Longreach

The drive to Longreach was a short one of 2.5 hours.  It was a lot of the same dry countryside .  We saw the occasional Emu's and live kangaroo's.  A lot of roadkill beside the road.  Leaving Winton we seemed to inadvertently got ourselves in a caravan convoy.  There seemed to be at least 4 caravans in front of us.

Longreach was hot and dusty the caravan park was just like a big flat dusty parking lot.  Not surprising I guess as they have not had rain in 7 years.  Pete and I have been craving a blade of green  grass or a

green leafy tree, can you imagine how the locals feel.

We had a quick squize up and own the main street and then headed to the Qantas Foundation Museum.      This was very good and told the story of Qantas's inception and the early years,  all very interesting.  There was a flight simulator that Pete and the kids enjoyed.  I would recommend wearing a parachute if you are brave enough to get in a plane they are piloting.  We hid from the heat inside for as long as we could then headed to local IGA to stock up.  Prices are not so bad, but fruit and veg here in the outback does not seem to last in the heat  and is already on the turn when  you buy it.

We returned to the caravan only to discover 2 things: 1)  the cool change had not arrived, 2)  James had left his hat behind at the Qantas museum.  So back in the car to the museum and then we decided it was too hot to cook so we had a lovely dinner at the RSL and had a round of UNO.  We returned to find that it had indeed cooled down ever so slightly.

Up early the next day to go to school, School of the Air that is.  Although it is now called School of Long Distance Education.  What an eye opener for my children to learn how children in the outback do their schooling and to find out that they only get to spend 1 week twice a year at school with their friends.   All of us in the cities should be grateful of the schools we have close to home and the many resources that are available to our children.  They truly are lucky and a little spoilt I think.

We then went to the Stockmans Hall of Fame.  A great museum not only about stockmen, but all things about Australia's rural history right back from when Australia was first discovered, to the explorers and their expeditions.  We then moved on to the early pioneers and they way of life,  types of farming and natural disasters and plagues.  The kids favourite was the Royal Flying Doctors and then lastly the Stockmen.  We also watched a stockman show where we learnt about how he breaks his horses in, mustering, cattle dogs on the job and a few country songs thrown in for good measure.  James has since been practising cracking his whip and yelling yee  haa.

So we now have a whole new appreciation for the outback and the people who live out here.   I must admit and  I don't want to offend anyone but I think I am more of a green mountain, tall tree's and waterfall type of gal.

Winton Home of Dinosaurs and Waltzing Matilda

Winton - home of Dinosaurs and Waltzing Matilda and the  wilting great southern Red Elephant who is passing through.  Well we left Karumba and headed south it was a big days drive of over 400km.  We stopped at the famous Bourke and Wills roadhouse for yummy pies for lunch.  We have had three pies on this trip and all agreed that the Bourke and Wills pies where the best.  We then drove onto Cloncurry just for an overnight stop and then the next morning on the road early for Winton.  Since leaving the east coast we have had temperatures in the mid to high 30's.  Was totally not expecting such high temperatures and we are all suffering.

Bourke and HIlls Roadhouse

We are definitely in the outback, the land is flat dry grass, spindly trees if any, Emu's and Kangaroos can spotted from the car windows.  Roadtrains are making their mark, they were scary and exciting at first but now they are just exciting.  We have scene one with 4 carriages,if that is what you call them.  The land although flat and dry does change slightly with the colour of the dirt , rocks and anthills.

Winton is a little town it has 3 claims to fame one being is it's where qantas was dreamed up and the first board meeting was held.  Second it's where AB Paterson penned Waltzing Matilda and it was sung for the first time in the Gregory Hotel of Winton.  The third is this is a place where Dinosaurs bones have been found.

AB Paterson and Waltzing Matilda Winton

Setting up his Swaggie Camp

So we went to the Waltzing Matilda,that was very good and made you feel proud to be an Aussie.  So we learnt all about Banjo Patterson, Waltzing Matilda, Swaggies and a whole lot about Wintons history.  The kids got a great education on Swaggies and squatters and troopers and a jolly jumbuck.  Why do people not say Jolly anymore?  I think we should all start using Jolly, go on use it today!  It so JOLLY hot and dusty here in the outback!

