Here we are in far north Queensland two weeks into August, unable to return home until the beginning of October, still seven weeks in the future. We were expecting to be rushing across to Western Australia. However, that not being possible, we are reluctant to hurry south … it is lovely and warm up here on these tropical beaches! “Don’t be lazy!” The phrase echoes loudly from the past. “You’re trouble is that you’re lazy!”. Oh what burdens we lay upon our young.

Maybe we should just be lazy!

Split Rock

The time to unwind our northwood journey is upon us and so we will slowly make our way south. From Cooktown we return to Mossman and on the way take a sidetrip to the Split Rock indigenous art site near Laura on the Cape York Peninsula. This is our first chance to see rock art in it’s original setting on Cape York.

The first notice we encounter gives us an idea of the antiquity of these paintings and of the historical span of the indigenous peoples of Australia.

At the entrance to the site under this beautiful image is a timeline showing the span of the population in this country … long before us whiteys arrived

Amazing that they said there was nobody here!

The trail up to Split Rock is dry and dusty.

These giant rocks broke away from the scarp thousands of years ago

And so to the Split Rock gallery itself. The split in the rock can be clearly seen.

And what a gallery it is!

We spend a couple of hours among the three galleries wondering at the remoteness of this place. I often contemplate as we cruise around Australia in our fancy modern vehicles, that the Indigenous peoples of this land only had foot transport, apart from the odd dugout canoe. No horses until 1803! It is a very big country to be walking around. Every now and then when driving along a remote road we encounter a cyclist and are amazed that they should do such a thing. Imagine having to walk!

Here they are.

The ancestral figures. According to the timeline these arrived 4,400 years ago.

Human, spirit figure and echidna. Just love the echidna.

And who is this, struggling to free themselves from the rock?

The Atherton Tablelands and all those waterfalls

The Atherton tablelands form a plateau around 900 metres above the coast and are surrounded by the ranges at the northern end of the Great Dividing Range. Up there, it rains a lot and all that water has got to go somewhere and most finds it’s way to the ocean by dropping off the edge of the ranges.

Our journey southward takes us back to Ellis beach once more. Then on through Cairns and we stop at Fishery Falls.

Fishery Falls

Fisher Falls is on the main Bruce Highway south of Cairns, and unless it is your destination, the few houses fronted by a pub would pass by almost unnoticed. The caravan park is spacious and friendly and the only things to do are have a pizza at the pub and walk up to Fishery Falls.Oh yes … and look out for the brilliant blue of the huge, Ulysses butterflies.

The track up to Fishery Falls is well surfaced since it is part of the water supply for Cairns. It is a pleasant walk up through dense rainforest.

The trail starts down on the flat with the inevitable sugar cane stretching into the distance.

Pools of crystal clear water lie between gentle rapids surrounded by rainforest

Ancient tree roots wrap around the rocks.

As basket weavers in a former life it’s wonderful for us to see cane growing in the wild.

A butterfly nears the end of it’s life.

The water is channeled from just below the falls for the thirsty in Cairns.

Jacqui contemplates the beauty of this valley.

What is it about clear water running over rocks that is so satisfying?

Babinda Boulders

A little further south along the same range are the Babinda Boulders, a spectacular river gorge which must be fearsome during the monsoon. At this time of year it is more gentle but the wearing away by stronger torrents is obvious.

Bit of a worry when it says ‘This creek has claimed many lives’. You mean people actually try and swim in it?

We could see how it got the name.

Thick rainforest rings the valley.

How many millenia did it take to fashion these rocks. Powerful stuff, water!

We meet an old friend … the Australian Brush Turkey. They love to dig up your garden given the chance.

The town of Babinda itself owes it’s origins to sugar cane and the sugar mill which operated from 1915 until 2011. It is adjacent to Queenslands two highest mountains, Mt Bartle Frere (1622m) and Mt Bellenden Ker (1593m).

Nice bit of street art! We did see one Cassowary crossing the road near Mission Beach.

Taking care of the post since 1915.

Don’t need the old garage?

Bramstone Beach and Josephine Falls

After a couple on nights at Bramstone Beach we went to the next falls, a little south of Babinda – Josephine Falls

Metalic Starlings with their bright red eyes, build their nesting colony above Bramston Beach

A Masked Plover stalks it’s prey at Bramstone Beach.

Just love those clouds – Bramstone Beach

Swimming seems to be the thing in the pools below Josephine Falls

There are times when swimming is just daft!

Josephine Falls in dry season trickle mode.

The sugar mill, with it’s characteristic plumes, is still going strong in Tully which boasts of being the wettest place in Queensland.

Mission Beach and Cardwell

We have been lucky enough to catch a cancellation at Mission Beach and so can while away two and a half weeks in our favourite spot on this coast.

Jacqui’s been playing with her new iphone.

Here she goes again!

The sun doesn’t always shine … rain is on it’s way … actually this storm lasted for two days, with scary amounts of wind and rain!

The caravan parks in Far North Queensland host many visitors from the southern states in winter. Many of them will stay on one or two caravan parks for three to four months before heading south again in spring. We have noticed a much more village-like social life among these visitors, gathering at the end of each day to drink a beer or two and chat and laugh the day to a close.

On Mission beach, this also involved beach bowls every afternoon if the tide was right.

Anyone for bowls! One visitor’s Hobie sits on the beach after a sail.

This beautiful mosaic decorates the park which hosts the market a couple of times a month.

Cardwell is on the coast opposite Hinchinbrook Island

The weather is not always clement on this coast. Cyclones turn up regularly. The last big one was a category 5!

Bucasia

We are now almost home, and begin our journey south again tomorrow. We will spend the last week near Bundaberg and hopefully meet up with daughter Zoe and grandchildren, Bodhi and Mahli.

One of the great delights of this trip have been the birds. I leave you with a few more examples.

A Bush Stone Curlew is happy to stare you down. We call them squealers from the racket they kick up as soon as the sun goes down.

The amazingly named Spangled Drongo sits in a flame tree.

Spring is here and the competition for nesting holes in on. Rainbow Lorikeets got this one.

The Sulphur Crested Cockatoos need a BIG hole.

May you all be well and happy!

Enjoy!

Alan.