Week 10

Sunday

 

We left Townsville today and heading north again. Arrived at South Mission Beach (Beachcomber Coconut Village) around 1pm.

 

This area is a sanctuary for cassowaries and is thick with kangaroos grazing on foreshore front lawns. Apparently a large cassowary walked straight through the caravan park yesterday at midday!

Signs everywhere saying ‘don’t feed the cassowaries’, but I just couldn’t help myself;

 



Do not feed the Cassowaries, Roger

Now that we have installed a 300 watt inverter in the caravan, we’re all setup for 12 volt or 240 volt power from our caravan battery, we are saving money by using a Non Powered Caravan/Camping Site (watch this space)

Monday

Our last day at South Mission Beach today, so a morning walk along the beach was a must (but we did have to share it with one other person)

South Mission Beach

We have been blessed by another fantastic day - 27 deg Cel, but as there is a chance of rain tomorrow, we're heading up to Mossman just north of Cairns. It's close to the Daintree which may be as far north a we go this trip???

Nanna just had to do this for the grandkids to have a laugh;

 'Go Nanna Go'

 

 Second Childhood???

A Poolside Campsite for the Bradley's

Tuesday

Left South Mission Beach early and arrived at Mossman (about 75km north of Cairns) jus after midday. Setup camp and headed off to Mossman Gorge which was really spectacular; 

 Mossman Gorge

Thursday

After a day off from rushing around like 'mad tourists', we head off to The Daintree for the day (like mad tourists again)

We decided to go on the Daintree (Copper Creek) Crocodile Cruise which is the only one operating in the Daintree National Park.

Only a small number of crocs sighted, but we were lucky to see a 4.5 metre croc bearing it's teeth (just yawning) 

'My what BIG teeth you have'

 

 This cheeky swallow hitched a ride on our bow rail

 

 Heading back to the Cooper Creek Mouth

On the way out of the Daintree a cassowary crossed right in front of us and I was able to snap a picture to prove it;

 

We spotted this cassowary just metres from the main road

Friday

Left Mossman and headed south towards the Atherton Tablelands. We found out that the Mareeba Rodeo Grounds provide cheap powered sites (just $16.00 per night) so that's where we're going.

It's a long weekend up here so once we setup camp, we went straight to the Mareeba Information Centre which was manned by three volunteers.

I asked the local  man behind the counter (aboriginal) what was happening in Mareeba over the three day weekend. His reply was . . . 'not much happens around here'.

Thinking he was joking, I waited for him to follow up with information or suggestions about events in the area. Thirty seconds later I realised he wasn't joking!

Anyway we did find out that there was a large market in Mareeba on Saturday.

On the way back to the Rodeo Grounds we noticed there was quite a crowd watching the golfers at Mareeba Golf Club;

 

 

The locals turnout in force to watch a game of golf!

Saturday

Markets in Mareeba and Kuranda kept up busy for most of the morning.

It's been eighteen years since we were last in Kuranda and I think half of the Byron Bay hippies have taken over Kuranda!!!