23 August Bloomfield Falls

23 August

Bloomfield Falls

We set off early this morning (well –holidays early … about 8.30am) to drive to Bloomfield Falls. Bloomfield is only about 35 kilometres north of Cape Tribulation (where we were last Wednesday) but the road between the two is 4WD only – so we had to drive down from Cooktown to be able to view these magnificent falls. Needless to say Darryl had a wonderful time photographing them even though we were there at midday which apparently is not ideal for photography.

Bloomfield Falls

On the drive to Bloomfield we visited the Wujal Wujal art gallery and stopped off at the famous Lion’s Den hotel for a drink. (Apparently you HAVE to stop at the Lion’s Den … it is almost mandatory for all tourists!) The Lion’s Den Hotel is famous for all the writing all over the walls, clothes which people have left hanging around etc. They also have a small museum of artefacts from the old mine etc. including some specimens of snakes and spiders in jars. The Houdini spider had Merril a little concerned … the bottle looked empty!

Lion's Den Hotel

22 August Cooktown

22 August

Cooktown

Today was a quiet day spent looking around Cooktown.  There is a lovely art gallery in town which we visited (Kuku Bulkaway) which features aboriginal art. We would have loved to have bought one piece which was in blues and greens featuring cassowaries. For some reason, even though Darryl loved it, he wouldn’t let Merril buy it! It may have been the $2000 price tag? It would have looked superb in our entry. <Sigh>

On Alison’s recommendation, we went on a sunset cruise. Wow – how lovely. So relaxing. It was a small intimate cruise with only 10 people. It was like going on a boat trip with a friend rather than a tour. What a lovely way to spend an evening. The tour guide explained some history of the area while cruising around. We spotted a crocodile – although no opportunity to photograph him as he dived into the water as we approached. After watching the sun setting over the beach, we enjoyed a lovely cheese platter while anchored in 2 mile creek.

Sunset at Cooktown

21 August - Laura

21 August

Laura

We took a day trip today to the Split Rock at Laura. It was quite a long drive. (There was a shorter way but it was for 4WD only. Despite the neighbour telling Darryl that our car and van could drive right up to the tip of Queensland … we weren’t convinced and decided to take the long way around which would be mostly sealed roads.)

At Split Rock there are some wonderful aboriginal art galleries which are well preserved. It is quite a steep walk up to the galleries and as it was midday when we were there, it was very hot. When we arrived at the first gallery, an indigenous tour guide was explaining the drawings and we were fortunate enough to be able to listen in. Apparently when they were building the platform (to help keep prevent damage to the art) they dug up a fireplace and stone tools which were used to date the gallery.

From Laura, Darryl got to do some 4 wheel driving out to the old Laura Homestead in the Lakefield National Park. This is an old homestead from the 1800s. A very interesting site. It makes you appreciate how difficult life was for the early pioneers.

Old Laura homestead

Isaiah – you know those big ants nests that you get in your backyard and at school sometimes? Look at the size of this ants nest! It is as big as Grumps!

An ants nest as big as Grumps!

19 – 20 August Cooktown

19 – 20 August

Cooktown

Finally we have reached the furthest point of our travels – Cooktown. We have to pinch ourselves to realise that we are actually here. After being spoilt at the lovely quiet caravan park of Bustard Downs, we decided to avoid the busy town centre caravan parks and camp outside of Cooktown at Endeavour Falls. It is approx. 34km outside of Cooktown over a bumpy dirt road (which we didn’t realise when we booked). It is once again a very quiet caravan park and we have no neighbours. Indeed there are only 3 – 4 other camps set up. (It is also the most difficult campsite to get into. With palm trees lining each campsite and both sides of the road it was almost impossible for Darryl to reverse into!) The downside is we have no reception, so will have to post these blog entries and check email when we go into town. We will stay here until Thursday morning.

Is there a padlock there somewhere?

Celebrating our arrival at Cooktown.

 Cooktown must have heard we were coming as they put on a special parade with the airforce walking down the main street with their swords drawn and also a fly-over! (Darryl thought it was wonderful to have an opportunity to photograph such an event.)

The whole town came out for the parade.

This is a lovely quiet and beautiful area. Everyone seems to be very friendly. We spoke with an indigenous artist who had a display outside the Arts Centre. She shared her life story of how she has found healing from depression through her painting. She also explained the symbolism which she used in her paintings …. circles for waterholes, dots for lands, strokes for people etc. Later in the day, when Merril was sitting waiting for Darryl to finish photographing the parade, she walked past and continued the conversation about her sales and upcoming markets. (A new best friend??)

From the lighthouse / Cook’s lookout we did a steep walk through the bush down to Cherry Tree Cove. A very picturesque secluded beach.

Cherry Tree Cove

When we came back to our van at the end of the day, there was a large palm frond on the ground. Our neighbour advises that we are incredibly lucky. As we drove out in the morning, the frond fell 30 metres from the palm tree “like a torpedo” and landed with an almighty crash right where the bonnet of the car was. He said that our car would have been "completely totaled" if it had still been there! How fortunate were we? Fingers crossed no more fronds fall while we are here.

