Mission Beach and Malanda Falls

28 - 29 June 2014

Our next trip away took us to Mission Beach for one night then up onto the Atherton Tablelands. At Mission Beach we stayed at the Rainforest Motel which is close to shops, restaurants and the beach, and is great value for money. We went for a wander and were astounded at the number of people on the beach. We are usually here in summer when there is hardly anyone there. We had dinner at Sandbar and again it was great value for money - we shared a pizza then indulged in some yummy desserts. The service was super quick and cheerful. 

The next morning we had breakfast at Earlybirds which has become something of a tradition for us when we stay in Mission Beach. We called in to the "Monster Markets" and then headed for the highway. Being the start of the school holidays there was plenty of traffic and a police breathalyzer unit set up on the highway. I passed with a perfect 0.0.

We stopped at Gooligan Creek  - just because Mick hadn't been there in years. It's a pretty little spot with toilets and picnic area, as well as easy access to the creek. 

Our next stop was the Malanda Falls Visitor Centre. This new centre is very well set out - with lots of interactive displays and even a spot for young children to sit and colour in while mum and dad gather information. Very thoughtful!

I have been to Malanda so many times but have never been on the either of the walks which take in the rainforest near the falls so this time we decided on the aptly named "Rainforest Walk" which starts and finishes across the road from the visitor centre. The walk winds down to the creek and through the rainforest. Many of plants are labelled. The resident turtles show interest in visitors as they approach the creek - I suspect they are sometimes fed so check you out just in case you have something for them. We crossed the road for a look at the falls as well. 

Broadwater - Abergowrie State Forest

26 - 27 June 2014

After two very cold nights up in the mountains behind Ingham we opted to return to the coast and Broadwater in the Abergowrie State Forest. We had been here before so knew what to expect - grassy campsites, toilets and cold shower as well as fire pits. We selected a shady site and although there were a number of other campers (including some pretty flash looking campervans) it was quiet and peaceful. We went for a walk along the Creek Walk which doesn't go very near the creek at all! It's a nice walk and Mick found a very "birdy" spot so he stayed on to take photos while I walked back to camp. I can only spend so much time standing around, staying quiet, waiting for that one magic shot.

We also visited the creek swimming spot - although we weren't tempted to swim - and the Rainforest Walk which takes you to the strangler fig. A very nice, and easy walk along a well maintained boardwalk.

Wallaman Falls - Girringun National Park

24 - 26 June 2014

  

Wallaman Falls is one of those places that is close to home that we had never visited. We had always intended to visit and decided this would be our next camping destination. We booked to stay for three nights. 

On the way through Ingham we stopped for a quick visit to Tyto Wetlands, but decided against the long walk as we were keen to get to our destination. When I had booked the day before it appeared we would be the only campers on the first and last nights and with one other camper registered for the second night we were looking forward to a peaceful and restful time. How wrong could we be! No sooner had we arrived and set up camp in our chosen spot, than we were visited by a "grey nomad" asking about how to register to camp. We provided the information - go to the phone box provided and call - and settled in for a relaxing afternoon.

Juvenile Comb-crested Jacana at Tyto Wetlands

Comb-crested Jacana at Tyto Wetlands

Throughout the afternoon more campers arrived with camper vans and tents to fill up more of the remaining sites. Not a problem really until we were invaded by a horde of noisy teenagers. I have nothing against young people - I have two of my own - and applaud their willingness to get out into the great outdoors, but these young folk seemed to have no idea that most campers in National Parks are there for the peace and quiet, unfortunately their loud voices persisted until late at night.

The campsite was well appointed although only a couple of sites were suitable for our type of camp set up. Toilets and a cold shower were provided as were picnic tables, shelter sheds and fire pits (BYO firewood). There was plenty of grass to set up the tent not far from the car. We knew a cold night was forecast, but hadn't expected the extreme lows that eventuated. Fortunately we had brought fire wood (purchased from Bunnings for $12) and were snug in out tent with the warm quilt. Getting up in the morning was a bit of a challenge though.

Sunset and food preparation.

We went for a walk in the morning along the well-marked Bangguru Walk which took us along the creek and down to beautiful rock pools. We spent some time there just taking in the surroundings. Later in the day a ranger advised that there would be some burning off near the falls and not to be concerned abut the smoke. Mick asked about the distance to the falls as this information was not available on any of the signage or National Parks website. He advised it was "about a kilometre". It seems National Parks has a different measuring system to the rest of us. We attempted to walk and were overcome by the steep hills along the road so didn't make it up to the falls lookout that afternoon.

