Half way up the Cape

2 May 2016

After more than two months at home - with short trips to Cairns and Sydney - we were almost ready to hit the road again. We've added a few things to the camper trailer - a pole carrier and extra battery - and had air bag suspension fitted to the Prado, but there are still a few more things to add somewhere in the future.

This was the first time setting off from home in the Cub. We collected it in Sydney in October last year and travelled through New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia before putting it in storage while we spent 7 weeks in Tasmania. We then picked it up and headed back up the coast through Victoria, NSW and home to Queensland. 

This trip was only a short one and would take us "up the cape". We planned to go part the way up Cape York Peninsular. It was still early in the dry season so we weren't sure what the roads would be like. Even though there hasn't been much of a wet season, some places have received reasonable rains. We planned to travel through the Atherton Tablelands, back to the coast and on to Daintree, then along the Bloomfield Track to Cooktown. From there we would head through Laura and on to Artemis Station for some serious bird photography. Mick has a new camera and a couple of new gadgets he wants to try out.

Malanda

3 - 5 May 2016

We hoped to leave home by about 9.30 as we had a couple of jobs to do that had to wait until businesses opened. Well, that was the plan anyway, but we had our first “problem” for the trip while we were still at home. The pin that connects the larger pin that connects the trailer to the tow-hitch and car, was nowhere to be found. We searched everywhere and in the end Mick went and bought a new one. Fortunately there is a caravan place about 5 minutes from home so it didn’t take too long. We managed to drive off about 10:00am. Not bad considering.

We headed north and stopped for take away coffee at the Frosty Mango, at Crystal Creek. This is a popular spot with travellers. They do sell lots of tropical fruit and fruit products like ice-cream and jams. We continued on through Ingham with the obligatory stop at the op shop, the through Cardwell to Bilyana for lunch. There is a nice rest area with sheltered picnic tables and toilets and easy parking. We have stopped there quite a few times. It was while we were there that we noticed problem number two for the day - there was no power to the fridge. That could be a big problem! We had just had a second battery fitted to the camper trailer to extend the time we could stay out of powered sites. We hoped that the problem with the fridge wasn’t anything to do with that. There was nothing we could do about it at that stage so we continued northward and up the Palmerston Highway towards the Atherton Tablelands.

We reached Malanda by mid-afternoon and checked into a powered site right on the edge of the rainforest. Malanda Falls Caravan Park is not flashy but it beautifully located on the edge of the rainforest that surrounds the Malanda Falls. From our campsite we could hear the water. Such a lovely sound.

The ubiquitous Brush Turkey.

Grey-headed Robin.

Mick had a look at the electrics and discovered that the reason we had no power to the fridge was a blown fuse so that was easily fixed – a packet of 5 for $3 from the servo down the road has us back in business in no time. We still don’t know why the fuse blew though….

The evening was pleasantly cool and we returned to “camping mode” and had an early night.

In the morning we set off for another favourite “must do” spot – Hastie’s Swamp. We have been visiting this local wetland for many years and it’s always worth a visit. There is a bird hide – with two levels, and a toilet. It always seems well maintained.

Australasian Grebe.

Intermediate Egret

Intermediate Egret

Marsh Harrier a long way off.

A Whistling Kite.

A single Plumed Whistling Duck with two Wandering Whistling Ducks.

After a while in the hide, we headed into Atherton for some supplies and to visit the op-shops. This was a bit of a challenge as two of them have relocated since we last visited. On to Yungaburra, and a visit to the Curtain Fig Tree, then back to Malanda for some supermarket shopping. We called into the Post Office to buy the new release stamp pack – Beautiful Butterflies. Mick’s photo of a Blue Triangle was chosen for one of the stamps, and another features in the stamp pack. It appears on other stamp merchandise as well, but they didn’t have anything else in Malanda. We’ll have to visit a bigger post office.

After another cool night (such a relief from the heat we had been experiencing on the coast) we started to pack up ready to leave and discovered yet another problem. This time it appeared the battery charger was not working. We really were wondering if the auto electrician who installed the extra battery for us had done something wrong. We decided to move on and try to work out what was wrong later.

We made our first stop in Mareeba to visit the couple of op-shops and then Mount Molloy where there is an interesting second hand shop. We made our lunch stop at Abattoir Swamp. Unfortunately the boardwalk to the bird hide was still under repair – as it has been on our last two or three visits going back 2 years. Hopefully they will get it finished soon.