Dinosaur Vertabrate half revealed

Onto the Dinosaurs.  Well what a great time we had.  I think a certain pink person in the family might be keen to be a digger upperer of dinosaur bones.  First we got to see the two Dinosaurs they have semi  dug up and put together.  Banjo and Matilda  what an amazing site to see real fossilised dinosaur bones and compare then to a cows bones and our bones.  We then walked over to the Lab were they work on uncovering the bones.  We were shown how they are removed from the site, wrapped up and protected.  Then they are either painstakingly put back together,or, the dirt and rocks surrounded the bones are carefully removed.  You would really need a lot of patience.  Our two guides were young and had studied either geology or palentology and they were so passionate and enthusiastic.

Fossilized Dinosaur Bones

At the front of our park in Winton was a small farm of animals we had fluffy chooks and their chickens a wooly sheep, fuzzy llama and three kid goats.  Grace and James spent a lot time making friends with the animals.  Our site backed onto a horse paddock, they also made one specially horsey friend.  As we left this morning James who is always a little scared of animals called over his shoulder "good bye horsey, I love you."

James and his Horsey

HI Karumba

Hi Karumba, it's not just a party greeting!!  Karumba is on the Gulf of Carpentaria and HI KARUMBA we are here.  Karumba is famous for it's sunsets over the gulf, water.  Tonight after a hot drive we lashed out and celebrated day 6O of travels and reaching Karumba with fish and chips at the Karumba Sunset Tavern.  Guess where we are staying ?? Go on guess?  Ok we are at the Karumba Sunset Van Park.  HI Karumba!!  Karumba is also famous for its prawns fishing especially Barra and yes Crocodiles so far, out of all this marine life I have spotted a green frog!  Hi Karumba!

Road to Normanton

Petes Croc!

We drove from Croyden, Croyden is a VERY small town with one Pub and old shop that also doubles as a petrol station (2 pumps).  But surprisingly it used to be a thriving town of 3 to 4  thousand due to gold.  We had a poke around this morning for 1.5 hours before left.  We checked out the old convenience store 4 heritage buildings and enjoyed a movie in the visitors centre.  All  of this for free or a donation if you wish.  Actually worth mentioning is the road into Croyden from Undara, it constantly would change from single lane to two lane.  When I say single lane I mean it would only fit one car both ways.  So if another car approached from the other way you would both have to move to the edge of the road to pass.  Most people where great except for one little white car who refused to move over, we all know what he is called!!

Croydon Pub

Wonderful Murals on pub walls

We passed through Normanton another small town that is famous for the Gulflander and old train that is said goes from nowhere to nowhere.  In fact it goes from Normanton to Croyden, but I would have to agree with the first statement.  Normanton to Karumba the land was incredibly flat and the outside temperature was 34.   We did see flocks of Brolga's on the wetlands on the way in,later on we saw a pair of Brolga's dancing on the golf course.

The Gulflander look BUT do not touch

Hi Karumba itself is very isolated and is very much a fisherman's village, actually the village itself is split into 2 and both have very small supermarkets, there is no Coles,Woolies or Aldi.  I have been most curious as to what the locals do for their weekly grocery shop as if I did my weekly shop here there would be nothing left on the shelves.  So I asked and the answer is a few families do a big monthly shop and order online from Woolies back in Cairns (750km) the order then arrives at 5am on a given day.   Children here when they reach high school are sent to the east coast (Cairns) or Mt Isa to boarding school.  We are so lucky and take the 5 minute drive to our local Woolies  and our local school for granted.

My final comment on Hi Karumba is that sometimes you don't find a special place but its the people you meet that make place special.  Good BYE  KARUMBA!

Undara Lava Tubes

So we have left the Eastern Coast of Australia and are heading through the Gulf country before we head south and for home.  Having left the lushness of Atherton we passed through Queenslands highest    town in altitude, Ravenshoe, and then onto the Savannah Way.  Boy did the countryside change dramatically.  Gone where the rolling green hills, to be replaced with open, flat dry savannah country and lots of anthills.  Clever are the ants who build anthills of different colours and designs.

Must admit we where both feeling a little bit emotional reflecting on all we have seen and done and everything achieved to get the Red Elephants this far.  Thinking also of our trip home and all we will see.  Thinking of our homecoming and seeing our family and friends again.

Savannah Country, Volcano Crator in the distance

Lava Tubes

Anyways…..Who knew there was such a thing as Lava Tubes?  I certainly did not.  And who knew you could walk in the Lava Tubes, not me.

