Herberton

 Suddenly realised that being school holidays we should book a caravan park. Oops should have thought of that earlier. Plan was to stay at Yungaburra in the Atherton tablelands and while visiting the Coffee Works, we rang, nuh, they were fully booked. They did have a pool so popular with families. Did a quick scout around, many places now dont answer the phone, its all done by email. 

Herberton was available and funny, it was only 40 kms north of Mt Garnet. A strange/unusual set up for toilet and showers. One of each at each end of a building but once you went in and locked the door it was like a big ensuite, both were unisex. We were on the south side so two ensuites there and there was the same set up on the northern side. Nice idea but busy in the morni gs when people were wanting to use the toilets.

We spent two nights there and had another day in Atherton doing some of the Food Trail. Many of them were closed between Monday and Wednesday.

Cooktown lookout

 Coming back from the lions den, we ventured up to Grassy hill. We followed the GPS and it said turn left into Irvine street. It was a tiny road and Warren said hope we don't meet anyone coming down. We wound our way out and suddenly found ourselves about to enter a private house! Thanks GPS.

Back down we went and continued up the road, it was still windy, steep and narrow but at least two cars could pass one another. 

Great view and there was a tiny lighthouse up the top. 

One side of the harbour.

The other side. The path snaked around and it was painted like a snake, it was wheelchair access. 

Lots of information about Cook.

 

Lions Den hotel Cooktown.

 Wheen we were in Townsville we saw a bloke wearing a t-shirt from the Lions den hotel. We liked the look of the shirt and decided that we would go and buy one.

The Lions Den is 25k out of Cooktown and nothing there except the pub. We had been told at the caravan park that they did good meals so lunch it was to be.

The xXxX is mine we were early and the place filled up.

Meal service.

We shared a seafood platter.

Then went shopping but the shirts they had were different to what we had seen and we didnt like them as much plus they were long sleeved. I suggested cutting the sleeves but Cooktown was written down the sleeve. He did buy a sleeveless shirt for running parkrun when that starts again.

Black mountain

 This appears to be two mountains on either side of the highway heading towards Cooktown. As the name suggests it is black with no vegetation about 15 mms south of Cooktown. There was an earth cache there so on our way to a pub (yes, I know! We were going to a pub) we dropped in.

I don't usually like earth caches as they make me feel dumb but this one appeared easy to do. All answers could be found in the information boards. Plus a photo to determine that we had been there. 

260 million years ago, lava pushed through a crack in the earth so the rocks are volcanic and originally light grey in colour but lichen has grown on them making them appear black, isn't that neat. 

Cooktown

 No bookings are taken at the caravan park in Cooktown but we arrived around 1pm and no problems. The next couple of hours was spent trying to track down a suitable tyre. When we got back to the caravan park we had tents on one side and car topper on the other and no place to park, had to park out on the road.

Saturday was market day and it was an easy walk, lots of great looking buildings and the park for the markets were busy. We bought some chutneys Warren couldnt go past the donuts, they were jam filled. Pies for lunch which we had on the road today.

Interesting was the water fountains on both sides of the statue.

An eight rink bowling club with a roof, apparently the biggest in Australia.

Cooktown orchids that have fallen to the ground. This is the flower emblem of Queensland.

Cairns

 So we toodled down to Cairns for the day, it was only 67kms but because the road is quite windy, it was a ninety minute drive. We did stop at a couple of places. 

First stop was called pebble beach and there were signs regarding not removing any stones. They would look great in a garden.

I did drop it back after a photo. The beach with stones was only about 100 metres long with hundreds of rocks.

Next stop was called a living monument and we had no idea what to expect.

People build them, just rocks on top of one another.

Got to Cairns and Warren headed off to Jaycar and I walked the 268m to grab a cache. It was outside a back packers hostel and there was no hint. The description did say that there was no need to go on private property although the co lived there and checked the cache every day. A head slap as i realised ut was in the letterbox.

Disasters!

