To Laura and Cooktown.....

We stayed at 'Birds on Barron' for five days and even then it was hard to leave.  Linda and Trev have created a place to stay where time seems to stand still.  Everyone seems to be leaving tomorrow but are still there the day after.  Many people have been here for weeks!

Were there any birds you ask and the answer is yes, lots!  Each day as Bill wandered around the property with his camera he found a new bird.  The beautiful little sunbird, which features on the property logo, proved to be a challenge and though Bill did get some shots he was never totally happy with them.  I think they are just beautiful.

While in Mareeba we went to the local market on Saturday morning.  It was a fine day and a very busy market with lots of fresh produce from local growers.  We enjoyed our morning here and left as always with bags of fruit and avocados.

Just behind the market was the Mareeba Visitor Centre and the Heritage Museum so we popped in to have a look.  We found one of the best displays of local history we have seen anywhere.  Starting with a walk through early Aboriginal times to European settlement, then the two world wars showing the old hospital trains used here in the far north of the country, it just kept us enthralled.  There were displays and history of the local mining industry from past to now.  

The interactive display telling stories of the tobacco industry in the area from the 1960's to 2004 when it was dismantled was very informative and the replica of the old village out the back a lot of fun to wander around.  Particularly the very non PC hotel - no women allowed in front bar!!

Inside there was a rainforest display with videos of the local birds playing and we were happy to see that Bill had captured quite a number of them over the last two visits.  Back outside we took ourselves  home for an afternoon under the awning.  Tomorrow we would have to get ourselves ready to leave on Monday.  That night at home Bill's walk down to the river produced this lovely Black Butcherbird.

Until a few days earlier we really had no idea of where to head next just that it was still far too cold to head south yet.  Talking to Linda and Trev during the week they had mentioned they had a property on the Laura River, right next to the Lakefield National Park on The Cape York Peninsula, and they were happy to let us go up and camp there if we liked and so that is where we went when we finally said farewell on Monday morning.  

It was about a three and a half hour drive up, on good sealed roads, through some fabulous scenery as we made our way through the ranges ready for a week off the grid as far north as we have ever been before.  The brochures tell us that Laura is a small town and locality on the Cape York Peninsula forming the the northern apex of the 'scenic triangle' between Cooktown, Lakeland and Laura.  It is also the place where many travellers leave their vans before heading right up to the 'tip'.  Maybe next year!

We arrived at Laura during the afternoon and followed Trev's mud map to the gate and the subsequent 12 km to 'the shed'!  (yes i was a little worried about the logo on the van in the shed - 'you fill em, we'll kill em' - but I came to no harm).  We had a walk around the immediate area to pick a sight for the van and soon after we were set up and the coffee was on.  This was home for the next week and I reckon we had the best loo in Laura.

The Laura River at this time of year has dried up to a series of waterholes, some still quite deep while others are just shallow pools.   We didn't see any crocs here but know they are around but as we were camped many metres above the water we had no worries in that regard. 

Our first visitors here were the lovely White Bellied Cuckoo Shrike.  They didn't seem too fazed by us and I just love their zorro like mask.  Once again Bill had his camera working overtime as we saw different birds each day.  The other visitors to our camp were the sweet little Agile Wallabies and they came in to graze each morning and evening.  They are very cute with the little white marks on their faces looking like a smile.

Being right next to the National Park we took a drive through a small section of it one day and came to another part of Laura River, still just waterholes but lovely and scenic.  We were able to walk along the banks here and we found more birds here.

A couple of days later we decided that we had come this far so we might as well drive up to Cooktown for the day.  We left early in the morning and drove through the Lakefield National Park along the Endeavor Battlecamp Rd.  This mainly unsealed road takes you past the old Laura Homestead and we stopped her for a look before continuing on to Cooktown.  The old homestead, sheds and cattleyards have been preserved and are open to visitors showcasing how harsh life on a remote station was.

Back on the road we crossed the Laura River twice, both were water crossings but not deep, before our next stop at Horseshoe Waterhole.  Here we found a beautiful lagoon, covered with water lilies and lots of birds.  Most of them were too far away but we did get to say hello to this handsome little Comb Crested Jacana aka Jesus bird.

Back on the road we crossed through the Normanby River and stopped here to take some photos.  From here there were no more stops until we reached our destination, Cooktown.

