Cairns Road Trip Day 13: Mossman Gorge

 
 
 
 

Cairns Road Trip Day 12

 

Cairns Road Trip Day 11: Fossicking, Figs and Falls

Cairns Road Trip Day 10: Michaelmas Cay

 A great day out on the reef, vomiting Japanese tourists, scuba diving, birds, birds and more birds

Cairns Road Trip Day 9. Some culture

 More morning beachwalks and geocaching in and around Cairns, followed by a memorable aboriginal cultural dinner and dancing for Michelle's 40th Birthday

Cairns Road Trip Day 8: life is a beach

 Walking Queensland beaches in the morning, swimming in our pool after breakfast, and then into the table lands exploring monster figs,and crater lakes and fishing Lake Tinaroo.

Cairns Road Trip Day 7 Kuranda and a Barron Fall

 Safely reunited with my family the night before, we headed up the skyrail, across tall rainforests to the township of Kuranda.

 In Kuranda, we toured the rainforestation nature park and the markets and stalls of Kuranda, where Liam scored an authntic boomerang.
 after lunch at the Kuranda Train Station, we took the scenic Kuranda rail back down to Cairns

Cairns Road Trip Day 6. Eagles, falls, volcanoes and the burger to beat all burgers.

 

Drove up the Gregory Development Road, across the lava plains and highlands towards Cairns. Again I saw many Wedgetailed Eagles, and other eagles and kites. The landscape was littered with many termite or ant nests, which changed colours as the soil types changed along my journey. I stopped at the Oasis Roadhouse at the Lynd and bought an Oasis Whopper for lunch. I think this burger beat the Clearmont King Burger. The egg was light, fluffy and very tasty, and this burger had both a mince burger AND a piece of steak, as well as all the trimmings.


Continuing on past the turn-off to the Undarra Lava Tubes, I eventually came out on the tablelands. I did a quick stop at Millstream Falls, and also The Crater, before continuing through and down Kuranda and onto Trinity Beach.

Cairns Road Trip Day 5: Virgins, gems and burgers

Got up early to try and spot a platypus, but no luck. Eurasian Coots where still there, but that's all. Had a nice hot shower, had breakkie and said goodbye to the two guys I met the night before. Left the campground at 7:45.
Passed a war memorial on the way out, consisting of the remains of an American plan which crashed in bad weather in the area. Back on the highway I saw many Wedgetailed Eagles, a lot of them quite close up perched on a roo carcass at the roadside. They always flew away when I got too close, so no good photos.
I even spotted a dingo crossing the road!
I missed the turnoff to the geocache at Springsure, but saw the virgin rock from the roadside. It could almost have been carved!
Emerald was quite a big town, and I listened to John Laws stir up the masses with his emotive arguments on the radio as I continued North. Filled up here after waiting for a Winnebago to refuel. This was only my second Winnebago, but I had seen countless caravans, undoubtedlly baby-boomers doing their around Australia Trip. I'm determined to do mine long before I hit 50! My entire walk of Carnarvon Gorge I passed only one person below 40, and only another 2 below 50.


Emerald, as well as nearby Rubyvale and Sapphire are named as this is gemstone country, so I must come back here one day with James and do some fossicking.
I had good mobile coverage all the way pretty much from Emerald to Clearmont, where I stopped in town and bought a King Burger. What a hamburger. I ate it beside the Hoods Lagoon, relaxing as the ducks glided past. I was going to stop at Belyando Crossing, but a number of people where already stopped there, and there didn't seem much water by the river so I continued on, leaving the family there to enjoy the company of the Apostlebirds in peace.
A few hundred kilometres of often very straight, and also at times quite narrow road later and I was in Charters Towers. The red and white microwave tower on the south side of town, my only memory from a visit 20 years prior.
I got to the QP&W Office just as they had locked up right on 4:30, but they opened up again for me so I could pick up a camping permit for Dalrymple NP.


30 minutes further along the road, after filling up I came to Fletchers Creek Camping reserve, which was quite busy, full of those BBs in the caravans behind Landcruisers.
I continued down the sandy track to the Burdekin, a nice spot already taken by the river but I found a nice secluded spot at the end of the track where the Fletchers Creek flows slowly into the very low Burdekin. Much of the sandy riverbed is exposed, with the river slowly snaking its way from one side of the bed to the other.


Some swamp wallabies were enjoying my chosen campsite when I arrived, but quickly moved on as I parked the car and set-up the tent. I have weak mobile reception here too, which is good. It's quite warm tonight. It's amazing the difference a 1/2 to 1 day's drive can make. My first night was sub zero in the Warrambungles. In Carnarvon Gorge it was about 9 degrees over night. Here at Dalrymple it's very warm; even a little muggy. Looking forward to catching up with my family tomorrow afternoon in Cairns.

Cairns Road Trip Day 4. Gorgeous!

I was up about 7 and after breakfast headed into the Gorge. First stop was the Moss Garden. It was very pretty and quiet. A huge fig had swamped a boulder at the start of the steps into the gorge creating a primitive feel to the place. I continued up Hell Hole Gorge for a short distance then looked around unsuccessfully for a reported Geocache. There were much more interesting things to see so gave up quickly.


The Amphitheatre was closed due to a rock slide which had damaged the access ladder. I left Wards Canyon for the return journey, and visited the Art Gallery. Here there was lots of aboriginal art in good condition, with informative signs to explain the significance as well as how the art was produced.
I next visited Cathedral Cave, which was also spectacularly adorned with aboriginal art.


Further on I explored Boowinda Gorge, which was beautiful with sweeping bends carved out of the basalt by the currently dry creek.
I looked around for the start of the track to Battleship Spur, but couldn't find it. I'd left the instruction guide at the tent as well. Given how my legs felt at the end of this walk, it was just as well I missed the climb, even though the views were meant to be magnificent. Something to do when I return here again one day.


I reached the end of the canyon walk at Big Bend and relaxed by the rock pool underneath a sweeping arc of canyon sandstone. This is a picture perfect spot.
Dropped into Wards Canyon on the way back. A steep stair climb past the waterfall and I arrived in the cool canyon, surrounded by the ancient and rare King Ferns.




Back at the campground, I did a quick tour around, finding where the under 60's were all staying, at the other end of the camp. Sat down at the Platypus Pool for a couple hours, where I was visited by Kookaburras, Willie Wagtails, Honeyeaters, an Azure Kingfisher, Currawongs, a kangaroo, turtles, frogs, a cricket, cockatoos and parrots; but no platypus.
I chatted with some guys at the meal area: I'd passed them a number of times on the walk today. The meals area is great with BBQs, sinks complete with dishwashing detergent and towels. It also had an urn for boiling water on tap. I enjoyed a nice chrysanthemum tea with my Satay Me Goreng tonight. On to Dalrymple Park tomorrow.