Rest and recreation

It is funny how after some holidays, you need a holiday, well some recovery time at least. That is how we found ourselves after our trip to the Tip. We were back in Cooktown, but found it a very nice place for some R&R. We spent a further 5 days in Cooktown, but secretly we could have stayed longer to explore more of this area.

The hot humid days of the north were gone, but the balmy weather still had us in search of a cooling swim. Trevanthan Falls was a hidden treasure, even some recent locals not knowing about its existence. After a few kilometres on a dirt track, we then walked about 50 metres to a WOW sight.

Trevanthan Falls

You can actually hear the falls long before you see them. I was a bit ho-hum about seeing more falls, having now seen so many, but they really were picturesque. Further on from the falls were wetlands, full of lotus lilies in bloom.

After a couple of days ‘rest’ Dave was keen to tackle the Bloomfield Track to Cape Tribulation. This road is unsealed and 4WD only. I had heard it was steep, but was not prepared for how horrendous the road was. OK, it wasn’t that bad, but I had had enough of dirt roads and as the engine groaned under the strain of lugging us up the VERY steep sections, so did I. It took us two hours to reach Cape Tribulation (110 kilometres), so named by Cook because ‘here began all his troubles’.

The Bloomfield Track

It is true that this is where the ‘rainforest meets the reef’. Exploring the tropical rainforest, we could hear the gentle lapping of the ocean on the beach shore. However, the thick jungle did not let us see what we could hear. The forest contains an amazing array of palms, amongst other plants, but it was a sad reminder. Not many palm forests are left, having been cut down for grazing land.

Tropical Palm Forest, Cape Tribulation

Cape Tribulation is a pretty spot, and sitting at the Kulki lookout, gazing out over the ultimate tropical beach, my 4WD angst was all forgotten.

Cape Tribulation

We still had to drive the two hours back home, but a stop at the infamous Lion’s Den Hotel, made the return journey all worthwhile. A slab timber bar and signature covered corrugated iron walls line this pub. The signatures that adorn the walls stem from a tradition begun in the early mining days.

The Infamous Lions Den Hotel

When security of personal belongings was limited, miners began leaving their pay packets and writing how much they had spent on the wall. The amount was written and recorded for their return visit. Today, it is a quirky pub to sit in after conquering the Bloomfield Track.

Our time in Cooktown came to a close, and we were sad to leave this place. We always had a smile on our faces here- especially every afternoon as the ‘Seafood Man’ drove around the caravan park in his van. We knew he was coming as the strains of ‘I’d like to be, under the sea, in an octopus’ garden’ rang from a loudspeaker. For some reason this would make me dance. His seafood was very good too and so cheap compared to Sydney prices.

Leaving the frontier land and heading over the range, we stopped at a free camp spot at Mt Molloy. It is much cooler here and it was nice to snuggle with a doona once more. Awake bright and early we took in the sights of the Mareeba Wetlands before arriving at Atherton.

Gouldian Finch, Mareeba Wetlands

The Atherton Tablelands are a nice place to chill out. Rich farming areas, ancient volcanic lakes and waterfalls are in abundance. The farms were not always profitable, due to poor soil fertility, however in the late 1950’s Lake Tinaroo was formed. Today a 28 kilometre forest drive takes you around the lake in the Danbulla National Park and State Forest. We began the drive at the Platypus Rock Lookout, however like so many other National Park lookouts we have come across, the view was overgrown with trees. It really is a pity that nothing can be cut down in a National Park.

Lake Tinaroo

The forest is made up of thick pine plantations and Wet Tropics Rainforest. We enjoyed some easy walks before having a picnic lunch at ‘The Chimneys’. Following WWI land in this area was offered to returned soldiers for farming. Some battled to make a living and eventually just abandoned their homes, others were moved when the State Forest was proclaimed. All that is left of this house, vacated 55 years earlier are the chimneys. It is eerie to think that in only this short span of time nature has completely consumed all evidence of a man made building.

The Chimneys- once a house was here...

Our final stop for the day was Lake Eacham, one of the prettiest we have seen, after having viewed the Cathedral Fig Tree. Estimated at 500 years old, with a canopy the size of 2 Olympic Pools, the 'Cathedral' is the most impressive strangler fig tree we have seen.


Cathedral Fig Tree

The countryside in the Tablelands really is some of the prettiest on offer. The country roads meander through rolling green hills, supplemented by pockets of rainforest between the dairy farms. We had taken ourselves on a ‘Sunday drive’ to Malanda and the start of the ‘Waterfall Way’.

Milla Milla Falls

In all we stopped at 6 waterfalls, all within easy walking distance. Some had been landscaped to form a pool at the base of the falls (very 1950’s looking) and some have been left natural.

Meandering country roads in the Atherton Tablelands


With an abundance of crystal clear water and cascading streams, it is no wonder Nerada Tea has been so successful. We did stop in at the plantation, learnt the history of tea and of course bought some samples. Our day finished with a visit to the Mungalli Creek Bio-Dynamic Diary, because we really had been enjoying their non-homogenised milk (it still has the cream on top), however as it was a Sunday they were a little too busy to enjoy sampling their wares.



Tea! The Nerada Tea Farm

Open and closed

No one can agree whether the golden sand that once lined the Cairns foreshore was actually a beach, or just a ‘ridge’, but the once golden sand is long gone, a dirty mud flat left in its place. Years of dredging and filling in sand dunes has left the ugly scar. This is not to say that the Cairns foreshore is an unpleasant place to be, but without mans intervention of a ‘lagoon’; there would be no place to cool off during the heat of the day. Alas, our visit co-incided with the soon to be closure of said lagoon for renovations.

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.