Time out at Birds on Barron........

We arrived ‘home’ mid afternoon and found Linda a little busy as Trevor was in Melbourne for surgery so she and Gracyn were managing on their own with help from their lovely neighbours Rod and Leanne.  We’ll help out while we’re here if we can.

The campground was busy but most people were down by the river so we had the orchard to ourselves for a few days.

We shopped on Saturday, washed and cleaned a bit and enjoyed the birds around the garden.  This Bush Stone Curlew seemed intent on watching us too.  On Sunday I decided to turn the pumpkin that Sue had given me at Artemis into pumpkin soup.  It was yummy and Linda and Gracyn joined us for dinner that night.

We drove to Cairns on Tuesday.  It was a slow drive down the Kuranda Range as there was tree trimming in progress but we made it up and down safely.

Once our shopping was done we spent a couple of hours enjoying the sunshine and a walk along The Esplanade looking at the many shorebirds and street art.  This Striated Heron certainly looked like it was up to no good.

Back at home Bill scrubbed the car and got rid of all the mud and dust collected over the last five weeks.

On Wednesday Bill turned gardener as he helped Linda trim all the trees in the orchard.  While he chopped and sawed I got into the act as well gathering branches and weeding under some of the trees. Lots of fun and great to be able to help a bit.

That night we all had dinner at The Gateway, a fabulous pub in Mareeba.  Leanne, Rob and some other friends joined us as well and a fun time was had by all.

The next day we decided to have a day out with the birds and drove to Julatten and Mt Lewis.  We enjoyed a walk through the rain forest here and found a group of very noisy Chowchillas, a beautiful Atherton Scrub Wren and the very pretty Yellow Boatbill.

On Friday morning we joined Linda and friends for breakfast in town at a fabulous ‘continental deli’. Good coffee, tasty food and great company was a fun way to start the day.  The day finished in a similar vein with us all pitching in and enjoying a communal meal with Linda, Gracyn, Sam (her fiance), Leanne and Rob.  Another fun night and just like that our first week was over already.

On Saturday morning we drove to Yungaburra to have a look at the market there.  It was raining right throughout the tablelands so it was a very soggy visit.  A great market and a very pretty little town.

On Sunday we stuck with the market theme and drove down to Kuranda.  The rain had set in there too so another soggy day was had.  Lunch at the French Crepe cafe was delicious but the rest really was quite disappointing.  Just like one big souvenir shop I thought.  I was happy to get out of the rain again as we headed back home.

After a quiet day on Monday we headed out again on Tuesday hoping to find some birds at Wongabel State Forest and Mt Hypipamee National Park.  This was not to be as the rain kept on falling making it impossible to find anything in the dark rain forest.

We decided that a trip down to the coast might be a good idea and we hoped that we might see a Cassowary at Etty Bay, one of the absolute sure fire spots to see them.  And yes we did see one!  Just the back of it as it walked away into the bush.

We waited with another couple to see if they would come back but they never did.  The Leaden Flycatcher was beautiful but not what we had come to see.  By now it was raining here too so we gave up and drove back home.  Not much fun in the rain.   Never mind, we’ll get a picture one day! The little bay was lovely though.

The next day we went along to the Dr and both had our flu needles.  Leaving home in April meant that we were too early to get them but the Dr here was happy to oblige so we are good to go now. Back at home Bill got to work with the hose and a broom and tried to wash all the mud and dust off the van.  Looks great for a little while at least.

On Thursday we prepared to leave the next day.  Shopped, washed and repacked the van. Luckily we found this would be stow away before we packed the chairs.

That night we enjoyed another fabulous evening with Linda, Leanne and Rod as we had a farewell dinner.  It really is so hard to leave such good friends but time is marching on and we still have a long way to go for the next part of this incredible journey.

One of the things Linda does here is a Billy Tea for a tour company that comes up from Cairns a few times a week.  Bill had enjoyed these as much as the guests as he got to eat any leftovers each time. To farewell us in style Linda made a Billy Tea and Damper just for Bill.  It was lovely and we enjoyed yet another fun morning with her and the neighbours.

At last it was time to leave and we said our farewells again.  Thank you so much for your wonderful hospitality and friendship.  So sorry we missed seeing Trevor but we wish him a speedy recovery and we’ll see him next time.

And so after 13 wonderful days it was time to become nomads again and we hit the road heading west.  We stopped for lunch in Queensland's ‘highest’ bakery at Ravenshoe before stopping for the night at Archer Creek rest area and the next night at a rest area in Minnamulka.

The next night we found a great spot on the way to Hughenden.  No one else there, sheer bliss we thought!  Not so, as within a few moments of us stopping two campers and two caravans arrived and stayed.  3 dogs, 5 kids and a drone - goodbye peace!  We did survive.  The next morning we left them to it and drove in to Hughenden where we stayed in the RV Park at the showgrounds.