18 August: Port Douglas

18 August

Port Douglas

Happy Birthday Sharon! (and Merril)  We spent today at Port Douglas and then Mossman Gorge.

The owners of the caravan park recommended a café at Port Douglas. What a superb choice. We were a bit hesitant at first as Merril had her heart set on seafood … but wow .. this was the best café / restaurant we have ever been to. Darryl ordered the sous vide beef fillet which he declared was the best steak he has ever had! (As a steak man … that is a huge compliment.) He had the biggest grin the whole time he was enjoying his meal. Merril chose the Creole Jambalaya with prawns, squid, smoked chicken and crocodile sausage as she wanted to try something a bit different. It was also very tasty. Although we were very full, we found room for dessert and were so glad we did. They were spectacular! If you are ever up this way – make sure you make a booking for the Salsa café. You will not be disappointed.

Our decadent desserts

From there we visited Mossman Gorge. A beautiful area however it was quite commercial. It was very restricted where you could walk which is obviously to protect the environment, but it did mean that photo opportunities were also restricted. They had a couple of incredible suspension bridges along the walk (which Merril found quite difficult to cross as they gave her vertigo.) While walking Darryl got the fright of his life as he almost stepped on a black snake which was slithering across the path!

Darryl narrowly missed stepping on this snake.

Mossman Gorge

This is our last day in Mossman / Port Douglas area. We head off tomorrow for Cooktown.

17 August: Cape Tribulation

17 August

Cape Tribulation – Daintree National Park

Happy Birthday Daniel! We celebrated your birthday by taking the ferry over to Cape Tribulation and Daintree National Park.

What a beautiful area of Australia. The lush rainforest comes right to the edge of the road, quite dense and so very green. Sometimes the rainforest was on one side and the beautiful beach was on the other. We decided it was like bushwalking … except that you are in a car! (Now that is Merril’s style of bushwalking – no leeches or ticks!)

Boardwalk at Daintree

Cape Tribulation beach

The highlight of the day had to be when we stopped to try some exotic fruit icecream and a cassowary and juvenile decided to walk around the orchard! The adult was beautifully coloured. They just took their time wandering around. We felt very privileged to have seen them.

Cassowary

Isaiah – look what we saw today! A dinosaur that moves …  is it real?

11-16 August Atherton Tablelands

It has been a while since we have been able to post an update to our blog as we have been in areas that have had no reception, so we will fill you in on the missing dates.

11 – 12 August
Walkamin – Undura
As we left Walkamin on Thursday morning we called into a lovely woodworking gallery where Merril spent her birthday money on two lovely little echidnas. (Thanks Mum and Alison.) There was lots of lovely things there and we could have spent a fortune.

Merril's echidnas

We drove from there through Innot Hot Springs (it was amazing how hot the water was in the creek! Some was close to boiling!)

Darryl testing the water at Innot Springs

Then on to Undara Volcanic National Park where we went on a tour of the lava caves.

Entry of the "Wind Tunnel" lava cave

Inside the "Wind Tunnel". Magnificient colours on the cave walls.
Shame about the lighting!

A special guest joined our tour, Lorrein Pinay. She was the previous owner of the property before it was reclaimed as National Park. This was the first time she had been back to see the caves since she left 30 years ago so she was excited to see the caves and we were so very lucky to be able to hear her stories of life on the land when she was there. When she first arrived they lived in a tin shed that had holes for windows and doors. Her father then built them a concrete block house (as the termites up here are enormous). They had no electricity, water or roads. The kids were home schooled. She told us of the occassion when one of her sons was attacked by dingos and was fortunate enough to survive thanks to the quick reaction of her daughter. Another time she almost picked up a death adder thinking that it was a chux cloth that had been dropped on the ground and many other stories.
They discovered the different caves, usually after bushfires when it was easier to see where cave roofs had collapsed. It sounds like there are hundreds of different caves in the area which will never be opened to the public. They would abseil into many of the caves.

13 – 19 August
Undara – Mt Molloy
Alison, Jenny and Paul recommended that we stay at a caravan park on a cattle farm outside Mt Mollay on our way to Cooktown. What a superb suggestion (thanks for that recommendation.) Each site has a shed which keeps the van incredibly cool during the hot days. There are only two other couples here (even though it is the week-end) and it is so very very quite. We booked in for only two nights initially but have decided to extend to Friday to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet. It has been lovely having some time to stay in one place instead of always packing up and driving.

Our campsite. No other vans in sight. Bliss.

Babbling creek on site.

The sign of the day/week.
Eek  - I get shivers just looking at it!

From Mt Molloy we have been driving across the range to Mossman and Port Douglas. The rain has set in so neither area are displaying to their potential. While Port Douglas is very beautiful, it is extremely touristy which spoils it. It reminds us of Noosa. Tourists and tourist shops everywhere. (Oops .. does that include us???)

Port Douglas

Unfortunately as it has been raining we also haven’t had a chance to go bird watching.  A little disappointing this is apparently a wonderful site to see a wide variety of birds.