Beryl, Leisa, Heather at Foreshore Lagoon
However, the Cairns region is filled with both natural and manmade beauty- some of the tallest and oldest attractions on the planet in fact! The tallest being the stained glass windows of St Monica’s Cathedral. It was a Sunday when we visited these iridescent marvels, so perhaps we were ‘blessed’, allowing us to have had such a good week with my Mum and Beryl. Up from Sydney for a warm weather holiday, we played host to our ‘visitors’ and explored the region together.
'Rainforest' Stained Glass Windows, St Monica's Cathedral (not the tallest ones, as they wouldn't fit in shot!)
Although now in the early stages of the dry season, being located in the heart of the Wet Tropics, Cairns still shed a daily shower. This life giving rain has sustained the world’s oldest tropical rainforest- the Daintree.
The Cairns side of the Daintree is home to Mossman Gorge. The rainforest here is so lush you can almost see it growing, the ferns, palms, vines and trees consuming the space around you. Water in the Mossman River thundered past us, pounding large boulders in its path. The water was mesmerising, the forest enchanting, however our visit was all too brief due to the main walk and suspension bridge over the Gorge being closed for repairs.
Mossman River, Daintree
Once again in croc country, we set off on a cruise along the Daintree River to hunt down a beast. We actually did two cruises allowing us to see the diversity from rainforest to mangroves, at opposing ends of the river. The crocs up here are not as big or abundant as the Northern Territory, due to the cooler weather. However, we still managed to spot juveniles, teenagers and Scarface- an angry big male. He didn’t seem to like us visiting his ‘home’ and threatened to swim over to our boat to tell us so. We made a hasty exit instead.
Scarface the 'Big angry croc'
The waterways not safe for swimming, we headed up high, very high in fact, aboard the Skyrail to Kuranda. Over 7 kilometres of cableway glided us metres above the rainforest canopy. The view up here is very different, the forest floor nowhere to be seen as a wealth of vegetation races its way to the sunlight. As the forest cleared to expose the Barron River, we were rewarded with the sight of Barron Falls. Still in furious flow, the falls dropped metres from the Kuranda Railway. What an amazing sight, if only the train was running...... Closed due to a landslip, the train did eventually commence operation at the end of our Cairns holiday.
Aboard the Skyrail
Kuranda- the village in the rainforest- appears to have changed from its humble beginnings as an alternative lifestyle haven in the late 60’s. The once home industry market stalls given way to cheap imports. The village lacks the right vibe, a village seeming to struggle for its identity. However, the treat was the journey not the destination. Along the way the Skyrail stations allowed us to alight and explore the forest, a step back in time of this ancient land.
The land may be millions of years old, but white settlement is not. It is bewildering to imagine sugar cane farmers carving out an existence in this dense vegetation, let alone Jose Paronella, who fulfilled his dream to build a castle. You may remember Paronella Park from my last blog. We revisited this marvel, soaking up new information and imagining the buildings in their glory days. With materials sourced from the creek and land, he worked so hard to become a rich man, never taking time to rest.
Paronella Park
However, it seems many dreams are lived up here, in this special part of Australia. Detouring for a comfort stop at Innisfail, we found ourselves enjoying coffee and cake aboard ‘Dave’s boat’. Travelling around the country, Dave and his wife take up opportunities as they arrive. Having bought a cyclone damaged boat; they turned it into a cafe on the water. Preparing homemade goodies, they source local produce and served us the ‘best coffee ever’. With a cool breeze enveloping us from the water, it really was an enjoyable way to revive ourselves.
Cafe on Dave's boat
Our new friend ‘Dave’ let us in on the secret of where he gets his coffee. Mareeba, in the Atherton Tablelands, not far from Cairns grows more than 70% of Australia’s coffee crop, so it was no wonder we were drinking ‘good coffee’. Armed with the brand name- North Queensland Gold, we were told this really was an ‘authentic’ farm.
Although a little hard to find, the Maloberti’s farm is certainly a treat. Reminiscent of the ‘old country’ the ramshackle farm is complete with roaming chooks, cats and a mish mash of machinery. But what is clear is their passion for producing a rich, but clean tasting coffee. Bruno proudly spoke of his product, his limited English making our experience all the more ‘authentic’. Purchased direct from the grower, the coffee is so cheap, but so good! If you are interested in trying some, check out www.nqgoldcoffee.com.au
Bruno and his coffee roaster
The picturesque driving of the Tablelands is so different to the forest below. Ant hills dot the rich soil, cast from volcanic activity ten thousand of years ago. The weather is drier up here, yet pockets of forest still provided a tropical feel as we walked to the Curtain Fig Tree, another of nature’s marvels.
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