Archive for August, 2008

We took a drive around Charters Towers and had a look at some of the great buildings they have. It was a very rich town when gold was discovered and had the first Stock Exchange in Australia. The building reflect this, none more so than the Australian Bank of Commerce and City Hall. We took a drive up Tower Hill to have a look out over the town. This is the city centre. We had a couple of constant companions in these magpies as they followed us around. It was pretty desolate up there , this is my impression of going walkabout.There were rock wallabies everywhere and we spent a good while scrambling around the rocks and searching for gold that might just be laying around on the surface. When we got back to the park our neighbours asked if we had come across any snakes as they had met one on the path the day before.Reminder to myself : Stay on the path ..do not venture into the bush!

We had lunch today in the Waverley Hotel, fish, chips, salad, bread and butter , delicious and all this for $5.00 each. We ate out in the beer garden enjoying the sunshine and the food.We left Charters Towers and headed for Mount Isa or The Isa as the locals call it.We are reliably informed that you are not an Australian until you have been to the Isa.We passed this giant windmill, the largest we have come across in our travels. How’s this for a road sign? Nobody would have time to read it all as they drove past. We stopped in Hughenden for lunch, we are officially in dinosaur country now and so we met up with “Hughie” in the main street.We stopped for the night at Richmond and were surprised to find this man made lake and a bush tucker garden complete with cycling and walking track right next to the caravan park, Richmond is a tiny community so to find something like this was a huge surprise. As we were walking around the lake, a hawk, one of many circling above us constantly, swooped down and tried to get me by the head. The noise of the wings was incredible. Now I know I look bad but we’ve only seen them go for roadkill before and I didn’t think I was THAT bad!. The wind came up strong and chilly and we wore jackets for the first time in a long time tonight.

We stopped for fuel at Julia creek and decided to treat ourselves to a full aussie breakfast. Came back out of the roadhouse to find this monster dwarfing the van. All along the road there are these termite mounds, mile after mile after mile. They get progressively bigger the further we travel.We had a friendly wave from the train driver as he passed as on the way. Not a lot of traffic around, the odd road train and the train.We laughed when we saw this road sign but not too far up the road we met a Brahman bull crossing the road and believe me he could have tipped both the car and caravan over, no worries!

This became a familiar view for many hundreds of kilometers along the road, the terrain changing from bright red soil to brown in the blink of an eye.We arrived in Mount..sorry ..The Isa ..mid afternoon and we are now officially Australians !! The mine dominates the town and as you can see from the oval there isn’t much grass around here.I love the evenings here the skies are beautiful, the photographs just don’t do them any justice. The pinks and blues in the early evening are my favourite.The wind came up during the night and blew chairs and tables and anything else not tied down around the park and not only that but it was COLD!! Time to move, we are so unaccustomed to cold weather now, it was a shocker!

Our first stop was Camooweal for fuel and then onto the NT border, these pictures here and here are just to prove it.  I was holding on for dear life as the wind was so strong, luckily it was behind us so we were having a great run.

Our stop for tonight was at the Barkley Homestead. We had tea in the pub here along with most of the people who stayed the night. Roast lamb and all the trimmings, delicious.

Sitting outside the van after tea and watching sky change colour was amazing. I find that one of the highlights every night.

We reached Three Ways the next morning and had to decide north or south, we headed south to Tennant Creek and filled up with fuel but here we learned that winter is still alive and kicking in the Red Centre and that Alice Springs was around 14 degrees during the day and into the minuses at night. So north for us.

We stopped for morning tea in a rest area as we were leaving Ben noticed that another van which was parked there had Traralgon written on the back of the van, so we stopped for a chat. Gary & Max, both towing their own vans had been travelling since April , so we had a yarn. Max gave us a copy of his CD, he’s a singer/guitarist and we set off singing along as we went on our way.

We were only about 20kms further on when there was a very loud bang from behind us and the van started to wobble all over the place. The wheel was broken and there was no option but to change the wheel even though it was impossible to get off the road. It doesn’t look like it in the picture but the banking was very steep and we were slipping and sliding in the gravel.Spare now on the van, we set off again.

Travelling along for miles and miles through flat countryside and all of a sudden you see something like this.

Our next stop was Dunmarra Roadhouse which we shared with this type of vehicle. We spent the night here and again ate in the roadhouse. Ben said he wasn’t too hungry and would just have a hamburger. I wish I had had the camera with me , the hamburger was about a foot high.

Next morning we headed for the Highway Inn at Daly Waters to top up with fuel. Here we came across this lady. Now that’s a small van but wait till you see what is towing it. We took a detour into Daly Waters to see the famous Daly Waters Pub.It’s the oldest pub in the Northern Territory apparently and was a lot of fun. Here are some pictures from around the place. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Rennick Springs was our stop for tonight, another roadhouse in the middle of nowhere. On the way we passed The Pink Panther Motel, in the middle of nowhere a bright pink building ! Well you wouldn’t miss it that’s for sure.

