Atherton to Cooktown

We stayed 2 nights just outside Atherton at a WWII Memorial Park.  It was once the site of the WWII hospital so we were able to read up on a bit more WWII history.  In Atherton we took in the sites at the lookout over the Tablelands, drove through some rainforest areas and visited the Peanut Place . . .Yum!!  In Mareeba we explored the Heritage Centre and learnt about life in the 1800's and about the development and exploration of Far North Queensland.  We went to Granite Gorge, where the kids got to hand feed the wallabies.  Haydan loved it but Emmalisa was not so sure, she preferred to just throw the food at them.  Haydan was most interested in the wallaby that had a joey in it's pouch.  Once our exploration was complete we made our way to Cooktown.  Our first impression of the town was WOW!!!  We went up to the lookout at Grassy Hill and took in the breathtaking sites.  Grassy Hill was the hill Captain Cook climbed after his ship ran a ground.  While in Cooktown we did the Heritage Walk and saw significant landmarks such as the place where Captain Cook tied his boat to a tree when they first made land.  We later saw this tree in the museum.  We saw the original town well and the cannon that was sent to Cooktown along with 2 riffles and 3 cannon balls along with an officer to protect the town in case of invasion.  We saw monuments that paid tribute to Captain Cook, The Chinese Community that played an important roll in the gold rush and other significant people.  We spent as much time as we could in the museum but as you can imagine Haydan and Emmalisa's attention span and interest here lasted 5 minutes.  However we did brush up on a bit more history and we  got to see the original anchor and cannon that was recovered from The Endeavour after over 200 years at sea plus many more interesting artifacts.  We did a walk around the Botanical Gardens and the cemetery which wrapped up all the sights in Cooktown.  While in Cooktown we also did a few trip just out of town to see some waterfalls.  The first trip we went to Endeavour Falls and Isabella Falls.  They were quite beautiful and Haydan was keen for a swim in one so at Isabella Falls he stripped off and had a skinny dip much to the delight of the Grey Nomads that turned up on the tour bus to see him splashing about with out a care in the world.  The second day we went out to Home Rule Falls which was an experience to say the least. As we turned down the road we saw a big sign that read BUSH WEEK.  We didn't think much more of it until we drove in the gate and saw more dreadlocks, tie dye and healing crystals than you can poke a stick at.  It was Hippies as far as the eye could see and a drug detection dog would have been like a kid in a candy store. When we asked the guy at the office what it was all about he informed us it was a festival they held every 2 years.  Anyway, we did the 1.6km hike to the falls and they did not disappoint they were awesome.  They cascaded down several tiers and ran down through a valley.  It was morning tea and another swim for Haydan and then we got ready for the big hike back.  As we were about to leave one of the Hippies strips off ready for her swim and then proceeds to ask Glen for direction to another walk around the falls.  Home Rule Falls will be in our memories for a long time for more than just the beauty of the waterfall!!!  On the way back to town we stopped at The Lions Den which is a pub that opened up in the 1800's across the road from the tin mine.  This was a very interesting pub because back in the mining days the miners used to leave their pay packets at the pub and write a running tab on the walls so that they knew how much money they had to spend at the pub.  These original writings are no longer there but people have continued to write messages and poems and drawn on the walls of the pub to keep the tradition alive.  It was great to wander around and read what other people had written and see items that had been left behind such as shirts, hats, work boots and even a bra!!!!

Our time in Cooktown was very enjoyable and we found Cooktown to be one of the best towns we have visited.  We now start heading south down the East Coast with our next stop being Mossman.

Family photo at Grassy Hill Lookout

The view from Grassy Hill Lookout

Haydan at the Captain Cook Monument

Haydan and Emmalisa at Isabella Falls

Home Rule Falls

(sorry no photos of naked hippies)

Karumba to Atherton

Well we have covered some country since the last Blog.  We spent 3 days in Karumba where everyone goes to catch a fish.  Well, everyone was there to catch a fish but unfortunately for us we were unable to catch one.  The boat ramp was quite an amazing site with cars and boat trailers everywhere.  Glen and Haydan tried their luck off the beach but the fish were not biting.  Due to the lack of fish we decided to go out for fish and chips instead and we ate some of the best fish and chips while we watched the sun set over the Norman River.  We then left Karumba and started travelling across what is known as the Savannah Way.  We stopped in at Croydon and Georgetown which were sleepy little towns that were rich in heritage and history. Just near Georgetown we found a great camp that was once a bustling mining town that even had 3 pubs and a bank.  Now all that remains is a chimney from the smelter and a dam that used to supply the town with water.  The kids loved getting back to the bush where we made some damper and toasted marshmallows on the fire.  Along the way we also did a tour at the Undara Lava Tubes.  These are caves that were created when the volcano called Undara erupted and the lava flowed out.  As the lava flowed out the top cooled down and formed a crust but the lava kept flowing underneath which is what created the tunnel.  Over time parts of the tunnel collapsed, this what allows you to go through the tubes or caves.  It was quite interesting.  The next day we stopped off at the Innot Hot Springs where hot (and I mean hot) water comes out of the ground.  It blends in with the river so some parts were too hot to stand in, others were like a bath and other spots were cold.  It was quite amazing to see nature at work here.  The next stop for the day was the Millstream Falls.  This is Australia's widest waterfall.  This was also the site of a WWII training camp and we did the heritage walk that showed what was left of the camp. We then made our way to Ravenshoe which is the highest town in Queensland.  The kids loved going through the visitors centre that had a rainforest display.  The part they liked best was the nocturnal display where they could look for animals using torches.  We were going to stay here the night but when the guy at the visitors centre told us it was 0 degrees when he got to work we opted out.  The night before it got down to 6 degrees inside the caravan (which means it was probably 3 or 4 degrees outside).  That was cold enough for us so we headed for Atherton.  We had some rather cold nights on the this stretch so all our winter woolies have had a good workout.