Said to be one of the windiest places in Australia it certainly lived up to its reputation today.  We found it to be a lovely little place with the most beautiful views across the little harbour.  We had a walk along the street checking out the historic stories along the way.

We learnt that Cooktown is located at the mouth of the Endeavour River and came to be when Captain Cook beached his  ship, the Endeavor, for repairs in 1770.  Both the town and Mount Cook which rises up behind were named after him.  Founded on Oct 25 1873 it was called Cook's Town until 1st June the following year.

We drove up to Grassy Hill Lookout where we found the most wonderful 360 deg view of Cooktown and the surrounding ranges.  All we needed was not to be blown off the hill from up here.

Back down on flat ground we headed for home this time via the highway.  We had loved our quick look at Cooktown and definitely will come back for a longer visit next year perhaps.  Just 25 km south west of Cooktown we stopped to have a look at the very unusual Black Mountain.  In the midst of tree covered ranges one small range is made up completely of large black granite boulders.  With very little growth on them they are known as The Black Mountain.  The story board tells us this is the result of magma that slowly solidified under the earths crust some 250 million years ago.  Like Hanging Rock at home there are many stories of people disappearing here without trace giving the Black Mountain it's nickname 'mountain of death'.

At this point I have tell you my story of the one that got away - on the way back into the property I saw what I thought was a large black log across the road.  As we got closer we discovered it to be a huge black monitor.  It was about five feet long and seemingly unconcerned about the car coming towards it.  I, on the other hand, was so overawed that I forgot to pick up the camera and so just like all those fishing stories you will have to take my word for it!  We did see a smaller one another day but our big friend never made a repeat appearance.

We enjoyed some company over the weekend as three other campers from 'Birds on Barron' came to camp in the shed.  We chatted occasionally but mostly did our own things.  Bill continued to find a new bird each day and we just loved the little Forrest Kingfisher who came to play each evening.  Not real keen on his choice of dinner.

Before we knew it we had been there for six days and decided that we had better return to civilisation and so on Sunday morning we packed up and headed back to Mareeba.  This is really our turn around point as every day from here will bring us a little closer to home, not that we are aiming to be there any time soon.  The GPS tells us we are 3800 km from home, not quite so far away as last year but it seems we have covered a fair bit of the country once again.  Time to get started.  An hour later we were stopped on the side of the road changing a tyre.  Our first flat for the trip but a nuisance all the same.

A little further along the Mulligan Highway we stopped at Bob's Lookout at the top of the Desailly Range to see the wonderful view stretching out before us.  Layers of mountains in the distance are always very picturesque and this was certainly a beautiful view.

Soon after we were pulling into 'Birds on Barron' again and setting up for the night.  Linda and Trev welcomed us like old friends and I can totally understand why there are so many return visitors to this delightful place.  And just like last time one night turned into three (well, we had to get the tyre fixed didn't we) and we totally relaxed during our time here.  Trev's Mum, Bev, comes out most days to lend a hand around the place and we enjoyed getting to know her and hearing her amazing stories of their life in Far North Queensland.  

On our first night back 'at home' Murray came to tell Bill that the Bustard was back in the paddock.  They took off and this time they both got some fabulous photos of it.  They are quite difficult to find and photograph so the boys are thrilled as you can imagine.

Tuesday saw us in town getting our new tyre fitted, balanced etc and so no more excuses, we have to say goodbye and hit the road tomorrow.  Bill was giving Linda the photos of the birds he had taken on the property and we were invited to stay for dinner with them.  A wonderful night of good food, laughter and stories was enjoyed by all.  

We got up early the next morning, prepared to leave and went to say farewell and thank you to some lovely people that we will consider friends from now on.  Thank you all so much for your wonderful hospitality and two weeks we will always look on as some of our best times on the road.  And yes, we will return, how could we not!

And so before we could change our mind we jumped in the car and drove out to the highway, back through Mareeba, Atherton and Ravenshoe as we make our way west for a while.  Tonight we are free camping in Archer Creek Rest area and are blown away by the number of people who are here.  Over 40 vans/campers at last count but seemingly plenty of room for all so all is well.

Tomorrow we begin the next phase of our journey and end up who knows where

until next time........