While here we enjoyed wandering along the Flinders River, completely dry, and the Robert Gray Memorial Park.  The fish sculpture made of all sorts of nuts and bolts was very quirky.  The Historic Coolibah Tree across the road is of immense historical importance as it is linked to two relief expeditions searching for the Burke and Wills Expedition.  Both expeditions blazed the tree on the banks of what is now Station Creek.

'In 1861 Fredrick Walker led a team from Rockhampton to the Gulf searching in vain for the missing explorers.  The following year Landsborough’s search party passed through from the Gulf.  These relief expeditions led people to become aware of the fertility and wealth of the plains adjacent to the Flinders River'.

The next morning we headed off again and found a lovely spot to camp at Mistake Creek in Winton.

We went into town the next morning and saw the new Waltzing Matilda Centre.  This had just reopened a few weeks ago and the queues to get in were pretty daunting.  I think we’ll wait until it’s not such a novelty.  The building is a very modern structure that would be right at home in Federation Square.  It certainly stands out in Winton’s main street.

Back at home the washing was dry and we were ready to begin our next adventure.  To cross the country on Australia’s Longest Shortcut, The Outback Way.  Stay tuned!

until next time.......

More Station stays, National Parks and beaches.......

Leaving Weipa the next morning we made our way straight down the PDR and arrived at Archer River roadhouse mid afternoon.  We booked in for two nights and set up in the quiet campground, just one other camper there.  It wasn’t long before more people came in and by nightfall the campground was full.  Even the birds love it here!

Same the next day, all left early and by mid afternoon the hordes descended.   This time a tag along caravan tour came in.  A motorcycle tour and a walker raising funds for cancer as well as us regular folk.  The quiet morning gave me a chance to catch up on the washing and cooking while Bill took the camera for a walk.

Out the front of the roadhouse we found the Toots Holzheimer Memorial.  The monument commemorates "Toots Holzheimer", a long haul female truck driver who was killed in a trucking accident.

"Toots" was one of Australia's best known truckies and her sparkling Blue Man prime mover has pride of place in the National Transport Hall of Fame at Alice Springs.  Toots and her truck were the lifeline for the communities the length of Cape York, wet or dry, until she was killed in a loading accident on the wharf at Weipa.

Next morning we continued our journey south to Coen.   This part of the road had just been graded as we came up and already it was rough with corrugations and sand holes.  The increased traffic certainly makes a difference on these roads.  We stopped at the quarantine station where the ranger checked all the fruit and vegetables against the docket from Weipa and then we continued on into town.  We caught up on emails and social media here while we made a coffee and then had a look at the museum which was open today.

Leaving Coen we made our way to Musgrave Station and stayed for two nights here as well.  Busier here than at Archer River as it was game one of the State of Origin and Musgrave had big screens and a bar!  What more could the travellers want.  We left them too it and had a quiet night in!

The next day we walked down to the water crossing and found this cute little guy had come in for a drink.  He didn’t mind his photo being taken.

Later that afternoon I went over to the dam and watched them feed the seven or eight freshwater crocodiles that live there.   Lots of turtles too and quite fun to watch.

Leaving the next morning we only had a short drive, just 24 km, down the road to stay at Artemis Station for a few nights.   Owners Tom and Sue are wonderful hosts and we really enjoyed our stay here.

The Golden shoulder parrot is said to be found here.  Unlike our years of looking for the Hooded Parrot we found these beautiful birds straight away on a bird feeder a short walk from the campground.  Just beautiful but all immature so no real color showing.  We stayed for three nights hoping to find more and did so on the third day when Bill explored a little further away.  He came home a very happy man having seen both a mature male and female.  Stunning birds and beautiful pictures of this gorgeous male.

The next day we said farewell to Sue and Tom and headed back to Musgrave Station where we had coffee and rang QPWS to book a site in Rinyirru, Lakefield National Park.  From here we drove the 81km to our camp site at Hann Crossing.  It was some of the roughest road we have traversed so far!

All good though and we enjoyed a peaceful afternoon and evening beside the North Kennedy River. Lots of birds here.

Off to Kalpowar Crossing the next morning via the ranger station to book a campsite there.  It is a lovely space beside the Normanby River.

The actual crossing to Kalpower was open but I’m glad we weren’t going that way today.
That afternoon a White Bellied Sea Eagle kept Bill busy as it flew overhead.  We found out later that it was waiting for it’s share of fish from the fishermen camped a bit further along.

