Rollingstone to Townsville

Left the free camp and headed to Townsville. Couldn't get in to a couple of spots because it is school holidays and the super 8 cars are here. We tried to take the caravan through the city but that was too stressful so headed back to caravan park.
Drove up to the lookout. It was very steep but wonderful views.

Castle Hill

 Went and looked at the STrand on the foreshore. Just wonderful. Beautiful gardens and paths and playgrounds for the kids. Just what Perth needs.

Castle Hill

The Strand

Had a coffee on the strand and then went back to the van.

 On the way home couldn't work out why the seats on stands were facing the road. Then realized we were in the home straight of the v8 supercars course. Barry actually accelerated thinking he was in the race.!!!! Would be wonderful to see.

V8 Supercar course

Mission Beach to Rollingstone Queensland

Woke up early to another grey and windy day. It had rained all night . Another 60mls. It was such a pretty place that it was a shame the weather was horrible.

Mission Beach

 Drove onto Tully where it is the wettest place in Australia. Decided to spend some money in the town . It looked a very tired town.The cyclone had really knocked it about.

Tulley

 Headed south through Cardwell. There were still houses that had been left after the cyclone. Very sad. The beach used to be so beautiful but now ruined.

Cardwell

Stopped off at Ingham. Went to the cemetary and saw the most unusual headstones. Little houses on each plot. The catholic section was unbelievable. I went to the toilet there and when I flushed realized that there were two green frogs sitting under the lid. Gave me a fright. Will be looking now.

Ingham Cemetary

 Ended up stopping at Rollingstone at a free camp. Very nice and very full. Some people had generators and even showers. You need to be in by about 2.30 to get a spot. Finally we could sit outside again and have a drink. No wind and no rain. Yeh!!!

Rollingstone Free Camp

Mission Beach

Left Cairns after a really wet night. 60mls of rain last night. It never stopped. Luckily though when we packed up this morning it did stop. Not for long though. The clouds were so low on the drive south. You couldn't see any hills at times it was so wet.

We have been so shocked to see the rainforest around Mission Beach. You can see where the cyclone just ripped the leaves off most of the trees. It was incredible. Luckily they are all starting to start growing again. It has been 6 months since it went through.

We went for a walk in the rain through the rain forest to try and find a casawary but no luck. It was so nice though even though the tops of the trees were all ripped off. Big trees had fallen everywhere through the walk. You could see where they had repaired the walk.

Usually in the rain forest you cant see any sky. In these photos you can see where the trees were stripped.

 I am sitting in the caravan doing this blog and it is still pouring outside. Has not stopped. We are 50 metres from the beach and you can't even see that because of the rain. About 2 ks out is Dunk Island. It was destroyed by the cyclone and still hasn't opened. You can usually get a water taxi to take you over to it.  Best reading and sleeping weather.

Cairns

We have had a lovely few days in Cairns. Reading and sleeping most days. Recovering from all the steep mountain driving. Visited Barron Gorge which is right next to us.

Barron Gorge

The mountains around the caravan park go straight up. Very dramatic.Drove into Cairns a couple of times and the tide has been way out. Doesn't look that pretty though usually does.

Darwin Beach Front

Went for a drive up the coast to Palm Cove. Very nice stretch of county. The resorts are so close to the beach etc. We would have gone for a swim if the weather had been better. We had a coffee instead at one of the many resorts along the strip.

Palm Cove Beach Front

Hills around Cairns

Went up to the caravan rec room last night for asian night. Met some nice people. This morning we were thinking of going on the sky rail to Kuranda but the clouds were so low that you coulnd't have seen anything so went and had a game of golf. The course at Yorkeys Knob was so pretty. Very green. Just got finished before the rain came in .

Half Moon Bay Golf Course

Went for our last coffee in Cairns and looked at the Endeavour replica at the wharf. On the way back to the caravan park it was raining so much that you couldn't see any of the hills.

Marina in Darwin

Off to Mission Beach tomorrow and hopefully see a casawary.

Port Douglas to Cairns

Had a lovely sleepin and cookup as we didn't have to go far today. Left about 10 and headed to Port Douglas.