Daintree Village

5 – 7 May 2016

We drove down the Rex Range and on to Daintree Village where we checked into the caravan park. We called Cub to find out what we could do about the battery charger and were able to establish that the solar would work and we could run 240 volt power - we just couldn't charge the batteries from 240 volt. When we return to Townsville the camper trailer will have to go to a repairer to get the problem sorted - hopefully it will be a warranty job.

Daintree village is a great place for butterflies.

We took a short wander around the (very small) village then went for a drive in search of birds to photograph. We went out along Stewart Road to a couple of spots we had been before but the rainbow bee-eaters on the fences wouldn’t sit still, and any chance of getting near birds along the creek banks was thwarted by squadrons of mosquitoes!

I finally got this young one to sit still.

It rained on and off during the afternoon and evening which had us a little worried for the boat trip we had booked for Friday morning.

We had to get up very early for the river cruise, but it was worth it. The sky had some ominous clouds, but was mostly clear. A couple of showers didn’t last long and we enjoyed a couple of hours on the river with an experienced guide. Mick was even invited to return for the afternoon trip, as a guest.

Overcast on the Daintree River. We did get rain a couple of times.

A Striated Heron waits for breakfast to swim by.

Female Black-necked Stork.

The first bird seen on  the cruise was an Azure Kingfisher.

Great-billed Heron in breeding plumage.

After our boat ride we had morning tea then set off back towards Mossman, to the farm where they grow the sugar cane and cocao to make their own 100% Australian made chocolate. The farm shop stocks lots of varieties of chocolate as well as other local produce. On to Mossman to check out the op-shops and have lunch, then back to Daintree. Mick set off for the afternoon boat trip and returned at dinner time. As it was my birthday we shouted ourselves dinner at the pub. Small menu (as expected) but good food and friendly service.

We both went out again on the wildlife boat trip in the morning, but again the bird life was very limited and we did get rained on in a serious way. Because of the rain, which looked like it might have been quite widespread, we changed our plan to drive north to Cooktown via the Bloomfield Track and instead headed inland, via the Rex Range to Mount Molloy, Mount Carbine and Lakeland, arriving in Cooktown early in the afternoon.

On our last cruise we saw a few crocodiles, this one was quite large.

Cooktown

7 – 9 May 2016

We stopped for lunch at Lakeland in the small park opposite the Coffee House. There are toilets at shop, a small caravan park, a pub and not much else. We arrived in Cooktown and found a spot in a nice caravan park, then went to explore the town a little. Being Saturday afternoon, there wasn’t much open so we returned to the caravan park for a very welcome swim. Even though it was coming towards the end of autumn, it was very hot and humid.

This Papuan Frogmouth is resident at the caravan park.

On Sunday morning we set off for a day of serious bird hunting. First stop, Keating’s Lagoon. Only 5 kms out of town on the Mulligan Highway this is a lovely spot with a bird hide and an easy walk to the nice picnic area. We spent an hour there then headed towards Hope Vale in search of the coastal heathlands and the promised bird opportunities. The information we had was patchy and not very specific and we found we had to drive a fair way beyond Hope Vale towards Elim (Beach) before we started to see the sort of country we were after – and without the promised birds.

Keating’s Lagoon. Great looking place but not many birds around.

A female Shining Flycatcher seen on our walk.

The sound of the wet tropics...Yellow Orioles called all day but were very hard to photograph.

A new tick! White-streaked Honeyeater.

We returned to Cooktown for a very late lunch then set off for the Botanical Gardens. We drove down to the beach first, then back to the gardens. Again, not much in the way of birdlife when we were there, but a nice place to visit.

Finch Bay.

I had never been to Cooktown before and it surprised me a little. I had expected it to be a bit more “touristy” but it is a small centre with not much happening. We hoped to buy some fresh fish, but had to make do with frozen (but very nice) mackerel fillets from the Ice Works. Thanks to the guy in the IGA who told us about that – we wouldn’t have though to look there.

After stocking up on fuel, fish, fresh bread and some groceries we finished packing up and set off towards the Peninsular Developmental Road and Artemis Station.

Artemis Station

9 – 11 May 2016

The road from Cooktown is sealed all the way to Lakeland, and then Laura, and then there are a number of sealed sections beyond to our final destination, Artemis Station. We stopped for lunch in the small picnic area in Laura, then for ice creams at Hann River Roadhouse, arriving at Artemis in the early afternoon. Last time Mick came up this way it was all dirt from Lakeland.

Young Black-backed Butcherbird. According to our host, Butcherbirds kill lots of Golden-shouldered Parrot nestlings.

