Caloundra part two

 Besides being a nice day for a drive, we went to check out the war memorials.

One each on Kings and  Shelley beach and then Military jetty on Golden beach. Golden beach brings back memories. Some Chinese students came to Brisbane and they were taken shopping, one young guy stayed back bargaining in a store to get the best price and missed the group leaving. When he made his purchase, they and the bus were nowhere to be seen. He knew they were going to the Gold Coast so he hailed a taxi and asked for Golden beach, his English version of Gold Coast, not realising the Golden beach was in the opposite direction and a couple of hours away.

One of the organisers when they realised they were a student short, went through names and phone numbers, kids were from different schools so not all known to each other it took a bit of time. Rang and ended up speaking with the cabbie, who had to turn back, still cost the student $70. 

After Golden beach we then went to an airforce museum and found a Huey helicopter.

Doesn't look that scary now but I have flown in one of these with the sliding door open. I was hanging on for grim death and the crewie was walking around and told that I couldn't fall out as the air force keeps that from happening. I noticed he was strapped to the frame, I continued to do a white knuckle hold. It was an Army exercise so probably only up a couple of hundred feet.

Caloundra

 Friday was a cooler day so I suggested we drive to Caloundra. Following the GPS we went merrily along.

We were headed for a particular beach either Kings or Shelly, they were alongside of each other.

The GPS took us up a road, it was quite steep with a stop sign right on the top. Thank goodness for auto cars and the fact that I was not driving. A couple of cars drove across the top road, when it was clear we drove on Seeley into nothing as we couldn't see any road. Across the road and down about 60 metres before we saw road.

Round abouts, pedestrian crossings, road closures and traffic, what a nightmare.

Took a couple of shorts walks then Coffee! We felt we had earned it.

Maccas

 Used to be a treat/cheap takeaway meal for the kids. We have stopped at Maccas for a rest break and meal while travelling, their toilets are always clean.

We were out this morning and had coffee at the beach.

Couple of the headlands that we walked up and along.

Lucy enjoying the beach, not hesitation these days about the waves and water.

We also went for a couple of short walks, it was an hours drive home. I suggested to Warren that we grab Maccas for lunch, it was already 12.30. 

Probably not noticed that much before but two meal deals, so burger, chips and a drink was $15plus each. Going back in time now but I remember getting a Hawaiian pack for each of us, five for just under $20. Hawaiian pack was quarter of a chicken, chips and a pineapple fritter.

Panna cotta

 One of the homesteads where we stayed on our trip to Cape York, served Panna Cotta with berries for dessert. There was no choice at this meal we all got crumbled veal cutlets and hot vegetables except Warren and Kerry, their meals were special. Warren got his cutlets plain and no gravy because of gluten. Not sure what Kerry got, sometimes she was served fried rice or an omelette.

The bowl we were given for dessert was massive, a full bowl then berries on top, I assume they were frozen. 

Warren was almost sick after the meal but only because there was so much, he said that he should have stopped eating about half way though. 

Panna cotta was a dessert that I have made before, years ago and then it seems to go out of fashion.

This was my version a few days after we got home.

Sauce, nuts and sprinkles were left over from the banana splits that I made a few weeks ago. So easy to make, half a cup of cream, cup of milk, spoonful of sugar, gelatin and vanilla. This made four small ramikins.

Lota parkrun

 What a name for a suburb. I had never heard of it but it's south of us and on the coast.

We were up at five and left home at 5.40am to get there. It's didn't take as long as we though mainly due to what other silky people are up and going at that hour of the day on a weekend.

They are trying to fulfill the alfabet and or their names so an L was good as that was what it was called. Some parkruns are named after the suburb, some the area or sports ground.

Warren followed closely by Aidan

Sheri, Jordan had been walking with her but had got in front and I couldn't get my phone out quick enough. Off to the right is the beach.

Last day

 We had a balcony at the Hilton and we had an early morning coffee out there.

We could just see the pool and lounges from our room, we were on the fifth floor

I had a window seat back to home

Our breakfast at the airport

Looking out to sea, we were wondering what would be put on the vacant block of land.

We decided to forgo breakfast, it opened at 7am and our flight was at 9.20am.

