The holiday Continued... Back to Page 1.
We have a boat booked down at the marina to go crocodile spotting, not an organised tour just a little dingy with an outboard motor. We head off up the main channel of the "Douglas' river past all the yachts, they are a mixed bag from very large expensive looking to I wonder how long before that one sinks type. Today is one of the highest tides of the year and we have timed our trip to make the most of it. When the tide is high you can get deeper into the mangroves, however you need to watch the tide in case it turns and leaves you stuck, the though of 12 hour stranded in crocodile and mosquito country is not our idea of fun
We turned into the first side channel and managed to penetrate about 2 kms into the mangroves before the trees got so close together that we couldn't go any further. We cut the engine and just listened to the sounds, you don't have any idea what most of them are but they are there lots of them. Fish rising to the surface, seed pods dropping off the mangrove trees constant clicking and movement in the mangroves. Eyes and ears strained for that elusive crocodile, wanting to see one but not sure what you will do if pops up right next to the boat.
We have done this trip before and last time we saw two croc's the biggest of which was laying right under a sign which said "Beware of Estuarine Crocodiles", may be he had a sense of humour. The tide was starting to turn we could feel the direction of the water had changed it was now returning to the sea. Time for us to head back to the main channel and try another spot. The engine was giving us a few concerns, it starts easily enough but as soon as we try to accelerate it cuts out. We seem to have only 2 speed very slow or full speed, it won't run at any other setting.
As we approach the junction of our creek and the main channel it is obvious just how much water is flowing out there is much turbulence at the junction with large whirlpools in the water, as we cross a vision of our boat being swamped and us ending up in the Crocodile infested water flashes across my mined, I assure Cindy everything is fine. We head up stream, its slow going now as the tide is in full retreat, we are heading for spot where we have seen a crocodile before. The boat goes well we turn into the creek travel in about 400 meters then as soon as the boat slows down the engine cuts out, no problem I'll soon have it going again.
Famous last words, after 15 minutes it still refuses to even splutter. We are about 6 kms from where we hired the boat up a small creek in the mangroves and the tide is going out. I'm thinking don't panic man you can get it going after all I was a mechanic once. Who's kidding who I have no tools I can't even work out how the lid comes off the engine, admit it we need help. We have a mobile phone (cell phone) and yes we have a signal, the map they gave us has a phone number. Cindy calls they will send some one straight away, nothing for it but to sit back and wait.
I look around in the bottom of the boat for something to do, these boats are usually taken out by fishermen in the hope of catching the local delicacy Barramundi, a large fish that lives in the part salt part fresh water of our estuaries. The boat bottom yields a few good finds, fishing line, hooks (a bit rusty), in no time I have tied a few short pieces of line together and added a hook, I'm ready for fishing, well nearly there's no bait, I put a piece of mangrove leaf on the hook you never know there might be a fish that loves it. Just as I throw in my line which I think is my attempt at proving that I could have done well on "Survivor" we heard a boat engine approaching.
It's at this point that you get that feeling, you know, will he try the engine and it starts first time & make me look a complete idiot.. The boat that comes to get us is about 3 times the size of ours the guy quickly ties us along side and heads out in to the main channel. Once we are going he asks me to steer the boat saying he might as well have look at the engine on the way back. The problem is soon found, water in the fuel, there was a lot of rain over night and some must have found its way in. They are very apologetic and we don't have to pay.
It's time for lunch and we decide to go up to 4 mile beach have lunch then walk out on the sand flats at low tide. Because It was a very high tide the low tide is not very low so we can't go out very far, usually you can walk for miles and see all sorts of life in the pools left behind. Today is just a short walk up to the entrance of a small creek a few pictures of mangroves at low tide then back to town. Tea is at "On the Inlet" and we both try the local Barramundi followed by a big gooey desert, what diet that is suspended for the holiday season.