Artemis is a working cattle property that is also home to the golden shouldered parrot. Station owners Tom and Sue offer camping and Sue is happy to take serious birders to nest sites and places where the parrots can be found. The fees charged are modest. The camp ground is an open paddock with some shade, and toilets. Hot showers are also provided with the donkey boiler lit each evening for guests. The turn-off to the property is about 24 kms south of Musgrave Station. Artemis isn’t marked on all maps, probably because it was once part of Musgrave Station. It’s adjacent to Dixie which does appear on some maps.

Old bloke with camera.

Bloody hot through the middle of the day but a pleasant camp at cooler times.

The first day we were there, we went out with Sue, and another visitor, to see a nest site. The nest contained chicks and the parent birds eventually appeared to have their photos taken. In the morning we all went out again, this time driving along the road where the birds are sometimes seen feeding, but this time they were nowhere to be found.

A young male Golden-shouldered Parrot.

Adult male. I wasn't able to get a decent shot of this one.

Later in the morning, after the other visitors had left, Sue took Mick for a walk to another nest site which he visited later in the day, staking it out for a couple of hours.

We were visited by the goats and horses.

On Wednesday morning before leaving we set off for a drive up the road again to see if any parrots were feed but again, no luck. We set off from Artemis, back south towards the Daintree.

Home Rule

11 – 12 May 2016

We reached Laura in time for lunch in the small park opposite the pub, drove through Lakeland and turned off towards Bloomfield. We decided on an overnight stay at Home Rule. The private campground is on a creek and surrounded by rainforest. It’s a beautiful, peaceful spot and if you don’t mind the cold water, you can swim in the creek. We had the campground almost to ourselves, sharing with a group from England.

A nice green lawn but a long trek to the amenities!

The campground is on the banks of Wallaby Creek.

Wallaby Creek.

Yellow-spotted Honeyeater.

Appropriately there was a wallaby present.

A fairly leisurely start then off for the Bloomfield Track.

Cape Tribulation

12 – 13 May 2016

We set off from our camp spot and stopped for coffee at Bloomfield then drove through Wujal Wujal and on to the Bloomfield Track. This drive is quite spectacular but not for the faint-hearted. It goes through thick rainforest, across a number of creeks (some with bridges, some straight into the creek bed) and skirts the coast in parts. This really is where the rainforest meets the sea. The unsealed section is only 32 kms but took us about an hour and 10 minutes. There are a number of steep climbs, and then the steep descent. There are also a number of sections that are very narrow. Four wheel drive and a driver who has some experience of this type of driving is required for much of the track. Needless to say, I did not drive this section. Mick has driven along this road before – many years ago when the unsealed section was longer and in worse condition so I was happy to defer to his expertise.

Once we rejoined the bitumen, we stopped for a picnic lunch at Dubuji Boardwalk. This is a lovely walk through the rainforest, with access to the beach as well. Part of the boardwalk was under restoration so only a part of it was open when we visited. There is a nice open area with covered picnic tables, as well as toilets and parking suitable for long vehicles.

Peacock Jewel or 4 O'Clock Moth.

Large -billed Scrubwren.

We then headed down the road a short way to Cape Trib Camping. This campground is on the beach and is very popular, especially with international tourists. We arrived early and there were only a few others there, but as the afternoon wore on the campground filled up. The bonus was the availability of wood fired pizzas. We shouted ourselves dinner out – just a few steps from our camp. Despite the numbers of young travellers, it was another quiet night.

We set off in the morning bound for Cairns. As we didn’t really have far to go, we stopped at Marrja Boardwalk for a walk through the rainforest mangroves. We remembered to use plenty of insect repellent this time. (On our last visit we didn’t give it a thought and ended up covered in sandfly bites). There wasn’t much birdlife about, but it was a nice walk. When we emerged at the end of the walk we were surprised to see cars stopped haphazardly and people milling around – a cassowary and his chick were wandering along the road, not an unusual sight, but still very special.

We made our final stop in the Daintree at Jinbalba. There are a couple of walks, one easy, one challenging. No prizes for guessing which one we chose! While we were having our usual picnic lunch, we were approached by a couple of chaps (probably Americans) who told us they had seen something unusual in the rainforest, but weren’t sure what it was. They had captured a lovely image of a juvenile cassowary. They were very pleased to find out what it was, and appreciated how special it was to see this endangered creature at close quarters.

Part of the walk at Jinbalba.

We left the Daintree and crossed the river on the ferry ($19 one way for car and camper trailer) and made our way to Cairns.

Waiting for the ferry.

Cairns

13 – 15 May 2016

Our purpose for visiting Cairns was to go to the Caravan and Camping Show. We wanted to have a chat to the Cub crew and also to make a couple of purchases. We chose a caravan park out of town and splurged on an ensuite site. Definitely worth the extra expense as a treat.