  Haydan fishing at Karumba

Sunset at Karumba

Sunrise over the dam at camp near Georgetown

Undara Lava Tubes

Haydan at Millstream Falls

All warm and ready for bed - yep it was COLD

Normanton

Our stay in Normanton was quite enjoyable it was also quite exciting as Emmalisa is now walking and she walked everywhere and anywhere she could around this town.  Once she found her feet there was no stopping her.  Normanton was a small town with a rich history that we found quite interesting.  When we arrived on Thursday there was a street parade to open the Rodeo.  We soon learnt that when half the town is in the float parade there are not many kids left to throw lollies to, therefore the kids cleaned up.  Haydan was most impressed with this float parade.  The next day we walked around the town and visited the historic sites such as the town well, old buildings and there is still the hitch that people used to tie their horses to back in the 1800's.  There is also the replica of the largest croc ever shot in the world.  The replica is made from the exact measurements that were recorded after the croc was shot.  This big boy measured 8.63 metres or 28ft 4inch long.  In short HUGE!!!  That afternoon we went to the Rodeo and watched the Bullock Ride.  Haydan now informs us that when he is 'all the way bigger' he is going to ride moo cows too.  Great!!!!  Saturday we went for a drive to the Burke and Wills Camp 119.  Here is where they set up their most Northerly camp as Burke and Wills made their way to find the ocean.  You could see the trees that were blazed by Burke and Wills and other men in their party while they were there.  Unfortunately over 150 years of erosion has taken its toll on the trees and the markings can no longer be clearly seen.  It was still worth a look and we found it very interesting.  That night we went back to the Rodeo and this time it was the Bull Ride.  Yep those bulls were big and those cowboys fell hard.  I do hope Haydan changes his mind about riding moo cows!!!!  A spot of fishing and a bit of relaxing rounded off our stay.  The weather conditions were not favourable to fishing so there is no stories of big fish or ones that got away.  This morning just before we left we went on the Gulflander Train.  This is a train line that runs from Normanton to Croydon and was set up in the Gold Rush to transport goods.  It was never joined up with any other tracks in Queensland rail and is now of historic significance.  It was quite an enjoyable ride on a train that was built 120 years ago with a top speed of 40km.  We have now made it to Karumba and Glen is determined to catch some fish, so fingers crossed!!!!!

Replica of Krys the Savannah King - Remember this is a life size replica taken from exact measurement!!!!

                                                       Enjoying the street parade

                                                                 At the Rodeo

                                                      Burke and Wills Camp 119

                                             'All Aboard' - Waiting to get on the Gulflander

The Simple Life

We have now made it Normanton.  On the way here we did some bush camping and found some really great spots.  The first place we stopped at was Corella Dam which is part of Clem Walton Park.  The camp site was awesome.  We set up the caravan just meters from the river and the view was beautiful.  The dam was only a 10 minute walk away for the girls and a 2minute motor bike ride for the boys.  Here we all enjoyed a spot of fishing but we didn't catch anything, however Haydan was very excited to see his bait on the end of the line every time he pulled it in.  We went for a walk and explored the Dam and of course the Motor Bike got a bit of a workout down all the bush tracks. There was a nice grass area for Emmalisa to practise walking and she is now taking some independent steps.  I would say in the next week or two there will be no stopping her.  We stayed there for three nights and just enjoyed the quiet, simple life.  We then went and camped at the Flinders River which is just outside of Normanton.  Here the boys did some fishing off the bank and caught a few Cherabin for a snack.  Glen also hooked up 2 Barra one was too small to keep and the other . . . well it was the big one that got away.  He is still gutted by the loss.  We have managed to get to Normanton at a good time with the local Rodeo and Show here over the long weekend.  So stay tuned for our adventures around Normanton.



The Campsite

                                                              Kids enjoy some fishing

Daddy's little girl does him proud

                                                               The Boys off for a fish

                                                              Boys and their Toys

                                                           Sunrise over the Campsite



Mataranka to Mt Isa

We have made it to Queensland!!!!  But first we had a few nights at Mataranka and a few swims in the Hot Springs.  The first one we visited was Bitter Springs and this one was a very natural Hot Spring that is at a constant temperature of 34 degrees! We swam with a few little fish and lilly pads and it was a little bit smelly as it is a natural eco system.  The next morning we went to the Mataranka Hot Spring.  This one was more like a pool as it was built to be a recreational area for the service men in the second world war.  We couldn't believe we were even thinking of swimming as it was a very cold morning but since the springs are so warm we braved it and loved it.  The only hard part was getting out as it was FREEZING when you got out.  We then hit the road again for 3 nights staying a roadside or bush camps as Haydan calls them.  These are a bit of a highlight as Haydan can run around more and play with rocks and sticks and not be confined to a park site.  Also we try and light a camp fire at night so we can toast marshmallows.  The only problem with the camps this time is no power means no heater and it got down to 8 degrees one night that we measured.  The night before was way colder so we hate to imagine how low the temperature got that night.  We are now in Mt Isa and have power which is a good thing as it has been getting down to 4 degrees and last week they had 1.2 degrees.  The days are beautiful though and you can usually start peeling off the layers by 10am.  We haven't stayed long in Mt Isa as it is very much a mining town and Glen has seen more than enough mines and I got to go underground in WA so we are now heading up to Normanton and Karumba to do some fishing!!!!!  Will let you know how big the fish were next Blog!!!!

The journey so far

Swimming at Mataranka

Sunrise at Newcastle Waters - Bush Camp

We made it to Queensland

Ahhh, kids in bed and enjoying a cuppa by the camp fire.

View from Mt Isa lookout - Yep, it's a mining town