Wednesday 17 August 2022

Road-trip in FNQ

We landed back in Cairns on Wednesday 10th August, and anchored in Trinity Inlet. Challenging wind against tide problems put us pretty close to two other boats. Then pulling the anchor up in the morning was hard, as we seemed to have caught a wreck or something. Did I want to jump into the fast flowing muddy water with crocs watching from the bank? No.

Fortunately it came free. Phew!

Then into Marlin Marina for the big clean-up, and hand-over to the next syndicate members. A pleasant meal in Yaya's Greek restaurant with them.

We stayed three nights in Cairns and fitted in a visit to the Cairns Botanic Garden.


Cairns Botanic Garden


 

 

 

 

  

  



Pink trumpet-flowering tree

We caught up with George's cousin Rachel and her family for a picnic on Trinity Beach.


Rachel


Trinity Beach

We picked up a rental car from Jucy, filled it with supplies, and headed north to Cow Bay, just south of Cape Tribulation.


AirBnB bach at CowBay


Off-grid in the rainforest








Fan palms on the Marrdja Boardwalk at Daintree



Mangrove roots in mud


Swimming hole at Emmagen Creek


Biking on Cow Bay


The Curtain Fig


The Atherton Tablelands, with fog over the Barron River.

We drove from Cow Bay, near Cape Tribulation, south towards Evelyn on the Atherton Tablelands, to stay in an AirBnB called Usnea. The most beautiful AirBnB we have ever stayed in. Run by Ben (a sculptor, originally from Germany) and his wife Joan, an Aussie naturalist.




The Wunderkammer, Joan's study, with a wealth of beautiful objects. She did a PhD on cassowaries.



The summer-house




Everywhere beautiful decorations.


Ben's sculpture



Fig-tree roots by a creek


Waterfall at Usnea


Cauliflory; flowers emerging from the trunk of a tree.


Fungi





Sarus cranes near the Bromfield Swamp


Victoria's Riflebird (Lophorina victoriae)

We visited Herberton Historic Village. Impressive.


Dispensary


Hardware store


Dolls


Old cars


Steam pump at Herberton


Marble pit at Chillagoe


Old smelter at Chillagoe


At sunset



Limestone karst towers



Caves at Chillagoe



From Chillagoe we drove to Mission Beach, stopping at the Mamu Tropical Skywalk on the way.


Mamu Skywalk cantilevered lookout


View from the Skywalk tower


Mission Beach


Kennedy walking track at Mission Beach


Tully Gorge


Cliff in Tully Gorge


All over North Queensland, on what is called the Cassowary Coast, there are notices like this. Actual cassowaries are hard to find. But we finally got a sighting.



A better sighting in Currumbin Bird Sanctuary.


Port Douglas


Mossman Gorge. Well worth a visit.


Mossman Gorge swimming hole