Port Douglas was very nice with lots of coffee shops and wine bars in the main street. Walked down to the beach and it was blowing a gale. Walked up to the lookout to have  a better look.

Once we had done the town we headed on to Cairns. We had forgotten that the road was hilly again with lots of tight bends . The road travelled right next to the sea.

We pulled into our caravan park which is right next to a lake. Lake Placid. The sites are very tight and they have a tractor here to put you in if you are having trouble. Went for a walk along the path to the lake. Very pretty.

The rainforest comes right down to the lakes edge. Dying to see another casawary but not today.

Cooktown to Mossman

Left very early this morning. Were the first out of the caravan park. The drive was very up and down with a couple of really big hills. No wildlife on the road. The last drive down the hills to the coast was incredible.

Lookout on top of the Atherton Tableland

We had to go 30kms and hour down the hill. It was so steep. the view was pretty good up the top . My foot was pressed to the floor most of the trip down.
We unhooked the caravan and decided to drive up to Cape Tribulation. It was fun going over on the ferry. There would have been 24 cars on the ferry. Didnt take long at all to get to the other side. Just drove off and away we went. Up up and up we went. There was road works on the hill so had to stop.

Cape Tribulation

We were near the edge and looking down was so steep. Right in the Daintree Rain forrest. The trees went over the top of us on the roadways. Very nice. Cape Tribulation wasn't that great. We walked down onto the beach and that was  nice. Looked untouched. Beautiful.

Daintree National Park

Drove back to Mossman and decided to do the Mossman Gorge before we called it a day. So beautiful. They have done it up since we last went and very easy to get to the spots.

Mossman Gorge

Mossman Gorge

So beautiful. Not many people there so was very peaceful. Could have just sat and looked at the Daintree Forrest.

Mossman Gorge

Mossman Gorge

Cooktown

Went up to the lookout. The road was so steep. We had a breathtaking 360 degree view. Magnificent.

From there went down to the jetty and had a fish. Not much biting. Apparantly the river is dirty from the wet season. It looked pretty good to us though. Walked around the town and saw all the statues about James Cook. Very interesting. Visited the cemetary and some of the grave sites were in the early 1800's.

Went for a drive out to a billabong. It was really pretty. They had a bird hide in there which was well made. Only a tiny viewing window. When we got back to the gate there was a sign to say a croc had been seen recently and to be very careful. I was scared anyway because the track went quite close to the water. If I had seen the sign I probably wouldn't have gone. We survived.

Lovely day in Cooktown though now it is very windy.

Atherton to Cooktown

Milstream Falls

Magnificent country around Millaa Millaa. Every farm looked like they mow their paddocks and also their verges. So pretty. Saw a lot of falls. Usually there are people swimming in them including me but a little too cold today.

Milla Milla Falls

Left the area and headed to Mareeba. Decided to call in at the Coffee Works. Went in and really enjoyed it. Had so many samples of coffee and also chocolate. We were on a high after that.

The Coffee Works

Left Mareeba and headed north. The road was really hilly and a couple of hills were very steep. Glad when we got to Cooktown. It was such a pretty place. Really steep hills going right down to the water. You have to remember that there are crocs everywhere. We are going to fish tomorrow on the jetty that Captain Cook set foot on.

Finch Bay

The old jetty that Captain Cook berthed at.

Karumba to Millaa Millaa

Lots of cattle on the road

My birthday. Special Day.Left Karumba really early. The road wasn't that great. Turned into one lane sometimes. Plenty of brolgas on the way. . Plenty of dead animals on the road. Lots of eagles. We even saw a monitor.

Plenty of dead animals and eagles

A monitor crossing road

A few big rivers along the way but not much water in them. A lot of cattle also. You had to be really careful.

Mt Surprise caravan park was a nice caravan park. Had a great meal to celebrate my birthday.

Wind Farm

The drive to the Atherton Tablelands was so pretty. The mountains were very green. We parked the caravan at Millaa Millaa and then drove to all the falls around the area. The countryside was beautiful. It looked like the farmers had mowen all the verges outside their farms. So neat. Great views. We even saw a casaway bird. So exciting.

We also went to the Mamu Rainforest Walk . It was terrific. There was a walkway up in the trees which went for 400 metres. Barry even climbed a huge tower. Great day.