While stocking up on groceries as the local shopping centre we spotted signs advertising a “car boot sale” at the Men’s Shed so of course that was our first stop on Saturday morning. On our way out of there we saw a sign pointing to a garage sale in a nearby street, we went there too. On to the showgrounds and we spent a few hours (and a few hundred dollars!) at the Camping Show. Home for lunch with a stop at an op-shop on the way, then back down to the Esplanade for some serious bird photography. The weather wasn’t great with storm clouds gathering but it was a good outing. Mick spied some fellow birders and they exchanged information on sightings. They were from the local bird club so knew what was down there.

A new bird for me! Double-banded Plover non breeding. A visitor from New Zealand.

On Sunday morning we set off for Henrietta Creek in Wooroonooran National Park.

Henrietta Creek

15 – 16 May

When we had been on the Atherton Tablelands at the start of this trip, we had gathered some information about Henrietta Creek which is not far from MaMu Tropical Skywalk. We tried to book online (as you must with National Parks) but the system wouldn’t complete the booking, so I rang, only to be told the system was down due to maintenance. It appeared that our site was booked so, after stopping for fuel in Innisfail (still cheaper than Cairns or Townsville) we drove up the Palmerston Highway and found the camping area. The weather didn’t look great but we settled in anyway.

Yellow-breasted Boatbill.

We walked down to the creek but couldn’t go further due to debris on the track. We enjoyed a quiet afternoon, as the campground filled up. It was a rainy night and the sky was overcast in the morning. We chatted with some fellow campers as we packed up – and the rain started to fall. We retreated to the sheltered picnic area and waited for it to stop. Eventually it eased enough to finish packing up but we abandoned our plans to visit MaMu. We’ll have to save it for another day.

Back down the highway and a stop in Innisfail for fresh bread and a few other supplies, as well as a visit to a couple of op-shops and a coffee, then on to Kurrimine Beach.

Kurrimine Beach

16 – 18 May

We have stayed at Kurrimine Beach a number of times, but we have never camped. We were looking forward to a couple of days on the beach and were pleased to be able to select our own site with absolute beach frontage. Despite the wind and cloud it was a fabulous spot.

Absolute beach frontage was nice.

A Ghost Crab cautiously surveys the beach.

The caravan park is attached to the pub and we were hoping to have dinner there one night, but unfortunately the kitchen was closed for some renovations on the nights we were there. Instead we opted for burgers at the local take-away and wished we hadn’t.

A fairly common bird, the Red-capped Plover, but my favourite photo of the trip. This is a female.

Male Red-capped Plover.

Our visit to Kurrimine was mostly about relaxing after some very full days (and weeks). It was the perfect spot for that – walks along the beach, drinks at the pub and then a pleasant evening chatting with out neighbours.

We did get rained on again, but were able to pack up in between showers for the short (1/2 hour) drive to Mission Beach.

Mission Beach

18 – 20 May

Back to another favourite spot and our first time camping here. We had looked at the council caravan park when we were here last and were impressed with the basic, but beachfront, location so we headed there. Because we were now into the tourist season, it was quite crowded. We had a look at the few available sites and nothing suited us so we went across the road to another caravan park. Not beachfront, but backing onto to World Heritage listed rainforest – and not crowded at all. We settled in for a quiet afternoon, which included more walks on the beach.

Mission Beach.

Dunk Island from Mission Beach.

Mick had read about some birds which might be found on the Lacey Creek Walk, just a few kilometres down the road. We smothered ourselves with heavy duty insect repellent and long sleeves but this was no match for the voracious mosquitoes. Such a shame because this is a very beautiful and easy walk which meanders through the rainforest with several creek crossings. It was impossible to linger to enjoy the surroundings. We’ll have to re-visit when there hasn’t been any rain.

Blue Triangle Butterflies drink water from the ground in the car park.

Lacey Creek Walk

On Thursday morning we took a drive down to Wongaling and South Mission Beaches, just to look around, then on into Tully to visit our favourite kitchen shop. When we returned to Mission Beach we spotted the local fisho’s van, so bought some lovely fresh fish – enough for sandwiches for lunch, as well as dinner. 

We ventured back down to the beach where we saw a number of groups of skydivers landing just near where we were sitting. This is always a popular spot for international tourists, but we’ve never seen so many in one afternoon.

Not for me but fun to watch.

Landing gear down!

Another safe landing.

After another rainy night we packed up, slightly damp and set off for home.