Queensland- perfect one day, torrential the next!

I have only just realized that my last blog was over a week ago. Where has that time gone!! We have definitely hit the tropics and the muggy weather. High 20s and 98% humidity. I now remember why I never wanted to live in the tropics again (for those that don’t know, I lived in Queensland for 4 years when I was 24 to 28, the last 18 months in Cairns).

Let me pick it up from my last blog…

We left Hughenden on Sunday 17^th May. This road travels east towards Townsville and has a railway line right next to it. We were very lucky to have a train come towards us and there wasn’t a lot of vegetation between him and us on the road. We both waved and he tooted- Yay!!

We are definitely heading for the tropics.. 

On Monday we arrived in Townsville. We stayed in a lovely caravan park here so we could recharge the batteries with power and fill up the water tanks. The mornings were overcast but the days were sunny. I was able to get all the washing up to date and we were able to get things at stores like Jaycar and Spotlight. The weather was lovely and the nights very comfortable for sleeping.

While we were here we really wanted to get the car and van washed. The first car wash we saw we just knew we wouldn’t get the van underneath the wash bay. After asking, we were told of another one closer to the CBD and we went there as we were leaving town. We only just got the van under the ‘max limit’ sign, but we got both cleaned without any hassle.

On this trip, we aren’t doing huge driving days. We mainly do around 200 km a day which is so comfortable for both of us. We stop for morning coffee and make it into our destination about 11ish. The van is not hassle so set up (not like the camper trailer) so we are all done about 15 minutes after stopping.

We left Townsville on Wednesday 20^th and headed north. We are now travelling on the Bruce Highway and the traffic is quite steady, but we don’t seem to be holding many people up as the car is handling the towing brilliantly. Tonight we stayed at a free road side stop. We noticed a small well driven track through some tree which led into a huge grassed area, next to the railway line. We set up here and it was just lovely. The rail line is used for passenger trains and they are really good looking ones- a similar shape to a bullet train. But we only had 2 go past and I wasn’t quick enough to get a photo!!

The next day (Thursday) we headed towards Cairns. We selected the Big 4 Crystal Cascades Caravan Park which is a bit out of town and is situated right in the rain forest. We had originally thought we would stay for 4 nights but when we arrived, we decided to stay for 5. After a few nights we decided to stay for another night, so we ended up staying for 6. The place was just so nice and relaxing, even though we had some rainy days with really high humidity. We always had a breeze to cool the van and us off and we had such a nice site too! This place was such a find- we would recommend it to everyone!

Crystal Cascades Caravan Park- beautiful! 

One day we did drive along the coast road to Port Douglas and Mossman Gorge. Brilliant road- so picturesque. And I remembered the spot where I fell off the motor bike- yuck! Port Douglas hasn’t changed much from when I was up here last, just a few 100 more houses on the main road into the town itself. The main street is basically the same, and we found a really nice pub to have lunch: barra, salad and chips for $12.50- bargain!

The coast road  to Port Douglas

Mossman Gorge was lovely and so much cooler due to the rain forest. It was mid to late afternoon by now so it wasn’t that crowded. We even got photos of the suspension bridge with no one on it!

When no one was around, we ran long this- very bouncy!

Cairns has really changed since I lived here 24 odd years ago. There was nothing that really reminded me of living here before. I remember a small city surrounded by Queenslander homes and a few ‘local’ shopping centres. The CBD was the main hub, but it had a very country town vibe to it. The Thomas Cook foreign money office where I worked is now a Billabong store!! The Esplanade and beach area (not that you would swim there) used to have mangroves all along it and now there is a brilliant infinity pool, grassed area for sun baking and picnicking, and a lovely board walk. The housing goes on forever and there are heaps of shopping centres. I really didn’t recognize a lot!

The old Thomas Cook office!

The Esplanade- so user friendly for everyone! (above and below)

Today, after 6 relaxing days, we have headed up to Mareeba on the Atherton Tablelands. Again we have selected a park out of the town, on a working property run by a fella called Dave. He is just lovely and when we arrived, he spent the first hour showing us all the flora and bush tucker on his property. Such a warm and friendly man. Unlike our current neighbors who abused us for where we set up our van. As we are just an open paddock, you can set up any where. We don’t particularly like to be really close to others, but we do need to consider trees and the sun for our solar panels, especially as this is an un-powered site. The neighbors have conveniently ‘plonked’ themselves right in the middle of the paddock so any place you pick is going to be too close. They said we hadn’t left them enough room to get past! Honestly, if they had a semi they might have had a hard time, but a car and/or caravan would have no trouble. People really don’t know the width of their vehicles!

But none the less, we won’t be staying here for the 2 nights we thought we would. Tomorrow morning can’t arrive soon enough!!

Tomorrow we head up to near Cooktown for a few days, then we’re on the road to the top. No rush though. We still have 3 months before the Birdsville races- our one and only appointment on this trip! Next blog soon.