Bowen - Mackay

13th September - 20th September 2012

We spent two nights at Bowen which was great, getting the kayaks back in the water. Out in the kayaks we had two turtle's around us. Then went out to Kinchant dam for a couple of nights, then up to Finch Hatton Gorge and Eungella National Park. We did  a lot of hiking around Finch Hatton and Eungella, beautiful places. Back to Kinchant dam for one more night before heading back into Mackay for more appointments and to try to co ordinate our trip further south.

                                                                 Finch Hatton Gorge

View from Eungella, road was extremely steep. At one stage we were going up in 1st gear. Really thick fog rolled in at night, felt like we were back at Kinglake.

Did the Rainforest walk at Broken River, were we saw a snake at the start of the circuit and then a goanna half way along the track, so Mark was made to take the lead on that walk.

At Broken River you can see platypus, we didn't see any but there was heaps of turtles in the water.

At kinchant dam, we fed Diane's girls (the peacocks and guinea fowls) they would eat out of our hands.

Heading South - Townsville

Friday 7th September - we finally head out of Cairns heading south. Cairns has been great but it was nice to finally be leaving. Our first night out of Cairns we stopped at a free camp Toomulla Beach, the Camps book should also indicate midge's, we both got eaten alive and were very quick to move on the next morning.

Saturday we stopped again on Stony Creek, north of Townsville and Mark caught four muddies and yes more midge's. I now look like I have chicken pox. A night we started seeing all these lights going through the mangroves very quickly, it took some time to work it out, but they were fire flies. They put on an amazing show.

Monday we arrive in Townsville and went across to Magnetic Island for a look around, had lunch over there. Yet again weather wasn't great, overcast day. Booked into the Caravan park next door to the Army Barrack and we caught up with Adam, he popped in after work.

Tuesday was spent at the hospital and then at the Townsville Aquarium, absolutely amazing. Again Adam called around for dinner, it was great catching up with him, it certainly had been awhile since we had seen him.

After Mark's treatment we stayed the night at Townsville and then off to Home Hill, where we caught up with Ray and Jenny. They are care taking the Home Hill golf course and Ray is also working on the  cane harvesting trucks. Didn't stay the night as with weekly treatment we really have to keep moving.

Tara & Justin's week

26th August - 2nd September 2012
We left Ellis beach, dropped the boat trailer off at a caravan park to be put into storage for the next 10 days. Then went to the Cairns airport to pick up Tara & Justin. They left Melbourne at 8 degrees and arrived at Cairns with a nice 28 degrees.

We went and picked up their campervan and then heading south out of Cairns and arrived at the Boulders and got one of the last two sites available. Then we went for a walk down to the boulders.

Monday we drove down to Paronella Park and once set up in the caravan park we then did a day tour and a night tour. Tara & Justin loved the place.

Tuesday we left Paronella Park and went and did the Mamu Rainforest Canopy Walkway before going to our campsite in the Wooroonooran National Park. The sky opened up and we had heaps of rain for the rest of the day, so a lazy day was had by us all and then cooked up a roast dinner on the cobb.

Wednesday - Mark & I had to travel back to Cairns for treatment, so Tara & Justin went and checked out the waterfalls and we then met back up at the Innot Hot Springs. We arrived there about 6pm, so Tara & I decided to have a soak in the hot springs in the morning, which was great.

Thursday - we arrived at the Undara lava tubes, we did a tour of the lava tubes then dinner at the Fettlers Iron Pot Bistro.

Friday -  we headed back to Mareeba, stopped at Ravenshoe for lunch. Stopped at Atherton and checked out some shops, then before arriving at Mareeba called into the Becks Aviation & Military Museum. It's the largest privately owned aviation and military museum in Queensland.

Saturday - first stop for the day was the Coffee Works at Mareeba, then an ice creamery where I had an apple pie ice cream. We stopped at Kuranda and went the the Australian Venom Zoo, where Tara was the one offering to hold the reptiles.

Arrived back in Cairns went and washed the vehicles before booking into the caravan park, then off to dinner.