Just a little way up the road we saw this sign and stopped for morning tea. Fran was a real character and told us how she can understand wives who kill their husbands and become lesbians, she had everyone in stitches. She does her little coffee and tea stop to raise money for charity and I can tell you she would raise a lot as everyone who was travelling would pull up here.

Here I am standing in the middle of the Stuart Highway taking this picture of where we are heading now.Our next stop was Mataranka , the centre of the Never Never. We had a look around the park at the statues of the Gunn family and their aboriginal stockmen before heading off toward Katherine.

Our first stop after booking in to the park was a visit to the Katherine Hot Springs. Lovely..just what the doctor ordered after a long drive.

No visit to Katherine could be complete without a visit to the Gorge. So we got up early this morning and dropped our wheel off and the local tyre dealer to try and get a replacement. We wouldn’t want to chance our luck much further with no spare as we have already done around 700kms without one and then we headed out to the Gorge. You can walk a variety of different walks around an area of the gorge, there are actually thirteen gorges or take a cruise or a joy flight. We opted for the walk. They are designated, easy or difficult and knowing my limitations we chose the easier of the two. I’m glad we did as it was steep and through rock strewn areas but spectacular. Again it is just not the same in photographs but the best we can do.

On the way back we ran into a paddock full of horses and camels and these two appear to be very close. I think the camel is besotted with the horse, he followed her everywhere.

We stopped for lunch at Knotts Crossing which was the first crossing over the Katherine River. It was a beautiful little spot. You couldn’t walk on the sand as it was so hot. Ben decided to do the river crossing although he was very aware that the crocodiles have been seen here in the river . I stayed on the shore well away from the edge.

Lastly, here is The Katherine Icon, one and a half times life size in bronze.

We pick up our new wheel and tyre in the morning and head off again.So we’ll post from our next stop.

This one has been “War and Peace” so at least you will get a rest from my rabbiting on.

I knew I hadn’t done the blog for a while but didn’t realise until today just how long it has been. My apologies to those who regularly read it. 
Well we headed off from Townsville going North and visited Paronella Park.  Driving through sugar cane for miles was quite amazing.  Paronella Park is an absolutely inctredible place, unfortunately we didn’t take our cameras but look it up on the net if you get a chance.  It was built by a Spanish immigrant (if my memory serves me right) and is the most beautiful place. Waterfalls, streams, the avenue of cypress trees, little nooks everywhere to rest.  Really romantic story too. 

On the way out and back to the highway we passed through this place which has a familiar name to some of our readers.
We headed further up the road and stopped at Cardwell if you are ever driving through here stop at the information centre where they have a beautifully carved display of the area and it’s well worth a visit.  We went for a walk out on the pier, had a read of the signs so steered clear of going for a paddle.  Refreshed by our windy walk down the pier we headed for Cairns.
We stayed at Crystal cascades caravan park.  This one is highly recommended.  The owners are the friendliest people, the park is spotlessly clean and neat and it nestles right underneath the mountain so there is always a pleasant ever changing view.
For the first couple of weeks we were there the weather was overcast although warm and we didn’t get to see that white sand and blue water much vaunted by all the ads and tourist brochures.  We did the markets at both Cairns and Port Douglas for the entire time we were there.
Plenty of changing tourists every week so always successful markets.
Port Douglas market is right on the waters edge and is much bigger than Cairns, Bev, thought you might like to see some different stalls.  The sugar cane
stall where you ride the bike to press your cane and make your own drink and the coconut stall, very colourful.
The marina at Port Douglas was our coffee stop after the market and then the drive down the Avenue of Palms on the way home.
The beach in Cairns itself is pretty much non existent, mud flats is really all there is so they have built, right in the centre of town, a lagoon complete with the white sands and crystal clear water.  This is always busy, with the bodies beautiful parading around every day as soon as the sun comes out.  The market is right by the lagoon so a very pretty setting to spend the day.
We went for a drive up into the mountains to Kuranda.  The train leaves Cairns and goes up the mountain to Kuranda station which is recognised as being one of the prettiest stations in Australia.  Most tourists to the area will do this trip by train and return journey by cable car, called the SkyRail which takes them right over the canopy with views of Barron Gorge. 
Not being particularly keen on travelling by cable car we went by road snaking up the mountain.  It’s a very pretty little town but absolutley everything is designed with tourists in mind.
Crystal Cascades, just a kilometre or two from the caravan park is a series of waterfalls and streams where they have built a walking path.  It’s very pretty but has ‘The Stinging Tree” which apparently has a very nasty sting which requires urgent medical assistance.  There’s always a catch !!!

We decided to go for a drive up to the Atherton Tablelands and once again headed up the mountain.  Everywhere you go here is up hill or so it seems.  We stopped in
Mareeba for a look around and then drove on to Atherton itself.  Here the sugar cane is everywhere again and the sugar cane trains go right through the centre of town.
We stopped in the pub for lunch, had a look round town and then drove to see the Curtain Fig Tree.  It’s gigantic, photographs really don’t do justice to any of the sights we have seen but is the best we can share with you.  We thought we would return to Cairns via Yungaburra rather than return by the same route. 
Here is one road to be avoided unless you enjoy rollercoasters and the like.  19 kilometres of the windiest road ever.  Bend after bend after bend.  I know at least one of the 2jays would enjoy it as much as I did.  Yungaburra was a lovely little spot though, a real country town.