Today we are off to the Mossman Gorge famous for its swimming (this is fresh water so no crocodiles here) and forest walks. Although the weather is a very pleasant 28c (80f) everyday the water in the gorge is a little cool to tempt Cindy in so we settle for the forest walk. The forest here has much taller trees so the light on the ground is much softer with patches of deep shade were the temperature drops several degrees. Because this is mountainous terrain the plants have very little top soil in which to grow or secure a grip on the ground. The large trees have very wide root bases with some stretching many meters before touching the ground
The most fascinating of these is the strangler fig which starts its life high up in the canopy then sends its roots down the host tree until they reach the ground. As the years go by the fig totally surrounds the tree strangling it until it dies, then the trees decays leaving a hollow inside the fig. Up in the canopy are many epiphytes (plants that live on other plants) these fern like plants are good at collecting water which drips from them way up above. When we get out of the forest we realise the day has warmed up quite a bit and must be about 31c (85f), we head off the Mossman town for lunch.
The town has beautiful old buildings, perhaps not old in the European sense but for a young country like ours 100 years is old. After lunch we visit a few of the small coastal villages near Mossman. It is still possible to buy a very nice house with beach front access for as little as $150,000 ($80,000US). These little villages may only have a 1 shop but if you like the simple life this is the spot, Cindy would move tomorrow if she could
Today we are off to the Atherton Tablelands situated inland from Port Douglas about 11/2 hour drive. The road to the plateau is winding and has some good vantage points. First stop is Julatten then Mt Molloy before Mareeba then on to Kuranda were we stopped for lunch, we've been here before but last time we came up on the cable way from Cairns
This Sky Train as its called has to be one of the high points of any visit to north Queensland. You skim across the forest canopy looking down on the rain forest. Last time we returned via the Kuranda Railway, an interesting trip but by the time we got to the bottom what with all the twists and turns our stomachs had had enough. We spent a couple of hours in Kuranda visiting the Butterfly farm and taking a trip on the Barron river. We took the road up to the lookout over the Barron falls, Not so good at this time of year as there was very little water flowing.
Today is the day we leave "Port" and head inland. Cindy' came on this trip to visit Port again but I wanted to see the out back whilst it is in the grip of the worst drought in 100 years. Our route tools us back south down the coast to Townsville then inland to Chaters Towers where we spent the night. We were up and away early the next morning looking for a breakfast stop, the road was very quite we only saw a handful of vehicles in the first hour and nowhere to get breakfast. Just as thing were looking grim we passed through Pentland, not a town just a collection of houses by the road but it did have a caravan park with a small shop which come up with a good breakfast and pleasant surrounding in which to eat it. If we had know we would have spent the night there as they had cabins and it was just our sort of place, life making a go of it even under difficult conditions
We were heading for Hughenden to look at their Dinosaur display. The area is well know for its fossilised remains. The town is small just a couple of pubs a few shops and a dinosaur museum which was closed for renovations, just our luck. We had our lunch and pushed on to Winton. The road from Hughenden to Winton was to prove one of the most isolated on our trip, during the 2 hour journey we passed only 5 vehicles and apart from a road house at Corfield there was no sign of life.
The draught we had come to see was more than evident here. Vast plains of grey parched grass, the trees didn't even have any leaves. The sides of the road was littered with bodies of dead kangaroos at some places they were no more than 5mtrs apart. We tried to count them but there were so many we lost count. There were a few Emu's about but even they were victims of the road. The animals come to the road side at night looking for any moisture they can find and unfortunately get hit by passing vehicles. May be its a blessing, rather that than a slow death of thirst.
People who don't know Australia wonder why we can't feed and water them. The area is so large and we are talking millions of animals, our farmer have had to sell off all there livestock because they have no feed or water. They are hanging on to the best of there breeding stock hoping they can keep them alive until the drought breaks. We saw many herds of cattle walking the "long paddock" ( an Australian saying that refers to the land at the edge of the road) the farmers walk there cattle along the road side as it offers some of the only feed available. Many of these cattle have been walking the long paddock for months, the drovers with them live in a caravan with only their cattle dog for company.
We overnighted in Winton and were up early for a visit to the local cemetery to see the graves of the early pioneers of this region. What strikes you is the number of children's graves, many are buried two or three from the same family. It must have been a hard life its not easy now with all our modern conveniences the women must have found it particularly difficult. A visit to Corfield's & Fitzmaurice was a must the guide book said as it contains a great collection of gem stones plus many life size dinosaurs. It opens at 9am we waited till 9.30am then gave up.
