Cairns to Cooktown

Thursday 12 July 2012 at 7am we were picked up by our Oz Tour bus and farewelled by Brian & June, who are keeping an eye on the bus and trailer while we are on the 12 day Cape York tour.

Mark & I were the fourth couple to be picked up then Carol & John were picked up from their caravan park, the bus pulled up further north of Cairns were the rest of the team joined us. There were 19 people on the tour and including the tour guide we had a total of 21 people. Our tour guides, Kath & Jeff then introduced themselves and explained that due to the rain, the Bloomfield track beyond the Daintree NP was closed.

Kath & Jeff - our tour guides

We headed up towards Mareeba and stopped for morning tea at Mt Molley, lunch was at Lakeland then called in to the Lions Den Hotel for a drink, before stopping at Black Mountain for a look and pulled into the Big 4 Caravan Park at Cooktown.

Lions Den Hotel

Lorelle, Lorraine & Pam

Jeff and Kath gave a demo on erecting the dome tents, then kitchen, wash and dining tables and chairs were set up. 

Our first night

Tent City

Ray, Rosalie and myself went for a walk to the pub after 6pm to buy some drinks, as we didn't take any with us. We could only buy cask wine, as we couldn't have any glass bottles on the trip and cask wine could only be purchased after 6pm.Tea, chops and veggies were cooked on an open fire, followed by dessert, everyone was in bed by 8.30pm

Jeff cooking dinner

                                     

Cairns

On Sunday 8th July we left Paronella Park and arrived at a caravan park in Cairns. Weather has turned for the worse we have had days of rain. We met a couple at Paronella Park from Moe, June & Brian, who also pulled into the same caravan park and have been driving Mark & myself into the hospital, so we didn't have to put in the awning in the rain. We have spent the next couple of days with hospital appointments and packing our bags for the Cape York Tour.

Paranella Park

From Mission Beach we went to Paranella Park, Queenslands No 1 tourist attraction.

Jose Paronella's dream was to build a castle. He chose a special part of Australia and created Paronella Park. On 13 acres beside Mena Creek Falls he built his castle, picnic areas at the lakeside, tennis courts, tunnels and bridges and wrapped it up in an amazing range of 7000 tropical plants and trees.

Mena Falls

The Castle

The Picnic Area at Mena Creek

Kauri Lane

The Lower Refreshment Rooms

Night view of Mena Falls

Nighttime at the Lower Refreshment Rooms

The Gecko that has been traveling in the bus with us

Mark found this gecko, who has been travelling with us in the bus since Capricorn Caves (Rockhampton) and released him at Paranella Park.

Jourama & Wallaman Falls

Jourama Falls

After setting up the bus, we went for the hike to Jourama Falls, the sights were amazing.
Headed off early the next morning, as we planned a big day, first stop Wallaman Falls, then a visit to Lucinda and then stopped the night at Mission Beach

Cassaowary sighting

On our way into Wallaman Falls, we spotted a Cassaowary on the side of the road.

Wallaman Falls is Australia's longest falls at 305 metres long

We went across Lucinda for a look at the town before arriving at Mission Beach. Weather has turned clouding and about 20 degrees.

Townsville

Catching up with Alan & Fred

We knew Alan & Fred were travelling up to Townsville for the V8 Supercar race, so we were in contact with them and met up with them at Ayr. Stopped and chatted before setting up at the Alligator Creek roadhouse for the night.

The next morning before Mark had his oncology appointment, with Allen leading the way around Townsville, we drove up Castle Hill, which overlooks Magnetic Island, the V8 track and all of Townsville, amazing views.

Magnetic Island

The Three Wise Monkeys

After Mark's appointment, we set off north of Townsville and stayed near Bushland Beach, near a boat ramp and on a tidal river.
Mark set up the crab nets, we caught a few but left the nets in over night and the next morning one had come off the peg and was in the middle of river. So Mark went in the river on a kayak, while Alan when over muddy river flats. Mark tied a rope to the net and Alan pulled it in from the bank. Fred offered moral support from the dry bank, whilst I was taking the photos.

Alan & Mark retrieving a crab pot

Mark had treatment in the afternoon and we then went back to the same sight. Fred taught me how to cook an amazing satay sauce. Yum, I can see that will be a regular sauce from now on.

We had two local guys come into our campsite that night, only to tell us that there were croc's in the river and then they gave us two salmon that they had just caught.

Fred, Bling, Alan & Mark

Mark, Alan, Lorelle & Bling

On Thursday 5th July, we said our goodbyes to Alan & Fred, we then drove onto Jourama Falls.

Bowen

We arrived at Bowen Big 4 Caravan Park, only to bump into Keith again in reception. Set up, then went for a bike ride around to Horseshoe Bay, stopped at the boat ramp and at the filleting table were four professional fisherman filleting massive spanish mackerel.

I got up the next day and went to the market which was in the park next door to the caravan park, when I got back we put the kayaks in the water and kayaked across Queens Bay to horseshoe bay, where we saw heaps of coral, just off shore. On the way back Mark was excited as a giant trevally went under his kayak and then one jumped out in front of him.

Bowen Pier

The movie "Australia" was filmed in Bowen, we walked down the pier where they herded the cattle down, in the movie.

Gloucester Island

The view from the lookout was amazing, it overlooked the whole town of Bowen and out overlooking Gloucester Island and the Gloucester Passage, the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands.

Weather was beautiful, had a swim in the pool each day and relaxed around the pool reading.

Conway & Airlie Beach

After chemo we drove to Conway Beach, we learnt a lesson - to book ahead, as with school holidays and the migration of the grey nomads, we could only get a sight to one night.
Called ahead to Airlie Beach and got into the Big 4 Airlie Cove for two nights, as we pulled in to the Caravan Park, we saw Keith whom we had met back at the Capricorn Caves.
We went cruising through the Whitsunday Islands, stopping at Daydream Island, Long Island and Hamilton Island

Daydream Island