We stopped at Lake Barrine on the way home and had a walk around the lake and a look at the twin giant trees which grow here.  We were too late for a cruise around the lake so settled for a chat with the ever present bush turkeys before heading back home.  Just off the highway is this mountain, surprisingly called the Pyramid, wonder why?
They have a race every year up this mountain, a foot race and we met a fellow stall holder who competes every year, the funny thing is he appeared to be quite normal!!

We had surprise visitors to Cairns, Renee and Pauline flew up for a week, I like to pretend that they came all the way up here to visit but in actual fact they didn’t
know we were here until after they booked. We all decided that we would like to see the Daintree and Cape Tribulation so we headed north for a look.  Our first stop was Port Douglas for coffee and a sit by the beach.  Then we headed for Mossman Gorge.  Truly spectacular, the clearest water ever seen and just like the ads you see with people swimming in the waterholes.  This is Norman who swims there daily and greets all the visitors to the gorge.  I didn’t take to him much after he asked if I was Pauline’s mother!
Motley1, Renee and Pauline went for a walk through the other side of the gorge and I stood guard at the other end of the swing bridge.  Only 20 people are allowed on the
bridge at any one time so someone had to stay and count, right?
Daintree Village is very small, this is a shot of the town store and it’s best known inhabitant George.  George is real but stuffed.  We crossed the Daintree River on the ferry
and headed up to Cape Tribulation.  Again, twisty uphill roads but with the most magnificent views.
We arrived at Cape Tribulation and there it was !  The white sands and blue clear water so beloved in photographs.
We headed straight down the beach, off came the shoes and socks and straight into the warm waters where you could see the crabs and the fish swimming around.  Beautiful, couldn’t understand thopugh how we were the only ones availing ourselves of this glorious experience.  We soon learned, because as we walked back up the beach, the signs read ” DO NOT GO NEAR THE WATERS EDGE”  “DO NOT GO IN THE WATER” “THIS IS THE DOMAIN OF SALTWATER CROCODILES”.  Now when you all read in the newspapers of tourists being taken by crocodiles and as I once did wonder at the stupidity of people, think again,  could easily have been us!

Heading home we recrossed the river on the ferry and just on dark pulled up to make coffee, a mistake for me as the sandflies had a ball eating my legs.
Sandfly bites are much worse than mozzies and the itch was incredible, kindly our next door neighbours in the park, Joyce and Graham, offered some gel to soothe the bites.
Truly grateful I smothered it on that night and the next day.  The itch got worse and spread and the skin started peeling from my arm and leg.  Off to the medical centre to see a doctor.  Should have left the bites alone as I was allergic to the gel and ended up with creams and pills to counteract that.

Renee loves butterflies and on their last full day in Cairns we took them to Kuranda where there is a butterfly sanctuary with the famous Blue Ulysses a truly outstanding shade of blue these butterflies only live for around three weeks.  The Cairns Birdwing is the largest of the butterflies and the colourings are just incredible.
There are so many of them that almost everyone had butterflies landing all over them as they walked around the sanctuary.

The next day we went to the airport to say our sad goodbyes and thank Renee and Pauline for making the long journey just to visit us.

Our last week in Cairns, we have been here for so long it seems like home.  We stocked up at a local shopping centre where the fish are enormous. The night before we were to leave, we headed off to the camp kitchen where we were entertained by a singer who travels to the park every year and entertains the happy campers. 

Our next stop was Tully, the wettest town in Australia, where the claim to fame is the Giant Welly Boot.  The sun was shing by the way!

We free camped tonight at Rolling Stone.  Oh the disappointment though, there was no Mick Jagger.  It was however a lovely spot on the river under the trees.  We sat around the campfire chatting with a few of our neighbours and watching the stars.

Headed off to charters Towers this morning, through Townsville.  the road was quiet, wide and very very smooth so had a great trip out here.  We had to stop at two seperate crossings for the Tilt Train which travels between Cairns and Townsville. We went into town for some shopping and arrived back to find Joyce and Graham were parked just a van or two away.  Lions supplied supper in the park tonight, pumpkin soup, fish and salads or sausages and salads followed by mocha cheesecake and coffee, all for $10.00 each.  very nice it was too.  The lady who did most of the cooking was from Heyfield so had a good old chinwag with her too.

We are doing the market here tomorrow but feel it will be a lot different from Cairns.  Charters Towers has a population of 9500 and a few tourists passing through.

Does anybody have a three sided coin as we can’t decide where to head to next.  Darwin?  Will it be too hot?  Longreach? To see the Qantas museum and The Stockman’s Hall of Fame, Alice Springs and Coober Pedy ?…Oh it’s all too difficult !!!