Mareeba

14 – 30 September 2024

Finally leaving the comfort of the cabin in Atherton we hitched up and drove to Mareeba. The trailer really needed a clean so we called in to the carwash before checking in to the caravan park. While cleaning underneath Mick discovered that we had a broken shock absorber. I must have done it on the trip back down the Cape from Lockhart River but I hadn’t noticed any change in handling. We went straight from the carwash to ARB, who set about determining what was needed. It was late on Saturday morning so we left it to them to try and source the part needed and checked in to the caravan park.

Although I was a little concerned about how we would go setting up with Mick physically limited, we managed just fine and didn’t need any help from friends. The caravan park wasn’t the sort we would normally have chosen but it was well maintained and had a very friendly atmosphere. We weren’t the only ones there waiting for post-Cape trip repairs.

We ended up having to spend longer than planned as the part we needed had to come from Cub in Sydney and there were some delays. Again we made the most of the time in Mareeba including returning to Cairns to talk to builders – again – and visiting local attractions. A walk to Emerald Creek Falls, followed by ice cream at the Emerald Creek Ice Creamery was a highlight, both places we had never visited before, but definitely on the return visit list. We also visited Davies Creek Falls in Dinden National Park.

There is a nice walk at Emerald Creek Falls

We had been experiencing ongoing issues with the 12v system in the camper trailer so we found an auto electrician who would come to us. Fran was fantastic and identified a number of issues. She presented a couple of options and fixed the main problem at a very reasonable price. We may need to replace one of the battery chargers down the track, but on Fran’s suggestion we will see how it goes with the new fuses and a new solar panel, and then decide.

After one final visit to builders we were able to make our choice and were ready to sign initial agreements. The trailer part arrived late on a Friday afternoon and was booked in for Monday morning. We decided that we would head off from Mareeba as soon as the trailer was ready, and where we would go would be determined by what time we could pick it up.

We packed up and dropped the trailer off fairly early and went for a wander around town before settling in to the library to get some admin work done. We returned to town for lunch and had just finished when ARB called to say that the trailer was ready to pick up. We wanted to go to Etty Bay but the only site available was not suitable so we decided to go back to Atherton for one night, then on to Etty Bay after that.

 

Atherton

27 August – 14 September 2024

Leaving Hahn River Roadhouse I was relieved to see last of the dirt road only about 20km south – it would be an easy drive the rest of the way. Once again I took a break at each opportunity – Laura and Rifle Creek – and arrived at the caravan park in Atherton before lunch time. The staff were fantastic and helped me with the trailer, as well as providing the cabin key so that I wouldn’t have to go back to the office once I returned with the patient.

I was just driving through Atherton on my way back to Cairns, when Mick called to say he would be discharged shortly. I headed back towards Mareeba, and “down the hill” through Kuranda on the way to Cairns. Mick did not want to wait at the hospital so made his way very slowly and carefully to our meeting point on the Esplanade.

Neither of us had eaten so we settled on lunch at his favourite bar which does a great pizza. Although he was still in some pain from the surgery, he enjoyed lunch and then we set off to return to Atherton.

We settled in to the cabin and took it easy for the next few days while we considered what to do. Mick has been advised that he could undertake some gentle exercise (walking) but was not to lift anything over 5kg for the next 6 weeks. That would make life in the camper trailer almost impossible so we extended our stay in Atherton after which we planned to move on, and back to the camper trailer.

Mick’s recovery progressed well and we were able to get out for visits to some of our favourite local spots including Lake Eacham, Lake Barrine and Hasties Swamp. Photography was limited to using the smaller lens, except when I could carry and set up the “big” lens in the bird hide at the swamp.

We even managed a walk around Lake Eacham

We continued to work through the decisions needed for building our new home, including a couple of trips to Cairns to talk to builders again. We also visited new friends Cheryl and Rob at their home in Ravenshoe. Despite the circumstances, we made the most of our time in one spot while preparing for the next leg of the journey.

When we were ready to move on we felt we needed to remain close to Cairns so planned for the first few nights back in the trailer to be at a caravan park in Mareeba close to friends Bill and Kerry. We weren’t sure if we could manage with me doing all the heavy lifting and wanted to be close to friends in case we needed help.

 

Hann River Roadhouse

26 – 27 August 2024

The drive from Lockhart River to Cairns is about 800km so I decided that it would be best if I did it over two days. The road is mostly dirt, sometimes very rough, and has a couple of tricky river crossings so would take much longer than the same distance on bitumen. I was a bit nervous about a couple of the river crossings on the first section of road – we’d passed a truck stuck at the Wenlock River when we drove in a few days ago.

It was a long, lonely drive on my own

There was no option but to set off on my own, take it easy and takes lots of breaks along the way. My aim was to get to Musgrave Station Roadhouse where I could get a room for the night, before continuing on the next day.

The first leg of the journey was from Lockhart River to Archer River and I made it to the junction without incident, despite my nerves about the Wenlock River. There wasn’t much traffic along the first stretch but I knew there would be more once I joined the Peninsula Development Road just north of Archer River Roadhouse.