 Just go have holidays without a few disasters and they come in threes, hopefully we have had all three.

Coming back from the Daintree we noticed the fan was off, Warren was convinced he had left it going to keep the camper cold. Then we saw the light was off on the fridge, disaster number one. Checked all the stuff, yes no power. I checked the power lead and it appeared that it was out just a little. Next door had their bikes leaning against the pole and I think it was moved just enough to lose connection. No great drama as the fridge hadn't been opened and max it was off was six hours.

We went for a swim in the pool, very nice.

About to pack up the next morni g and Warren saw the power supply to the fridge wasn't working. There had been water on our toolbox which we didnt know why. Buggar I had hung my swim top in the window and when drying had dripped onto the power pack. We paid for another night and took a trip to Cairns to buy another one.

Disaster three we had a nice drive to Cooktown and pulled in for coffee at a lookout (yes, there was a cache there).

Nice spot but again no picnic tables but there was toilets.

We drove on and 40ks down the road Warren said the trailer is swaying a bit, he pulled up and discovered a tyre had a big chuck out of it. Fifty kms to go but needed to change the wheel. Midday and 32 degrees but it didnt seem that hot really. Warren got the wheel off while I undid the spare and wheeled it around. A lady going south pulled up to see if we needed anything, water in particular which was nice. Twenty mimutes and we were on our way again. Three tyres places in town and finally bought one which is not quite the same but will do. We will replace the set on the camper when we get home as they are probably as old as camper without  much use.

Pt Douglas

 From Daintree village we drove to Pt Douglas about 70k, that was on my wish list as we had first visited there twenty seven years ago. It was our first holiday without kids. We must have been flush as we stayed at a resort. However, it was cold when we left Canberra and I tranvelled in a fleecy track suit.

My luggage didn't make it and as we were being collected by the resort bus for the two hour drive to Pt Douglas, we had to leave.

Trying to buy suitable clothes in a resort town was not easy or cheap. I did manage to buy a pair of black shorts and a flowing top with I lived in for the week, rinsing them out at night as we kept expecting my bag to turn up. 

Pt Douglas has all the shops you would want now, then there were several souvenir shops, couple of coffee cafes and that was it.

We had a barra burger and sweet potato chips, I should have taken a photo because the burger bun was black! Very tasty.

Went to the lookout and spoke to a marriage celebrant, her car was painted up advertising herself, she told us it was a wrap and cost her three thousand dollars.

Daintree Village

 It was 33 kms to the north of us so we went for a drive for coffee. There was a boat cruise with spots available so we bought tickets. $30 for an hour ride upriver and then a second one was available on the same ticket fifteen minutes drive away, how could we miss. 

The first one goes on the fresh water part of the river and we saw a big salty, about 40 year old Barrett. The boat was able to get up quite close to him.

There were different birds and butterflies as well.

On the second trip which went into the saltwater of the river, we saw three other crocs, one female sunbaking, one swimming and a young junior about ten years old.

We drove past several of these as well, small railway carriages carrying sugar cane. The tracks are not very wide and criss cross a lot of roads up here.

Instead of coffee, we opted for tropical fruit smoothies, yum! Just as well as lunch wasn't until 3pm back in Pt Douglas 

 

Newell Beach

 This was just past Pt Douglas and Mossman. Warren did all the selections of caravan park and he was looking at comments, value and facilities.

Pt Douglas cps were around $50 A night hence farther afield. Nice park only 30 sites, 5 cabins. We were separated from others by some greenery so it felt quite secluded. The pool was excellent and we used it every day. Booked for two nights but ended up there for three as we needed a trip to Cairns.

Sitting outside our van, the greenery and next doors van, the blue to the sea and the edge of the building on the right is a fish and chip/pizza place.

 

Rocky Creek

 I requested a stop here to get a cache. Wow, what a piece of history. On the left hand side of the road was a large igloo shaped building. It was large and had been built during wartime as an entertainment hunt. 

