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

A satin bower-bird's bower

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