So we have just spent 2 nights at the Undara Lava Tubes.  Truth be told, one night would probably have been enough for us.  The Lava Tubes are actually on an old Cattle Station that has been handed back to National Parks.  We stayed on site and it was very dry and dusty, not real pleasant.  The temperature the last few days has been well over 30', so those who know me will know that I do not cope well in such conditions.  Luckily there was a pool and quite a bit of time was spent sitting around the pool.  The Lava Tubes themselves are amazing.  We had to clamber down a rocky path to access the tubes.  They are  big and cave like, you could drive a train through the first one we went into.  The second one started as a very big cave, almost cathedral like and then we walked through the tunnel.  The tunnel itself was still big enough to walk 5 people abreast.   As you can only see the tubes by going on a guided tour that is what we did.  Most older people seem to do several tours but for us one was enough.  James was disappointed as he was expecting to see "lava."

The two nights we where there we attended Trivia by the campfire and on the second night Poetry by the campfire.  James and Grace where the only children in attendance so the first page of trivia was directed at them.  One of the old timers said after wards the score was Kids 10 Adults 0.  All I can say about the poetry by the campfire was that it was seriously  lacking in the Poppy pizzazz.  Two of Poppies favourite poems where read ,being, Mulga Bills Bicycle and the man from Iron Bark.  We all agreed we would need a bit of Poppy Poetry when we get home.

Day 2 Atherton the Waterfall Way

I must say the land around here is very appealing.  Lush green rolling hills dotted with very contented cows.  Then in between there are orchards growing, well, I'm not sure, but some are coffee, tea, peanuts and banana's I know for sure.

We had a lovely day driving through this gorgeous countryside discovering the many waterfalls and a curtain fig.

We where not planning on visiting the curtain fig but saw the sign and why not, lets do it.

Curtain Fig

We then headed to the Malanda falls.  The falls where just a short walk from the carpark and did not disappoint.  There was a very interactive Visitors Centre  the kids had a great time making a volcano erupt at the press of a button.  We also discovered what butterflies to see locally and found out what to look for when looking for the Lumholtz Tree Kangaroo.  What do you look for, well its poo of course and then look up.  Armed with this knowledge of we went for a walk through the rainforest  James and I looking on the ground for the poo and Pete and Grace looking in the trees for the kangaroo.  I can report, we had no luck only stiff necks.

Lumholtz Tree Kangaroo

Malanda Falls

On we go to the Nerada Tea Plantation.  It would seem that Tree Kangaroos are rather partial to Tea as we found 2 here.  They where up trees and with dark brownish fur, a tail made of fur but not fluffy.  Size wise bigger than a possum and about the same as the Red Panda's we meet at Australia Zoo.   While looking at the Kangaroo's James some how fell over and hurt his ankle,  for the rest of the day Pete was piggy backing him around.  James foot is swollen and we are hoping it will settle down for our walk through the Undarra Lava Tubes in two days time.
 We all sampled tea at Nerada and enjoyed it with lovely light scones and jam and cream.

Tea Time

From Nerada we went onto the Milla Milla waterfall this was a spectacular long fall and very pretty.  There where a few people in swimming, but a bit cold for us.  We then drove on to the Zillie falls ending with the Ellinjaa falls.  It's funny you drive through this beautiful dairy country, turn of the road 50 metres and there are these beautiful waterfalls.

Milla Milla Falls

Ellinjaa Falls

I think you could happily spend a week here discovering all that the Atherton Tablelands has to offer.

Atherton Tablelands

BRRRR  its a bit chilly up here at night.  We have put an extra blanket on our beds and back in our winter pyjama's.
Saturday was a busy day  we started with pancakes for breaky.  Then of to the Mareeba Markets.  Very nice little market, the kids got a lucky dip, we all shared a twirly potato thingy on a stick that was very yummy.  I got talking crochet to a nice lady who also taught herself crochet via youtube.  The markets was next to the visitors centre, that was very handy.  At the back of the visitors centre was a great little historical museum with the entrance being by donation.  It was great and had an old classroom where Pete and the grey nomads reminisced  about getting the cane and blackboard dusters flying past their ears.  There was also an old train, coppers washing machine,  ambulance, blacksmith, pub, butcher and James had fun mowing the grass with an old hand pushed rotary motor.  But what was really interesting was a big display about the tobacco growing industry.  Tobacco growing was really big up here back in the day.  I did not realise how big the actual leaves where, they are about the size of a A4 page.