Before leaving the next morning we saw two gorgeous Papuan Frogmouths in the trees nearby.
We stopped at the New Laura ranger station to make coffee and thought our van fitted right in with the termite mounds there.

We left the park via Battle Camp Rd, another very rough ride, and drove into Cooktown to shop before heading back to Elim Beach on the east coast.

We stayed here at the campground for two nights.   Owned and run by 94 year old Aboriginal Elder Eddy it is such a great place to stay.  Totally relaxing, beautiful sunsets and just a walk along the beach to the amazing ‘Coloured Sands’ cliffs.

Our walk to see the cliffs at low tide took us through the mangroves and mudflats.   There were lots of old shacks along here too but most looked derelict now.

We left the next morning and started what was to be our last drive on Cape York.  We have had an amazing time here over the last five weeks.  We have checked out the Cape York Peninsula well and truly from North, South, East and West and we’ve enjoyed every last moment.

For now though it is time to sit still for a little while and we are going to do that by returning to our favourite campground and visiting Linda, Trevor and Gracyn at Birds on Barron in Biboohra.

Perhaps we can even clean some of the dust off and out of the van.

until next time.........

Weipa and Mapoon.......

We headed North once more heading for Weipa where we would spend a few days looking around. This is a mining town around 200 km from ‘the tip, and a great place to relax beside the Golf of Carpenteria.

The road from the Bamaga turnoff is still mainly unsealed but with large areas being worked on it won’t be long until the PDR is sealed all the way to Weipa.  We were told that there is only about 250 km left to go.  Our first surprise was the traffic light as we approached the town.  It was a Haultruck Crossing and boy were they big vehicles.

The Weipa area was the first stretch of the Australian coastline ever explored by Europeans.  It was the Dutch explorer Willem Janz, sailing in the Duyfken, who first sighted the coast near here in 1606.

Matthew Flinders was the first person to note the possible mineral potential in the area in 1802 but it was almost 100 years later, when a geologist noted the presence of Bauxite.  The nearby gold discoveries were of far more interest at the time!

Around 1955 another geologist realised that Matthew Flinders ‘reddish cliffs’ were in fact virtually pure bauxite and so the potential of the area began to be exploited.  The result is that Weipa is now the largest Bauxite mine in the world.  The port of Weipa was officially opened in 1962 and the first commercial shipment of bauxite from there was made in 1963.

We stayed in the caravan park here as that is the best option.  Right on the beach it was very big, tidy and welcoming with the most amazing sunsets over the Gulf each night.  Just outside was the shopping centre and for the first time in weeks we did our shopping in a Woolies.  Apparently the most expensive one in the country we were told.  Still it was nice to be able to do a ‘proper’ shop after so long.

Later that afternoon we took a drive around to Fishermans Wharf and then round to Rocky Point where the sun was setting.

The next day we decided to drive out and have a look at Mapoon, a very small and remote township around 90 km north of Weipa.  The road to Mapoon is a large red road mostly in good condition and it is a fairly easy drive to get there.

Just out of Weipa you must cross the Mission River and Andoom River bridges.  Both of these are one lane bridges with a railway line beside them.  You are required to travel with your lights on so as to be seen by the oncoming traffic.  They then have to wait on the other side until you have cleared the bridge before they can then go.  It seemed to work well on a quiet Saturday but I would hate to see it in operation at a busy peak time.

Arriving in Mapoon we found a very tiny, quiet little town centre, one shop, before making our way around to Cullen Point.  Another beautiful beach with a little campground beside it.  A haven for fishermen apparently.

We drove around to the site marked Old Mapoon.  Once the site of the town, residents were moved out to all parts of Qld in 1963 after the government signed the Colmalco Agreement with the federal govt.  Small family groups started to move back to Mapoon in 1974 and it’s now a thriving community.

Nearby is a small park where a memorial stands to commemorate the visit by the Dutch in 1606. Known locally as ‘first contact country’ this very interesting memorial tells you many stories about times gone by.

Back at home that evening we decided to treat ourselves and enjoyed fish and chips at the park cafe, Barramunchies.

The next morning Bill went for an early morning wander along the beach/mangroves and found this beautiful White Bellied Sea Eagle busy with his morning activities.  Such beautiful birds and happy to have his picture taken.

Later that day we drove around to Lake Patricia, back to the wharf, the sewage ponds and then found some delightful Sacred Kingfishers playing near Port Weipa.  

A nice way to finish our stay here.  We enjoyed our time here in Weipa and found the West Coast very different from the East Coast where we had just come from.  I know that a thriving mining town is very different from a National Park but it was much more than that.  Different weather, some different trees and birds and of course stunning sunsets on the West Coast.

It was time to hit the road and start making our way south again.  Lots more to see along the way so stay tuned.

until next time......