At checkout, there was a buzzer for a taxi, promised to there in five minutes, I always take that with a grain of salt but we pressed it and it gave us a number. Grabbed and bags and headed out the door. Four or five steps to the footpath and we were debating on staying by the door which had a much bigger area or going down the steps to wait, when a taxi turned in.  There was a circular drive in front of hotel. Good grief, it was our taxi.

Delivered our bags, we were early but they took them.

Cairns

 Smallish plane from Horne island to Cairns, holding about a hundred passengers. We were met by the tour company and delivered back to the Hilton. Dinner was not included that night but breakfast the following was the final of our trip.

We had had a recommendation of a Thai cafe not far from the hotel so after we booked in, we set out to find it. Not far away and we saw a lineup yep, it was for the cafe that we were wanting. All tables were full and about thirty people waiting, we moved on and discovered the night market.

Clothes and souvenirs one end but food the other, cheap and cheerful and we shared a plate of Thai food there. We had seen an ice-cream place on the way so didn't want to indulge too much. 

Many of the trees had little lights on them

Kids in school uniform even though it was 6.30pm, school had returned that day. Very holiday/festival mood for a weeknight in October.

Horne Island

 This was an island I did not know even existed. Off to the east of Thursday island, it boasted an airport, where over a thousand planes flew to and from every week. When I heard the tour guide say that, I was thinking a year, yeah about right that three to four a day but the number was every week!

It's a little round blog on a map, 575 people living there as per the 2021 census.

Our bus crew caught the ferry over from Thursday and four of us that were doing the extra day were taken to our resort, the others transported to the airport. There was a rather inviting pool but we stayed in the air conditioned room, it was hot at 32.

Next morning we had a visit to the local museum that was attached to the resort and then a tour of the island taking in the military spots.

During WW2, the island had housed 5000 soldiers and 9 nurses.

Warren and I walked to the jetty and visited the supermarket and cafe.

I liked the white bark trees

An unusual sign that it not seen on the main land

One of the guns and shells. Gun has been restored, during the wet which starts end of Oct, it is encased in heavy plastic. The shell had been made from wood and painted to look the real deal.

Pretty hibiscus that are around.

Thursday island part 2

 Time for the group to spilt up. Three of us and our bus driver were going on to Horn island and we had to get on a different bus. However we did discover that we went to the same place, the museum.

It was the King's birthday holiday so some things were shut.

Our driver on TI was Liberty, what a card he was.

The museum was housed in the underground bunkers.

There were three of these large guns on top, pointed to to west north and east.

We then drove through the cementry

Bronze soldier standing sentry at Anzac park, probably can't see but he is only wearing shorts, no shirt.

The memorial wall.

The supermarket was open until 12noon and the pubs from noon onwards. Liberty took us to the supermarket to get Moreno's, only meal that wasn't provided. Then Warren and wandered along the beach and found a cache or two. It was getting hot, hottest day of 31 so we went to the pub for a drink and cool off in a/C TAB before walking back to the jetty to catch the ferry to Horn island,

 

Thursday Island

 After breakfast we loaded the truck for the last time and some of us walked to the ferry terminal, it was only 400 metres over sandy ground, hence the truck for luggage.

We had been advised to use luggage with no wheels at first, think there may have been some arguments about that and it was changed. However some did comply with that, I had decided that I wasn't going to carry my luggage through airports without wheels. Our luggage weighed in at 7.3 and 7.5kgs each.

Our tiny bags. We did have a back pack as well.

We caught the ferry to Thursday island, I expected some dinky little thing but it was quite large, seating for a hundred and twenty people. We didn't have to pay as it was part of the tour but I looked it up and it was $12 for a return trip, taking about eighty minutes. Once on Thursday Island we were only 100 KMs from PNG.

Thursday island jetty, see the difference in the colour of the sea.

The jetty and ferry at Seisia

Turtles on the foreshore on TI.

Somerset

 This was built as a tourist lodge about 30 KMs around from the tip. It wasn't a viable proposition and was just left to rot.

We drive around there to have lunch, the buildings were back in the foliage, we went a little further with beach frontage brick toilets and a couple of tables and benches under cover.

