Saturday 22 December 2012

On the Atherton Tables North Queensland


Hi all

We are in Atheton north Queensland and will be here until the 28th Dec.
There is lots to see around the area and we have already visited Mareeba which is north of Atherton, the information centre at Mareeba has a great museum with lots of local info and history about the area and what was going on in the early years. In the early years there was a Tin mine disaster, where the mine exploded and buried most of the miners.

As you drive back to Atherton you will notice the red earth around the whole area which must be great to grow almost anything.

We did a tour around Lake Tinaroo in the car, The lake was formed to serve the growing agriculture sector in Mareeba and Dimdulah area. There are lots of big Barramundi in the lake but the word is they don't taste very good we had a fish but caught nothing it's best to have a boat and get out in the lake.

We also visited Granite Gorge, Herberton, Yungaburra and Malanda just to name some of the small towns around this area

The caravan park is a Big4 and is a nice park, are not a lot of people in the caravan park at this time of the year which is nice and quite. We have seen most of the water falls around the area, but they could have been much better if the area had some rain.

We have covered a lot of the towns and small villages around the Tablelands which is full of hills, valleys, rivers and creeks and would be great to live here on 5 or 10 acres of land.

 One Loch that feeds the irrigation systems around the tableland
 Between each loch the ground runs down hill to build up a head of water to push up through the next loch
 Lee feeding wallaby's at Granite gorge
 Linesman with no safety belt, only working on Telephone lines (50volt lineman)
 We had to stop at the Peanut shop (the other peanut behind the camera)
 Map of the irrigation system around the Atherton Tablelands
 Lake Tinaroo
 Another view of lake Tinaroo
Toyota built-up to look like a truck very well done
 What are you looking at, I am the boss of this pack
 Old Pub in Yungaburra

 The boss at Zillie Falls
 The highest pub in Queensland in Ravenshoe
Here I am as a to prove I still exist at Ellinjaa Falls







Tuesday 11 December 2012

Cooktown Qld


Hi all

Sorry I am late updating our blog, but better late than never.
We have left Palm Cove and and now in Cooktown, the road to Cooktown is a very good road we were surprised

We have been having a good look round Cooktown and the surrounding area, there is a good range of things to see and do.

We have been fishing down on the jetty with locals and there a some Big and I mean a Big Barra under the jetty (it seem they know it's November and they have to be put back) Lee caught a large sucker fish and I have had some good bites and lost my line and today lost the Rod, Reel and line could not get it back, so I know now what I have to get for Christmas other than that we have not caught any fish we could eat but we are getting better at fishing.

On our travels around the area we were told we must got to The Lion Den which is a Pub that has lots of Signature, Hats, Shirts, Money pin on the walls, ceiling doors and any were they can put it, we had lunch here which was ok but nothing to rush back for,

The barmaid is working her way around Australia  and she comes for Liverpool and yes she has a very broad accent which was great to hear out her in the out back.

We are moving down to Atherton on Thursday and staying there for 2 weeks over the Christmas period, we will be doing some fishing in Lake Tinaroo and hopefully we can catch a Barra and keep it this time

We will be thinking of you all over the festive season and we hope you and your family and friends have a great Christmas and a happy New Year













Regards Lee and Jim


Monday 3 December 2012

Tour to Cape Tribulation


Hi all

Monday 26th Nov 2012
Today we went on a Trek North day tour to Cape Tribulation from Cairns along the coast in a 12 seated air conditioned 4wd, we stopped in Port Douglas to pick up 4 more people which only made 7 people on the tour,

We had a short tour of Port Douglas and then set off to Mossman Gorge for a guided rainforest walk which was fantastic, the tour guild (Cameron) whom was very knowledgeable person.

We then set of to the Daintree River Wilderness Cruise on to see if we could see any Crocodiles, Snakes, Birds from the boat, Yes we did see Scare-face which was the dominate Crocodile in this river, we also seen a baby croc but it was only it head, see pictures below.

We had a lovely lunch at a Daintree Entomological (insect) Museum alongside a rainforest stream,
silly me I did not take wine or beer so had to drink water and apple juice, but it did not kill me

Had a walk on Cape Tribulation beach where Captain Cook had to beach his ship and make repair to the holes in the hull, we also a walk on the Care Tribulation National Park broad walk.

We then headed back to Cairns but on the way back we stopped at the Daintree Ice Creamery for a ice cream which was delicious, We arrive back at caravan park at 6 Pm which was a long day of touring but well worth it.

We left Cairns on Wednesday and went to Palm Cove for 7 nights which is a lovely council camp/caravan park just over the road from the beach, it has a nice jetty to fish from and a golf course just down the road.

We are leaving Palm Cove on Wednesday and Head for Cooktown 

Cheers Lee and Jim


 Had to cancel buying this runabout, did not win lotto
 Church in Port Douglas


 Guess who

 Baby Croc
 Daddy Croc called Scar face

 Take a good look at the sign
 On Cape Tribulation beach
 Who said old folks can't jump

 View on way to Port Douglas
The Iron Bark Hotel Port Douglas

Saturday 24 November 2012

Paronella Park, Crystal Cascades and Kuranda


Hi, all

We moved on from Mission Beach and a stayed a night at Paraonella Park (see link as to what it's all about www.paronellapark.com.au )

We thought it was a great place to visit and the night tour was excellent and the caravan site was in the entry cost, see our pictures of the visit below.

We are currently in Cairns for 7 nights and have done some touring from here to Palm Cove where we found a lovely little caravan park right by the beach and near the jetty so we can do some fishing so we book in for 7 nights.

We checked out all the other beaches along the way back to Cairns, Clifton Beach, had lunch at Yorkys Knob beach (some very big houses her) all the beaches are great.

Today we went to Kuranda on the Kuranda Scenic Railway which took two hours to get to Kuranda but the views were fantastic, Kuranda which is a great little mountain village we had a good look round and had lunch and returned on the same train, The area is the traditional home of the Djabugay people.

In 1960 the Kuranda lifestyle prompted a hippy invasion and the alternative lifestyle provided the base of the vibrant arts and crafts that gave Kuranda its first first Market you can read more of the story from this link www.kuranda.org/

Cheers Lee and Jim
 A large Golden Orb spider across a path in Paronella Park
 A group of of small mouse like bats in the Tunnel of Love
 Jose Paronella panted this row of trees and lots more trees and plants on the property
 These are the change rooms for swimming and he charged a penny to use them
 This is the house he built for this home
 A picture of the castle he built after a fire
 The castle today
 Bush turkey's roost in the trees at night, they hop and just from branch to branch and roost in the same spot each night  
 Lee in front of the waterfall at night
 Both of us in front of the same waterfall
 Picture of the back of the castle at night
Back of the castle with the lights and fountain on
 A sign on the track to the Crystal Cascades waterfalls, we did not see any of them
 One of the falls at Crystal Cascades
 Lee on the Kuranda Train
 Views from the train going up the hills
 One of the most outstanding bridges built over the many gorge along the route
 Same place but this time train coming down the hill
 More views from the train track
 Picture of the Baron Falls
 Lee stayed in Train
 In Kuranda