Returning to Cairns from Yungaburra, we assured ourselves that we would return – for a time to reflect without all the hullaballoo of being surrounded by politicians and their minders. But NOT via the Gillies Hwy – all future visits to the Atherton Tableland would be via The Savannah Way which heads west just north of Cairns and comes up the Kuranda Range Road – still mountainous but a much better road. With our friends Bob & Caroline still playing chauffeur, we took several more daytrips. One of which was a return to Yungaburra the following week – a visit which left an emotional mark on Bob & Caroline as it had done to us the week before. This time I was armed with my new camera, a fact reflected in the quality (and quantity) of photos.
Bob & Gordon Strolling up from the Memorial
The shade sails, the broken wings, and – in the left background – the memorial for the EDDs.
We also visited Atherton (Halloran’s Hill is a great lookout); Babinda; Flying Fish Point, Innisfail, Port Douglas and many more towns and villages in the district. Sadly, after a little more than two weeks, our time with Bob & Caroline came to an end and we went our separate ways – The Dixons down south to Lucinda and we moved north to Mossman and Daintree.
War Memorial at Babinda
Water Tower at Innisfail
Through the Windows of a Derelict House at Flying Fish Point
From Flying Fish Point, back towards
the inlet at the village called Coconuts
Looking out the heads at Etty Bay
Before leaving Cairns, I gave Gordon a haircut – from wild and woolly to bald & bushy. They say there’s only a week between a bad haicut & a good one.
One more look at The Avenue of Honour . . .
Mossman – a small town some 60+kms north of Cairns and the gateway to ‘The Wet Tropics’ and the home of the renowned cassowary. We were to end up staying some three weeks or more in this district and not once did we see a cassowary. I’ve come to the conclusion that they well and truly live up to their name – “…wary”.
Just to the west of the town is the Mossman Gorge and a new Interpretive Centre. The Centre is a magnificent building and is staffed entirely by local Aborigines. The do a wonderful job – making everyone feel welcome. They also staff the restaurant, drive the shuttle buses (which are solar-electric – thereby leaving less of a carbon footprint) and give guided tours and walks. We opted for a self-guided walk as we hadn’t left ourselves enough time for the full guided tour. The rainforest in the Gorge is breathtaking. And, at Gordon’s behest and with his assurances that he would be with me all the way, I actually walked across a suspension bridge! My heart was in my mouth, my steps were very tentative and slow, but I made it! Then the thought dawned on me – I had to go back!!! As I’m here to tell about it, you can see I made that, too. The suspension bridge was built to replace one which was built by one of the Engineering Corps of the Army. The original decking was laid plank by plank with those involved definitely requiring a head for heights.
The following photos are just a small sample of the two hundred or so we took that day – I shall let them tell their own story.
Mother Nature at her best!
During our two-day stay in Mossman we took a day trip to Daintree Village – and were so impressed by what we saw and the people we met, we decided to pick up “Toad Hall” and return to stay for a week.
And that will be next episode. See you soon.
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