After lunch, Mark took us on a short walk and we visited some graves stones, one was in Japanese. 

Next stop was shopping at a roadside store called The Croc Tent. This was a boar outside, they also had a croc but I didn't get a photo of him.

I bought Warren a cap and we got a Cape York teatowel for $30, considering where we were, I thought that was reasonable.

Home at 3.30pm, with happy hour on the beach to see the sunset.

Meals at Seisia were incredible, first night was lamb shanks, with vegetables, talk about melt in your mouth.

The last night was either fish or steak, she had told us how the fish was caught, just out in the sea and also how she would cook it. Very few people opted for the steak. I think the fish was Spanish Mackerel and it was steamed for eight minutes on a bed of spinach, absolutely delicious, served with a Greek salad and chips. Dessert on both nights was a selection of icecreams.

Drumroll! It's tip day.

 The day we go right to the top or tip of Australia. Still 30kms from Seisia or an hours travel due to the rough roads.

Breakfast was a little early at 6.45am, leaving at 7.45, Mark had given us a pep talk the night before, saying that it would not be easy to get all the way but to be considerate and help each other.

A few vehicles already packed but no one around.

On zoom, one of our party on the way up.

500metres up and down on rocky ground.

I went up about 60 metres on the rocks and decided that was enough for me.

I got a chair out of the truck and watched the beach with another of our crew who didn't attempt it. Twenty three went up, took them ninety minutes. There were some red faces when they got down again from sunburn and excursion. 

Another shot of the terrain 

Bamaga

 This is a little bit inland and we stopped here for a grog run as Seisia is a dry community. Dry as in no grog.

Mark, our driver had to fuel up so we had 30 minutes at the tavern, it was AFL Grand final day. Nice cool break in the pub as we didn't need any shopping.

Ten minutes away was our next two nights accommodation at Seisia caravan park.

Warren and I got the disabled cabin, ramp at the side and a big bathroom. Some had cabins with three or four bedrooms.

Map in Bamago tavern.

Our room, full sized fridge, microwave, stovetop and TV so we were able to watch the last half of the footy.

The name came from siblings intials and formed to make a word, it is pronounced Say-si-A

 

Fruit bat falls

 Named after a guy whose's nickname was fruit bat. He was working on the telegraph line in a big truck and it was usual for the guys to climb up the ladder to get on top of the truck to have a rest. When climbing up with his bag of food his foot slipped and he ended up upside down, luckily for him, another truck came past in the morning and saw him. 

They rescued and discovered a lot of fruit on the ground that had fallen from his food pack, hence the name fruit bat.

Anyway about 6 KMs off the road is this beautiful clear swimming pool with a couple of waterfalls. Never known to been dry and no crocs.

We arrived at 11am for a swim then lunch. Only two people didn't go in. It was a couple of hundred metres walk from the bus and we took a chair with us.

The water was about chest height on me at deepest. The water falls gave a massage

I did go over to this one but the water coming down was quite forceful and moved you back.

It was a bit tricky getting in, had to sit down on your bum and push off

The guys helped get everyone back on deck again.

Our pathway down took us to a wooden boardwalk which was almost of top of the falls.

The water was quite clear and not cold.

Jardine River

 Our driver was very well versed in the history and told us several stories about the places we were travelling through. The Jardines were the first family to push through the country to take cattle up there. Two brothers Frank and Dan were 22 and 20 at the time, took them ten months and the stock was reduced by two thirds by the time they got to the gulf.

The river did have another name but ended up being called Jardine after the family. No bridge so only way over is by cable ferry which is run by the local Aboriginals. Probably 100 to 120metres wide and cost $250 for the bus to go over, that is a return trip.

Just before the river crossing, we stopped at Moreton telegraph station, very handy for 8cecreams drinks and or toilets. Massive shade trees.

Bramwell Junction

 This was just up the road, remembering that we are in the outback so it was a forty five minute drive away and our first stop for the day.

Massive termite mounds

Dirty trees on left side of the bus

Green trees on the other side. Photos taken within five minutes.

There is a Roadhouse at the junction for food fuel and drinks.