Well, what a drive! There were some hairy moments, but plenty to savour also.
We cut out of Cairns, after our fourth goodbye to Kath and the kids, with a great load of sushi for a picnic lunch. We headed for the Atherton Tablelands from Gordonvale on what I later found out was the most tortuous route of the four possible from the coast. We stopped for lunch at a pretty little rest area on a river, and it turned out to be the very spot they suggested we go kayaking at the Cairns Coconut! After our sushi feast, we got the kayaks off the roof and Emma and Isaac went for a little paddle. The river was pristine clear fresh water, so no risk of salty crocs. That didn't stop them feeling a little nervous, but they overcame and went for a half an hour paddle while Sascha read his new book, and I cleaned up.
After lunch, we wound our way up the Gillies Highway with it's 300 bends and made it to Ravenshoe just around dusk. We stayed at a funny old campsite in town, which had a working steam engine start up the next morning. Dom was quite impressed, as it was his favourite colour- blue.
I wasn't sure how far we'd get the next day (Friday), but the plan was Georgetown or a little further, with stops to see some stuff on the way. Well the stuff on the way was fantastic. First call was Millstream Falls, reputed to be the widest falls in Australia. It was lovely to have a chance to get the boys running and stretch my sore back.
Emma narrating now - Next stop, Nettle Stream (Innot Hot Springs) where, for part of a very normal little creek, the water bubbles up steaming hot from underground and smells delightfully of sulphur! We paddled around in our bare feet weighing up the temperatures of the various parts of the stream and occasionally screaming and racing back to the cool water to ease off our scalded feet and continue on. It was pretty amazing seeing the little bubbles of gas seeping up from the creek bed making the water actually look like it was boiling (there was steam coming off it at around 30 degrees outside). It was also amazing to see tiny fish swimming in that water which at times was pure pain for us, and some spectacular red and blue dragonflies flitting all over the top of the hot water section. A family, who had the foresight to bring a shovel to let some cool and hot water mix in a personal "spa" before us, had some eggs cooking in one of the hottest sections!
The Savannah Way beckoned on so we returned to the road. We had a "Family Meeting" in the car. We started them monthly, last month, to try to make sure this trip meets more of everyone's needs and wants. The main call from the kids (Ok, Dom and Sasch) last month was for more junk food which we have kindly provided. There was not a repeat request for this this month!! This month Sascha's request was for more home made burgers and hot dogs. Funnily enough we had hamburgers on the road for lunch straight after the meeting and hot dogs the day after! I think the parents have made a good start for July!! The boys have also washed and dried the dishes a couple of times in the last day or so, not exactly cheerfully but not too bad. So the grownup's cant complain either!
The road was straight and long and at times very narrow and we had to leave it completely to let the road trains through. I was glad not to be behind the wheel. Keeping the kids happy was fairly easy until the last hour or so... like usual! We have been enjoying the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn on audio but are looking forward to Jim finally getting free (we hope!) and starting a new book!
We stopped for the night past Georgetown in a wonderful little free camp at Cumberland Chimney. The ruins of a gold ore crushing factory built by Cornish masons. There is a sweet little billabong there that was engineered at the time of the factory, maybe a hundred years or more ago. It is chocful of birds and we bagged a few new ones as well as some spectacular but not new ones! Brolgas, Jabiru, Cotton Pygmy-goose, Magpie Goose, Red-tailed Black Cockatoos, Darter, Royal Spoonbills, Azure Kingfisher, Blackwinged Stilts, massive flocks of Budgerigars, and, annoyingly, some little ones walking on the lily pads, we saw too briefly to be sure of but were definitely new! We spent a precious evening stargazing with the kids and slow morning watching the sunrise and birds. We even splashed out on a shower each for Paul and I. If you want to really feel rich, return your "laundry" to its real function as a bathroom and use it in the outback! I felt like a million dollars.
We stopped for the night past Georgetown in a wonderful little free camp at Cumberland Chimney. The ruins of a gold ore crushing factory built by Cornish masons. There is a sweet little billabong there that was engineered at the time of the factory, maybe a hundred years or more ago. It is chocful of birds and we bagged a few new ones as well as some spectacular but not new ones! Brolgas, Jabiru, Cotton Pygmy-goose, Magpie Goose, Red-tailed Black Cockatoos, Darter, Royal Spoonbills, Azure Kingfisher, Blackwinged Stilts, massive flocks of Budgerigars, and, annoyingly, some little ones walking on the lily pads, we saw too briefly to be sure of but were definitely new! We spent a precious evening stargazing with the kids and slow morning watching the sunrise and birds. We even splashed out on a shower each for Paul and I. If you want to really feel rich, return your "laundry" to its real function as a bathroom and use it in the outback! I felt like a million dollars.
Paul here again. On the road in the morning, and a deal of single lane road, to begin our journey, kept me on my toes again with lots of traffic going the other way and an occaisional road train for good measure. We made Croydon for lunch, and went out to Lake Belmore to take in a view while we ate 'bread and scratch' from the van. A pretty place to stop indeed. Then back on the road, and Emma drove us into Normanton, a hot dusty little town just south of the gulf. We had a quick visit to the tourist info and library, and will be going back tomorrow for some of that library action.