Daintree / Cape Tribulation

Friday 20th  September
We spend 2 nights in the Daintree village. We do a river cruise on the Daintree river and are lucky to spot a few crocodiles 2 large and 3 small.

Mossman Gorge, was a highlight loved it! Board walk through the rainforest followed by a swim in the water hole.

 

 

 

We head across the Daintree River on the ferry. I was hoping to camp at Cape tribulation but couldn't get a site so we find some where else to camp for the next 2 nights. We visit the Daintree Discovery centre, walk along more boardwalks through the rainforest, taste some local ice cream tropical fruit flavours including, Black sapote ( yum just like chocolate ice cream) soursop ( lemon flavour) Yellow sapote ( don't know how to describe this one)  and wattle seed (coffee flavour). I go on a jungle surfing zip line tour through the Daintree which was lots of fun and finally a long walk on the beautiful beach at Cape Tribulation.

 

 

 

 

 

 



Atherton Tablelands and Cooktown

Saturday 14th September.
We leave Undara national Park heading for the Atherton Tablelands It doesn't take long before the scenery starts to change. It soon becomes lush and green with rolling hills very pretty and such a dramatic difference to where we have been. Its a few degrees cooler. We stop at Millstream falls the first of many waterfalls in the area. We stay at Lake Tinaroo just past Atherton which is a lovely spot and use this as our base.

 

Sunday is a big day of sightseeing and cheese tasting when we visit some local dairies and cheese making places in nearby Milla Milla and Malanda. Waterfalls are also on the to do list and we look at several. Next is Nerada tea plantation. Its a beautiful day but because it is Sunday there are no tours operating or cheese making at the Dairies.

Monday we head up to the town of Mareeba to Coffee Works. This place was great, coffee, tea, and chocolate tasting as well as a museum on the history of coffee and a processing shed where the kids could see coffee beans being roasted. We did some  coffee tasting which we all thought was disgusting but as much chocolate tasting as you wanted! Which was more up my alley and the kids... The kids get a milkshake and a quiz to do with a chocolate prize at the end.


Cooktown
Tuesday 17th September we are on the move again. We've made it to Cooktown! In my wisdom I decide today can be an ipod/I phone free day a decision I quickly regret. it was more punishment for us I think! what a long trip. The Landscape changes quite dramatically again back to dry and long stretches of nothing.
We arrive in Cooktown at 1.00pm and hit the pool for the afternoon.
The scenery is beautiful we head down to the Wharf area along the Endeavour river and have fish and chips while the sun sets......cant get much better than this.





Wednesday and Thursday we look around Cooktown some of the sights include :
The Botanic gardens

A walk down to Finch bay which is lovely but swimming not recommended due to crocodiles and jellyfish!















Grassy hill lookout gives amazing 360 degree views of Cooktown



The Captain Cook Museum



The cemetery and a walk down the main street where we encounter some school kids doing a march for NAIDOC week which we find out stands for ( National Aborigines and Islanders Day observants committee) which celebrates the history, culture and achievement of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander people. Some Aboriginal kids were in dance dress with paint and carrying the aboriginal and Australian flag.

 

 

Thursday afternoon we try our luck fishing off the wharf .Nice try Jess bit bigger next time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Outback part 2

Tuesday 10/9
We leave Longreach today and head you guessed it further inland stopping at a place called Winton. It is known as Dinosaur country as they have been finding Dinosaur fossils here for the past 20 years. Its very hot 36 degrees, we visit The Australian age of Dinosaurs museum. The kids love it learning about fossils and dinosaur bones. Average temp here in summer is 35-45 highest temp a tour guide told me reached 50! We stop for the night at Hughenden not much here but we do find a giant dinosaur for a photo. We have now turned and are heading for the coast.

 

 

 

Wednesday 11 /9
Charters Towers is the next stop now we are only about 130km inland from Townsville so quite high up. Ready for a rest we spend the afternoon by the pool...... very nice its mid 30's again. Charters Towers is an old Gold Mining town and has some beautiful old buildings. The Kids do some panning for gold. Phil is kept happy when we find a giant cow and Ben finds a giant Boomerang who knew there were so many Big things?? We take the kids to see Smurfs 2 highlight of their day.

 

 

 

Friday 13/9
Big day today decision made to go to Undara National Park. We are on the road at 7.00am travelling just short of 400km. We run over a dead Kangaroo which splatters Kangaroo bits under the car and on the front of the van and does it stink! foul. Undara  is a National Park that has volcanic Lava Tubes we do a 2 hour tour which was really good the kids love it.. Kangaroos roam through the caravan park which the kids enjoy. Time for another swim after the tour.

 

 

 

That's the outback for us done and dusted! Next stop the Atherton Tablelands.......lush and green.
Stay tuned for the next blog :)

Outback Queensland

 Wednesday 4/9 from Goondiwindi we head further inland to Roma. Another 400 km today we stop for lunch at a place called St George where we visit the unique egg. Emu eggs which are carved with beautiful designs. The eggs are then illuminated by an internal light globe some of these eggs were amazing. Roma: we do a quick look around the town....doesn't take long! We go to the Roma Saleyards and The big rig to learn about the oil mining history of Roma.

 

Thursday on the Road again to Charleville the weather is perfect sunny and 29.We are now officially in outback Queensland. The landscape is so dry lots of road kill on the side of the road mostly Kangaroos. At Charleville we visit the school of distance education which was really interesting we could listen in to an on air grade one class and have a chat with the teacher. Next on the sight seeing itinerary was the RFDS base and Museum.

 

We go to the Cosmos centre twice, during the day where the kids learn all about the solar system. There are lots of interactive things to do Ben, loves it. We return later that night for a night session looking through a massive telescope. We can view Saturn and its rings which was pretty cool!

Charleville done! Friday we are on the road again inland to Longreach 559 kms today! The kids are travelling well Stopping. at some small country towns along the way. Phil is impressed when I find him a Giant Meat ant for a photo. We vote at Blackall .Last stop before Longreach was the Tree of knowledge in Barcaldine. The birth place of the Labour party. Seemed a bit wrong considering the outcome of the election!

 

Longreach! Sat 8th- Mon 10th September. Central outback QLD. Its hot dry and dusty The caravan park seems to go on forever dirt and gravel. The pool provides some fun for the kids and a rescue opportunity for me to pluck a 3 year old out of the pool who was going under. How quick it can happen.  Temperatures expected to be high 30's here by the end of the week.

 We Visit the 2 main tourist attractions here QANTAS museum and Stockmans hall of fame.