Across the road was the memorial. It had been a field hospital with 2000 beds, Brisbanes main hospital currently has 1000 beds. It was estimated that 60,000 soldiers past through this area either training working or being treated. 

There was an area for free camping for 72 hours but had to be self contained.

Atherton, Malanda and Milla milla

We wound our way to Atherton for lunch. The nice place that I had chosen had decided to close each Monday during September. Luckily there was another coffee shop just across the road and we had smashed avo on toast.

We had visited the Nerada tea place and dairy last time so bypassed them. Discovered a mosaic on the wall of the old post office.

While we were there a local told about a mural in town

A hardware store owner had it painted on the side of his building to brighten it up.

Off to Milla Milla actually I think it may be spelt with two a's. A cache was on the edge of the golf course with permission and then we did a walk in the township along the creek. 

Back to Mt Garnet to spy a big cardboard box by the toilets. They had replaced the hot water service so we were able to have a shower! I thought $35 A night was a bit expensive. No cement blocks, no lighting in the park, really no other facilities except power and one toilet and shower. There was a washing machine but no clothes line.

We are paying the same at Newell beach, beach is 100 metres away, camp kitchen, separate spots divided by nice greenery and fish and chip shop next door. Rant over!  

.

  

A rest day

 Well, not much to do in Mt Garnet so we left for a drive and lunch.

First stop was the In not hot springs and we did an earth cache there, having to do down to the springs and check out how hot it was, there were some people lying in the shallows but we passed on that.

Millstream falls was a little way down the road, with a steep bitumen track down to the viewing area, another earth cache here, but easy.

Had to find volcano rock with holes in it, take a pic and send in.

Next was a wind farm, don't know why but they facinate me. We were able to get quite close.

Mt Garnet

 The plan was to stay at Kuranda west of Cairns but there was no answer when Warren rang so we went for Mt Garnet. It was in the Atherton tablelands and further west than we thought. It was a bush camp with shade.

We were near In not hot springs and Ravenshoe. 

Ravenshoe is the highest town in Queensland.

Silkwood

 Had a little detour here, it was a couple of ks off the main highway. It is/was the smallest bank in the state.

When I posted the photo on facebook, friends told me that they live only 8 kms away and Silkwood is their postal address. We met them in Canada and they visit us when they come to see family. We had lunch with them the week before we left.

 

Cardwell

 Lunch stop in Cardwell and a walk along the jetty. It was nice and cool but I did pick up a bit of colour.

Massive mango tree.

Prior to Cardwell, we visited a lookout called Hitchinbrook lookout, great spot but no picnic tables or toilets, hence our stop in Cardwell.

Maggie Island

 40 minute ferry ride to the island, it was a bit choppy but very stable. Dropped and the buses were waiting, one goes over the island and the other goes west, we went over. The locals laugh about people who hire pushbikes as that's what they end up doing, is push8ng it over the mountain.

We didn't swim just walked along the beach and while looking for a cache on the foreshore, missed the bus going back, had to wait another hour. Bought a coffee and got two more caches.

Photo looks a bit dark but we were under a shelter and there was a lot of tree cover.

I walked along a bush track a street back from the beach and these massive rocks were alongside.

A little green tree spider that dropped on me. He is now on the slat of a camp table.

 

Townsville Casino

 A nice lunch at the casino, these were the views.

We sat inside but it was open on one side and some people were sitting out there.

Ross River walkway

Our second day in Townsville was spent walking along the river, shopping, washing and really not much but I have worked out how to add my photos 

 

Townsville

 Townsville used to be a big country town but not any more, of course it is over 35 years since we first went there to live. Now there are bypasses and overpasses, thank goodness for a gps.

One of my want tos was to go to Magnetic Island which is only 12 km off the coast. Ferries went every forty minutes. It seemed every man and his dog wanted to go and we had to wait ninety minutes. Haha, plenty of time for a cache or two, it was two, and a coffee. 