Evening Brown Butterfly

We made the decision to move on to Broadwater in Abergowrie State Forest the following morning, mainly because of the cold. Because we had booked three nights at Wallaman Falls, I called National Parks from the public telephone provided and discovered you cannot change a booking once it has started and have to make (and pay for) a new booking. Seems ridiculous! I'm sure there has to be a better way. You cannot self register at the site so must book online in advance but without any flexibility to change if needed. It's no wonder many people just camp without registering and paying. After another cold night we packed up camp and drove up to the lookout - definitely more than the quoted distance. 

Wallaman Falls

Cameras at ten paces.

The view to the falls is magnificent and well worth the time to get there. We stayed a while and took lots of photos. We decided not to attempt the obviously challenging walk to the bottom of the falls but did walk a short way down to another viewing spot.

The campground and surrounds were excellent for birding. White-throated treecreeper, female Victoria's Riflebird, and the endemic Yellow-breasted Boatbill were all encountered. Golden Penders had just finished flowering along the river on the Bangguru Walk. These prolific nectar producers would attract lots of lorrikeets and honeyeaters when in bloom, something to keep in mind for next time. 

Despite the numbers of birds, I didn't manage many good shots on this particular outing. Mick.

White Mountains National Park

11 - 13 June 2014

After a night in Richmond we headed for White Mountains National Park, between Torrens Creek and Charters Towers. We knew it was accessed from the highway but had some difficulty finding the entrance.The park itself was well signposted but the entrance was hidden down a track at the edge of one of the rest areas. Perhaps someone wants to keep it a secret. I had been worried about accessing the camping area (Cann's Creek) as the information provided by Parks Queensland seemed to be a bit contradictory - on one place it indicated you could access the camping area in a conventional, but high clearance, vehicle and in another it indicated 4WD only. Mick had phoned and spoken to a ranger who was familiar with the area (a challenge in itself) and he assured us that we would have no trouble in my 2WD Mitsubishi Outlander. While the steep bank into and out of the creek had me a little nervous, we managed it without incident. The rest of the track had been an easy drive through some interesting scrub country. We had booked to stay for two nights and for the first night we were the only ones there - so peaceful. The facilities were basic - 8 marked campsites and a hybrid toilet, but perfectly adequate for our needs. The area was extremely dry and there was no water in the creek at all. In one place you could see where kangaroos had dug down to get to some moisture. We walked along the creek bed and marvelled at some magnificent sights. 

Mick spent a good bit of time photographing (or trying to photograph) birds. 

On our second day there we were joined by another couple.The campsite remained peaceful. We went walking along the creek and generally relaxed. Mick was somewhat disappointed at the lack of birdlife which was as a result of the extreme dry conditions. 

On our final morning we packed up, successfully negotiated the creek crossing again and headed back towards the park entrance. We took the detour to the lookout which was well worth the few extra kilometres, and again the road was in good condition. You get a feel for the ruggedness and remoteness of this park when you take in the view from the lookout. 

We returned to the highway and stopped for a cuppa at the well presented rest area - toilets, water, shaded seating. We continued on to lunch in a park in Charters Towers before home.

Porcupine Gorge

8 - 10 June 2014 

A visit to Porcupine Gorge has been on the "to do" list for some time so it seemed natural that this should be the first of what will (hopefully) be many more camping trips now the kids have left home and we don't have to manage things around work schedules.

We had a short stop in Charters Towers and then Hughenden on our way to the gorge, stopping frequently to take photos (of birds, of course!). The camp ground was well signposted and the road sealed all the way. You have to pre-book your actual campsite so it's a bit of a risk, but we were lucky to get one that suited our needs well.

We camp in a tent, and use an awning off the side of the car to provide shade, as well as a side on the awning to provide a wind break which was necessary as it was very windy the whole time we were there. We also had rain the first night and were grateful that the new tent didn't leak. 

We had been told that the walk into the gorge itself was not too difficult, but the walk out (and up) could be "challenging" so we knew what to expect - and our advisors were right. We had to stop a couple of times on the way back. It was certainly worth the walk though. We had the gorge to ourselves for most of the time and wandered in both directions taking photos and just enjoying the peace and quiet. It certainly is a beautiful spot and I would highly recommend a visit although I did need an afternoon rest when we returned to camp!