Atherton Tablelands South and East

Heaps to see and do it Atherton so we (I) made a plan, a circular route today being back in time to watch the footy. We thought it was a public holiday today but it seems it is only in Victoria which is why my team as playing this afternoon.

We also did a couple of geo caches down the street, found one but not the other, interesting to do as they tell about the place more in depth and get around more. For instance we needed to walk up the street to do one and as we didnt need anything at the any of the shops we would not have gone otherwise, it was an interesting walk.

We then headed out to the Gallo Dairy, they did have a viewing area to see cheese made but we were either too early or too late but not too late to have scones, jam and cream for morning tea.

The cows were coming across the road when we came out, there were several hundred of them and as they had been in a paddock across the main road, they crossed through a tunnel then came up the rise. Most of them didnt like walking on the bitumen and like the one in the front would avoid the concrete preferring to walk on the dirt/grass.

Next to the Curtain Fig Tree, we had seen it when we had been here last but that was many years ago.

Now there is a board walk around it and it was pleasant walking in the rain forest.

On to Nerada tea plantation, even though we are not tea drinkers, they offered free factory viewing so we thought it would be interesting. The first thing we noticed as we drove in past the tea bushes, they all have a flat top unlike the ones in China. The other thing was the absence of people manually picking.

The machinery or some of it.

They pick 4000 tonnes in an hour  6 million kilos of tea leaves are processed each year resulting in 1.5 million kilos of black tea, which then is transported to Brisbane for packaging.

We did buy some tea, surprise surprise! and I am now enjoying a ginger and lemon tea.

Yungaburra, pizza and gems were next on the agenda. Neither of us were ready for lunch but I thought we could buy one to take back as apparently it was The place for pizza. We parked and walked to the Gem Gallery, where they had a jeweller on site. It is a family run business with both father and son practicing jewellers. They had lots of pearls, they go to buy in China and they also had Argylle diamonds from the West Coast. On display was a chocolate diamond which I had not seen or heard of before, we didn't buy anything there. Pizza place is closed on Monday's so will have to make lunch.

Shaylee strawberries was next port of call, it was a cafe advertising ice creams and yogurts but as it is for sale, I think they may be down sizing. There was no menu and no ice cream except to buy to take away. We bought some sorbet, fresh strawberries and Warren couldn't resist a couple of jams. We dont eat much jam but we have five jars now now all from here.