Today was only a short run to Longreach about 180kms (110 miles), once there we went to visit the Stockman's Hall of Fame. This building houses a tribute to the people who opened up the Australian Bush and made possible our current way of life. It was very interesting taking you from the very early explorers to present day, with lots of audio visual and great pictures. After lunch we went to visit the birth place of Qantas, (Queensland & Northern Territory Air Services) Australia's national airline. Set up as an air link for outback towns just after the 1st world war it went through many difficult times before it finally became the country major air transporter.
This morning see's us on the road again heading for Barcaldine and breakfast, next Blackall then Tambo where we stopped for lunch. Many of the small towns have populations of under 1000 and that is counting everyone who lives in the surrounding area. When possible we visit their local museum or have a meal to help spread our tourist dollar around they need all the help they can get. We have lived in a country town for 5 years so we know how hard it can be to make a living, even without a one in 100 year drought.
Next stop was for afternoon tea at Augathella. What a nice little town, quite oh it was quite, we didn't have to worry about cars getting in our photo's there weren't any, cars that is. While we were in the only craft shop a kangaroo hopped passed the front door, these are very timid animals they must be hungry to come that close to humans. The lady in the local store said that at night the lawn at the hospital was so thick with Roo's that it was standing room only. We had noticed in other towns that any area of green grass was covered in Roo droppings.
Unless you have seen a real drought it is hard to imagine the difference between the green of the towns and the bleached grey the instant you reach the town boundary. All these towns out west rely on artisan water pumped from deep underground, it is hot and has a sulphurous smell but it keep them alive. Our destination tonight is Charleville. we visit the cemetery again and are kept an eye on by several Roo's who are in the new lawn cemetery enjoying the grass and standing under the sprinklers.
A change of plan today we were going to head further south to Cunnamulla but Cindy wanted to visit the bore baths at Mitchell so we turn east. Breakfast is at Morven then we arrive at Mitchell midmorning. The bore baths are very inviting, one pool is a nice 39c (100f) the other cooler at about 30c. The water makes your skin feel like velvet and Cindy say her hair is not frizzy, she want to bottle it and take some home. We enjoy lunch around the pool then off to Roma for a quick visit afternoon tea at Surat and on to St George for our over night stay
Most of these towns have very little in the way of restaurants, of course there is the Chinese, every town seems to have one but one cannot live on Chinese alone. We have been eating at the R.S.L, for those non Australian that's the "Returned Soldier League". An institution in most Australian towns its a bar come gaming room come restaurant, the food is usually good and best of all cheap. In the very small towns it does go quite when you walk in and everyone stares at you as though you have two heads but they are friendly once spoken too.
Today is our second last day of the trip so we are trying to make the most of what is left. We head out of St George towards Goondiwindi on the Queensland NSW (New South Wales) boarder, our breakfast stop is at Talwood a small town just off the road. We ate at the village shop which for such a small town was a bustle of people coming and going and gave the place a real village feel. Our next stop was to be Texas via Inglewood but we took a short cut and for awhile I was sure we were lost But all of a sudden there it was our lunch stop. We ate our lunch to the sounds of 50's pop music which must have been a favourite of the man who ran the shop, it looked his sort of music
Our over night was to be Casino in NSW, we decided to return home from the south for a change and miss the traffic around Brisbane. The road from Tenterfield to Casino is very hilly a winds around, I was having great fun in Cindy's car it handles well on the corners just like a rally car, then I got the word "My tummy feels a bit funny with all these turns". Back to driving like a Sunday outing, at least you get to see the scenery when you go slow, well that how I consoled myself.
Our last day and only about 2 hour driving left, first Bangalow for breakfast then on to the freeway for the run home. Its funny when you have been on outback roads for a week then you suddenly hit a main road, everyone seems to be in such a hurry. I suppose we will be back into this routine very soon with out even realising we are doing it. Its been a great holiday, we've covered 6000 kms (4000 miles) in 14 days for Australia that's taking it easy only 600kms per day if you don't count the 5 days in Port Douglas. This is such a vast country and so sparsely populated, it has a beauty all of its own, not one that you fall in love with immediately but it does grow on you. The out back has skies that go on forever, with some of the best sunset you will ever see. It is hard to take pictures of the beauty, when you look though the lens it is just not there it doesn't capture the grandeur. You just have to go and see and carry the picture around in your head.
Derek & Cindy