Week 6 June 18^th – 23^rd

We moved from Lake Tinaroo to Walkamin, a bush camp next door to the Rocky Creek War Memorial.  The Atherton Tablelands became the largest military base and largest field hospital in Australia 1943-1945.  It has a very dedicated group of people and Council that bring the history to us today.  “Well done”   There are about 50 camps and would you believe we meet a couple from Toowoomba.

Tuesday saw us getting out of the van. We took a drive through the Danbulla State Forest. We saw the Cathedral Fig Tree, which just had to be seen to be believed. A 44 metre girth, 500 years old and a hundred metres high, just amazing.

We had lunch a Lake Barrine, an old crater that filled with water hundreds of years ago. Among the rainforest that surrounds the lake are twin Kauri pines that are believed to be over one thousand years old.

After lunch we drove through Yungburra, where we walked Peterson creek hoping to spot the resident platypus, but no luck. On return we had to cross Lloyd’s suspension bridge. It took John back to his childhood days when he would swing the bridge to scare his sisters.

On the outskirts of Yungburra we visited the Afganistan Aveune of Honour. An amazing modern memorial to young Australian all under 40 years of age, that made the ultimate sacrifice, for whatever was asked of them. Through Atherton, Togla and back to the van and another cool night.

June 18^th “State of Origin all the flags are out. “Oops well done Ian and Max”

We are about 70 km from Cairns so Thursday went for a drive to the big smoke. Because we are in the Tableland the drive down was all lush rainforest and single lane so was slow going. We picked up mail, did some washing and shopping, then headed back to the van.

The weekend was spent sitting in the SUN, going through the mail, reading and doing craft.

Week 5 June 10th – 17^th

This week has been a shocker nine days straight of misty rain, humid and then cold weather.

We moved from Ravenshoe to Atherton Caravan Park. We restocked, refuelled and browsed the second hand shops for books to read. We then moved to Lake Tinaroo, “where the Burra are renowned to be that big that it would not fit in the canoe if caught”.  “It was that wet that the African Queen never came off the Cruiser”.

The birdlife at the lake were very interactive, they knew when morning and afternoon tea was on and went to every camp for lunch.

We are going “TRPO” in the van and to fill this page report will have to give you some statistics for the month. We have been away 34 days:

Travelled 2286 km

Cheapest Fuel $1.55 – Charters Towers (cheaper than at home)

Dearest Fuel $1.65 – Atherton

We’ve had –

18 nights at Bush Camps,  7 nights at Caravan Parks, 9 nights at National Parks

We have consumed 103 Red Claw

Visited 4 Dams/Lakes – Waruma Dam, Thresea Creek Dam, Cania Dam, Lake Tinaroo

We have been to some great mining towns and seen some great  old architecture

We’ve been to the highest town in Queensland – Ravenshoe 926m above sea level

Monday: now it is cold and windy, are we in Far North Qld or Far South Tassie?

Week 4 June 3^rd – 9^th

We had a great week, we did absolutely nothing but saw heaps.

We meet people, caught red claw, read our library out and had foggy, sunshine and rainy weather. We toured the Dalrymple National Park and saw nature at its best.

We camped at Fletcher creek just on the outskirts of Charters Towers for the week.  According to the locals (that is anyone that has been camped here longer than two weeks) the area was bequeathed to the Charters Towers Council by “Robert Leach” a farmer that wanted to set the land aside for travellers. The bush camp area had limited facilities but the friendliest people. Some that have been here for weeks others just days, but all with stories to tell and from all different parts of oz.

The creek is spring feed and flows down to the Budekin River. The area is near the Undara larva tubes and with the volcanic like rocks around, you can believe that larva did flow through this area, maybe 2 million years ago.  The day we drove through Dalrymple National Park we were a little disappointed. It is an open woodland area with four campsites that you have to pay for and print out a permit online. “Hello” there is no phone or internet service here.

Wednesday we woke to a morning of fog and 100% humidity. Wow this changed the atmosphere of the place.  Spiders that must have been working all night to create the most amazing webs, the paperbark trees that had been holding flowers all week, just let them go, an explosion of yellow.

We had friendly Brahma steers stroll through the campsite and watched the antics of the squatter pigeons, did lots of reading, crocheting and of course have some great casseroles/red claw dinners by the campfire.

“It was a great week”

Week 3  May 29^th – June 2^nd

Thursday: saw us travelling to Charters Towers. 375km of not much to see along the Gregory Development Road.

The area is renowned for coal mining. Peak mine, Blair Athol and Clermont mines along the way. The overburden stacks are hundreds of metres high and at one point we followed a conveyor belt for about 10km’s, before it curved left into unknown country. We made Charters Towers around 2.00pm, another Top Tourist Park great to plug in for all the mod cons.

Friday: was spent washing, shopping, sightseeing around town and having a pamper day. “Thank goodness for Nana May’s”.

Saturday: was simply a pack up and unpack morning after travelling only 42km for the day. John had read an article on Fletcher Creek just out of town. It looked good so we stayed. The creek is spring feed and flows down to the Budekin River. It is just outside the Dalrymple National Park.

Sunday: saw the red claw traps come out, the reading books and another campfire. I think we are staying a few extra days, John got 9 red claw on his first drop. Once again there is no phone service but with a major town a short distance away we will be in contact over the next week.