We went into the casino to use their cafe and ended up having lunch. Burgers chips and a coffee was only $23, plenty of food and it was good.

The other bonus was half price parking and then we got half price fares on the ferry. We got a bus pass over to the other side of the island. The beaches were netted and also patrolled by a life guard. 

Downside is I can't seem to put any photos in here.

Capella to Charters Towers

 We stayed at Capella, not much about this place but it does a theatre that has a few shows a year. There was a country show on the weekend coming. 

Charters Towers was 418 kms away, our longest trek so far. We dont rush to pack up in the mornings, just get up, breakfast, showers and then start work, usually leaving about an hour after getting out of bed. I had made lubch and we had that at Belo something crossing. No town just a road house and fuel with a big parking area, many people were stopped and lunching. It was a "need a cache" day luckily there was one 400 metres from where we had our lunch. We had come past it four years ago but I was too buggared to walk up and get it. Good decision as it turned out. Warren drove up the alt route and it was just off the junction. The crossing is exactly 200kms from Charters Towers.

Driving along we realised that we were going to be there at 1.30pm so revised our plan/idea and filled with fuel made a booking in Townsville for that night and the next two nights. I took the wheel and off we drove to T'ville. We stayed at a cp that was in our top five from when we did the big lap.   

Blackwater and comet

 I expected Blackwater to be a bit of a backwater but no, it was quite a big place. With Subway, KFC and Maccas. Who would have thought? I had a find at a Lions park, put there by a guy I had met in Alice Springs a couple of years ago. Bundyandrum drives trains and ut was called Bundy' commute. Warren dropped me off and then went to fill up. So many places to look on a train, gave up after ten minutes and walked to the next one. Should have been easy, hint said front and centre and a date. 

It wasn't easy! Two that we didnt find. This was a statue of coal miners as that is the main industry. We had been to maccas for breakfast and did some grocery shopping.

Comet was an hour up the road and Warren asked if there were caches there, I think he knew I was a little annoyed re Blackwater

Comet had comet tales which were signs around the township telling the history. We took the time to wander and picked up our days quota. Nice little place but like many others, stores had closed in the town.

Murals along the way.

 I had seen a photo of a painted silo when we were at R M  Williams museum and it looked good. A few kms up the road, there is was in real life. We didnt stop just took the pic as we drove past.

Our lunch spot was at Langi hall, a great place for self contained vehicles to stop for a max of three nights. No power but toilets and showers. I assume that it was a community hall and some activities were held there every couple of weeks. Nothing else around but we did see a cattle station of the same name along the way.

The painting had been done eighteen months ago, colours were brilliant. 

On to Monto

 Of course as we are travelling, I have set a target of an average of caches per day. Just across from the RM Williams museum was a cache, I had to cross the road. Warren drove to fuel station and we got finished at the same time. 

Next stop was at a rest area that had been a railway station. Nothing left on the rails but the actual station was still there and now has information boards of the history. Cache was very quick and easy.

Neat use of carriage couplings.

Lions park in Monto was morning tea stop. 

Very interesting cows, we saw a few along the road.

As we were about to leave, a couple came across to the picnic table with a tiny dog/pup on a lead. It was eight weeks old and they had just picked him up from the breeder. First time on a lead which was a cat lead. It was a Jack Russell pup.

Eidsvold

 We drove into the park at 4pm and the guy next to us stated "Hope you brought your own beer". I wasnt real sure what to make of this statement and just tossed over my shoulder, we were setting up, that we didnt drink so no!

Apparently he was alluding to the fact that the hotel in the town was only open on Friday and Saturday nights. Unfortunately some stores had closed in the town but there was quite a big grocery store which I had to visit as between us we had not packed Warren's breakfast cereal. 

The next morning before we left the town, we went to the RM Williams museum, small display with press button information.

The fence of fame, saddle boots and hat are made of steel, unlike RM's goods made from leather.

Names of  landowners in the area.

RM with one of his horses.

One of the "boys" that RM had taught to rodeo.