Jmaes mowing

churning butter

While in there we meet up with some fellow Canberran Travellers we had meet back in Sarina.  They advised us to go to Bruno's coffee plantation.  There are a few coffee plantations up here so we where glad of the advice as we where planning to go to one.  So of we went and found our way past the chickens and cats to find  Maria and Bruno in the roasting shed.  Bruno was busy so the lovely Maria showed us around and explained all things coffee from the planting to the harvesting, fermenting, sun drying and then onto the roasting.  It was all very interesting.  Pete finished with a coffee and I had a tea.  The coffee must have been good as Pete purchased a bag of there roasted coffee

Grace who loves gemstones was then in heaven as we went to the Crystal Caves.   We all donned hardhats with lights and entered the caves.  Every where you looked there was magnificent gemstones hidden away.  It was like a treasure hunt with every nook and cranny of the caves hiding beautiful stones and fossils.  To think this was one mans collections who built the caves and hid his gems in there. Right down the bottom of the cave was biggest Amythest we have ever seen.  This was well worth the money spent for the kids enjoyment in discovery the many gems and fossils.  I know one certain Aunty M who could have been down the cave with Grace all day and unlike me would have known the names of all  the gems.  Aunty M be prepared for Grace to bring her collection to show you next time we visit.

The non Rotating Empress of Uruguay

We arrived back the park at 4 had a reviving culpa and then I discovered a bush walk behind the park.  The Widow maker it was called.  I should have known then to turn back.  It was a steep uphill climb, my heart was ticking away at a hundred miles an hour, this walk just didn't seem to stop. " Come on Mum" said the kids.  Well once up top my god the view was worth it.  Views of Atherton and over the patchwork of this lush green rural landscape dotted with lakes and dams.  huff puff Just Beautiful.

Cooktown

Cooktown we like it here and feel kinda chilled.  Its a big moment for the Red Elephants as this is as north as we get.  Lets face it Cooktown is Queensland most northern town and it does feel a bit frontier like.    There are loads of various 4wd around mostly pulling campers all covered in red dust and we know where they have been, "The Cape."  You could say so close yet so far as it is another 1000km from here and mostly on dirt corrugated roads.  We do feel a little bit envious and like we are missing out, but, we  will save "The Cape" for another time.   Who's in?

Spooky Black Mountain

Actually we are lucky to be here as on the way in we passed the Black Mountains where people have been known to mysteriously disappear.  SPOOKY!  The mountain s made from large black granite boulders.

View of the Endeavour River from Grassy Hill

The Coral Sea and way beyond Cape York

Cooktown is the place that Captain Cook in his ship Endeavour  became unstuck on one of the outlying reefs and had to spent some time here.  Apparently its always blowing a wind here and we have not been disappointed.  The town itself is only little, (for people reading at home I would compare to the size of Braidwood) and fronts onto the Endeavour River that is fresh water.  On the other side of Grassy Hill is the Coral Sea.

So what have we done…   a load of washing, swam in the pool, read a book, walked the river front.

It was on the river front walk that we came across 2 unusual things one being a musical ship and the other ,eek I am in scary crocodile territory although have not seen a live one yet.  Or dead for that matter.  We have also been up Grassy Hill to check out the magnificent view 360'  as I say the Endeavour River winding its way, the Coral Sea and the Cape whispering us north.

Grace playing the musical ship

Recent Sighting

Pete has been on a guided fishing expedition, but I will let him ramble about that.


Today we went to the Captain Cook Museum that was also a museum on anything Cooktown so it seemed.  It was housed in an old nunnery and convent school.  Interesting for us but maybe not so for the kids.

We also went for a drive to the famous Lions Den Hotel.  Have you heard of it?  We hadn't until a fellow traveller, yes grey nomad, told us about it.  The Lions Den is over 100 years old and seems to be in the middle of nowhere, but in fact in its time it was in the middle of somewhere, the gold rush.  Back in the day miners used to pin their pay packets to the walls and on the next visit use the money enclosed.  These days there is money stuck to the walls with peoples name on and all sorts of souvenirs people have left behind including signatures and messages left on the walls.  If you ever visit see if you can find the Red Elephants!

Lions Den Pub