass someone? Pete and Pete did well to get away quickly, but not before the Patrol guy tried to throw a rock at their car. Lucky he was a bad shot and hit the aerial. Isn’t it good to know we are sharing the roads with people like these??
So we had some morning tea and then had a look at the Old Laura Homestead. Most of it is inaccessible but they have opened up some of the downstairs sections to show old photos.
We then headed out of Lakefield, and onto Battle Camp Road toward Hope Vale and Cooktown. It is quite a spectacular drive, rangy and hilly in places. Incredible scenery too.
We pulled up at Isabella Falls for a look. These are quite pretty, and there were a few people there that had pulled over for a dip. We walked through and it was a little frosty, but refreshing.
We left Isabella Falls, and as it was around lunchtime we decided to try and find somewhere for lunch. The closest spot we came across was the Endeavour Falls Tourist Park. We didn’t get to go to the falls for a look, but we did get to feed the barramundi that they have there in a big tank! We were assured that she had no teeth but I still wasn’t going to hold the food until she took it! You drop it in the water and BAM! It’s gone!! It would be exciting to get one on a hook!
Next stop was the Hope Vale servo to get our permits and map to go to Elim Beach. Then it was a lovely drive through the hills to the beach, and a set up at Eddy’s Camp. Beautiful!
Til next time
xxx
Today was exploration day – time to see what there was to see in Lakefield. Our first stop was somewhat unscheduled, as we had to wait for the cement truck to finish dumping its load where they were building the new causeway at Hann Crossing. We had to wait about 10 minutes so we looked in the little rockpools and found some tadpoles and other weird critters.
Once we were able to cross the river, we continued on our merry way. We stopped to have a look at Breeza, which was an old homestead situated under the mango trees. Nice and cool spot. There was also a lagoon close by, that you could see through the trees. We looked but there were no crocs to be seen.
Next stop was at Red Lily Lagoon. It was a bit disappointing as there were not many flowers out but it was very pretty. They have built a viewing platform out over the lagoon, which is great. We could hear something splashing about in the water below us but couldn’t see it to find out what it was. Apparently there are only red lilies in this lagoon, not a white one to be seen.
Then we looked at White Lily Lagoon. Same story here, but with only white lilies. This one didn’t seem quite so large or as dense with plants. Lots more birdlife around this one too.
Then it was on to Kalpower Crossing for lunch. It would have been nice to camp there, but we were happy with how quiet it was at Hann Crossing. After lunch we decided to do the 4km walk that is there. We did pick a bad time of the day to do it, it was so hot!
We then wandered down and had a look at the causeway and the water going over and around the rocks. Lovely spot. There is a cemented causeway under the water going through the middle of the photo!
We drove back to camp, spotted a few of these guys on the way. There were three in the middle of the road as we approached. Two took off to the left but this one stayed to the right, checked us out, decided he didn’t want his photo taken and then took off to join the others. Very agile, almost roo-like in the way he bounded over grass and bushes.
There is more wildlife to be seen in Lakefield. Peta nearly stood on a snake which was half under the car on the first night. If it was me, I think I would have needed a change of undies! And you wouldn’t believe the amount of frogs. Every evening, you’d start hearing a gentle tapping every now and again on the canvas. We worked out it was frogs, jumping into the camper! How silly of us to set up camp in their way!
Still no crocs to be seen!
Til next time
xxx
A lazy proper holiday day today. I love a good sleep-in! After a leisurely breakfast, Mick wanted to put a line in, so we went for a little drive around Hann Crossing to see if we could find a break in the trees big enough. Found one! Pity the fish weren’t hungry at that time of the morning.
We went back to camp and had some lunch, and had a quiet afternoon of reading and relaxing. Later in the afternoon, Mick and I went for a drive further downstream to put the line in again. We drove all the way down to the last campsite, and couldn’t find anywhere to access the river. Mick decided to cast into a big waterhole that we came across. He nearly had the lure back in when SNAP! There was a fish on it! It wasn’t massive and we’re not sure what it was exactly.
So you can catch a fish with a lure! Back in the water he went and Mick kept casting, trying his luck. There was no action for a little while, and then BANG! Another one! Sadly though, this one was a catfish.
He went back too, and Mick kept trying for a while but we think the fish were onto him and had swam to another section of the waterhole. Then he lost his lure on a tree branch so we called it a day.
Til next time
xxx
The Adventures of Mick & Ange 