Sunday - Tara & Justin flew out just after 9am, so it was an early start. It was a great week having Tara & Justin up here with us and so sad saying goodbye, but we'll be home in about 2 months. After seeing Tara & Justin off we again took off back to Ellis beach, as we only had two days before more treatment.

Ellis Beach

23rd - 26th August 2012

Thursday morning and we are up at 6.30am seeing June & Brian off on their 12 day Cape York tour.

As we only had a couple of days before Tara & Justin flew up to spend a week touring with us, we decided to check out the northern beaches. We ended up staying at Ellis Beach Caravan Park, which is right on the beach. Beautiful spot to sunbake on the beach under the coconut trees. 

We had a massive mango tree behind us, so we would go out gathering the mangos that were dropping onto the ground. There was so many you could have set up a stall on the side of the road.

Yummy!!!!

Babinda - Bramston Beach

16th - 22nd August 2012
We head south to Babinda and stopped over at a free camp near town for the first night, before moving onto The Boulders for two nights free camping.

The weather at The Boulders was that nice that I went swimming in the creek. After the Boulders we went to Bamston Beach were we had two days of rain, which was disappointing as the beach was so nice. Then arrived back into Cairns again for more treatment. We have bought ourselves a remote control helicopter, which our flying skills certainly need improving (ok mine do, I was sacked as a pilot after only four attempts) hopefully we'll have it under control by the time we next see Landon and Ella.

 

Lake Tinaroo

2nd - 14th August 2012

We headed out of Cairns, up to the Atherton Tablelands. We stayed at the Kauri Creek campground on the banks of Lake Tinaroo.
It was great to put the tinny and kayaks in the water, we spent the time dropping in the nets and had many a meal of red craw. We did no good with the Barra fishing, but then again no one was catching any fish. It is said that huge barra are caught at Lake Tinaroo. The bird life is amazing, we've had water hens, ducks, curlews, kookaburra (that steal food out of your hands, as you are trying to eat) and many more.

Several nights we had a black pig that was grazing across the water from our camp site

Heading out early to check the nets, mist is still coming off the water

Redclaw - yum

We loved the spot so much that we left the tinny, kayaks and trailer on our spot and travelled down to Cairns for one night for Marks treatment then back again for another week.
We've had great news of Mark's blood markers, during the nine treatments he has had of the new drug, his markers have come down for 325 to 22.
From our camp site we did several walks up to the Kauri creek and next campsite, met heaps of other campers. The weather is beautiful, sunny and hot.
Finally had the shower tent out and yes, John & Joan, after numerous attempts and cursing, we got it back in the bag (ok, Mark was the patient one)reading instructions helped. The hopper was looking good at one stage.

On Sunday 12th August we had some visitors from Cairns. June & Brian, from Moe, whom we first met at Paronella Park and have been catching up with them in the same caravan parks, when back in Cairns. Brian and June have been taking Mark & I into the Cairns Base Hospital on several occasions, they are fantastic people. 

Anyhow they knew we were out at Lake Tinaroo, so thought they would come for a day trip, only we hadn't told them which campsite we were at, but they found us in the end.

June & Brian are going on the same Cape York trip, with the Kath & Jeff on Thursday 23rd August.

Daintree - Mareeba

26th - 31st July 2012 

Time to move out of Cairns and get the bus wheels moving again. We set off north of Cairns, stayed one night at Newell Beach, then next morning did a Daintree River Cruise.

We saw a couple of tree snakes

One female had several hatchlings around her.

Heaps of croc's.

Then off to Mossman Gorge, within the Daintree National Park, before stopping two nights at Mt Molley.

Mark at Mossman Gorge

At Mt Molley it was DD day, Darwin Decision Day. We've decided not to travel to Darwin, as Mark would have to drop two treatments for us to got across and back into Queensland. So we'll know stay around Cairns until the start of September before starting to head south.

After Mt Molley we explored Mareeba and camped the night at the Rodeo grounds before heading back to Cairns for two nights, so Mark can have his treatment.

Mark with one of the ponies at Mareeba Rodeo grounds.