I listened to podcasts as I drove, and stopped at each opportunity along the way – Archer River Roadhouse, Coen and Musgrave Station Roadhouse. Because I was making good time, I decided to press on to Hahn River Roadhouse. Even though it was still only mid-afternoon, I figured it was best to stop there so that I could get to my final destination early in the day.

I had managed to call Mick a couple of times, before and after his surgery and was relieved to know that it had all gone well. I checked into very basic accommodation at the roadhouse and started to make some plans. Mick would need some time to recuperate from surgery and that would probably mean we would have to find alternative accommodation to the camper trailer. After discussing it with him, I booked a week in a caravan park cabin in Atherton, where we could store the trailer while we stayed there.

I was up early the next morning and ready to set off for Atherton, and then to collect Mick from hospital.

Lockhart River – The Greenhoose

24 – 26 August 2024

Mick had long wanted to stay at The Greenhoose, near Lockhart River, so we booked 5 nights as part of this Cape trip. It is a well known base for birders and offers basic accommodation with a communal, but limited, kitchen space available for those who choose not to dine in. We had frozen a number of meals so that we could self cater, and planned to have at least one meal in the restaurant.

On arrival we were shown to a spot where we could park the trailer and leave it plugged in to power which was very much appreciated. It was a long way to our room and we had to make a number of trips to transport the essentials (including camera gear, personal items, some food etc). While we were doing that we chatted to staff and some fellow guests and Mick teed up a couple of outings to go birding the following morning.

We settled into our room which was small, but air conditioned, with an ensuite. A large verandah outside made for a lovely space to spend time relaxing. We were right on the edge of the rainforest which we both enjoyed.

After a quiet dinner and a couple of drinks we settled in for the night, looking forward to some great birding in the morning – but it wasn’t to be. Mick woke in the early hours extremely unwell. I monitored his symptoms until daylight when I determined that he needed medical attention. After speaking to one of the staff at The Greenhoose about how to access the medical clinic in Lockhart River after hours (early on a Sunday morning), I bundled Mick into the car for the drive into town.

On arrival I summoned the nurse on duty who took one look at the patient and helped him inside the clinic. The two nurses on duty immediately did what was necessary to stabilise him, and stop the vomiting, while getting as much information as possible. A number of phone calls to the Royal Flying Doctor Service doctor on duty in Cairns to relay symptoms, test results and vital signs resulted in more medication and finally a decision to transport Mick to Cairns as soon as possible. I drove back to The Greenhoose to pack the essentials (toothbrush, phone charger, clean clothes) that he would need for an overnight stay in hospital.

Fortunately, a scheduled transfer of a non-urgent patient was due late that morning, and was already on its way via Weipa, for another patient pick-up. About three hours after arriving at the clinic, Mick was at the airport waiting to be transferred onto the plane. At that stage no-one was saying what was actually wrong, but all indications were that it was appendicitis.

Without a firm diagnosis and not knowing what would happen, I decided to stay at The Greenhoose for the night. It is an 8 hour drive to Cairns, and I was very tired for the sleepless night so I didn’t really want to set off just then, and there was always the chance that whatever was wrong might be fixed with medication and Mick would return the next day.

The RFDS provides a vital service
 in rural and remote parts of Australia

It wasn’t until late that evening that Mick called to say that he would be having his appendix removed first thing in the morning. I had figured that would most likely be the case so had already packed up ready to head off early. The staff at The Greenhoose had been so helpful and caring, making a very difficult and stressful time, much less so. In the morning, I was given help to hitch up the trailer and set off for the long, lonely drive to Cairns.

Kutini-Payamu National Park – Cook’s Hut Campground

21 – 24 August 2024

We travelled back down the Peninsula Devemopment Road (PDR to locals) and turned off towards Lockhart River and Kutini-Payamu  (Iron Range)National Park. Cooks Hut Campground is fairly small, and nestled in the rainforest so we were fully aware that we might get rained on. We had been there before, so had a good idea which spot to book.

Not much sun for the solar, but a still a great spot

When we arrived we were the only ones there, but later in the afternoon a large group arrived and set up camp in the space in the middle rather than in their designated campsites. This resulted in less privacy than we could otherwise have expected from the site we had booked. This seems to be a common occurrence with many people travelling in large groups, with little regard for other visitors.

Despite the somewhat crowded campground we did have a good time at Cooks Hut, with both daytime and nighttime birding excursions. Also camped there was a group of young people who were on the hunt for reptiles, but who were also interested in birds. Lots of information was shared with these young men.

The clear skies on our last day allowed the canvas to dry off before we packed up. It had rained a bit, just as we had expected. Because we only had a short distance to travel to our next destination, we took our time and stayed in the campground until after lunch. We then drove towards Lockhart River and The Greenhoose and five days of comparative luxury - or so we thought.

Weipa

18 – 21 August 2024

The weather was getting hotter and we were glad to be in Weipa where there is a swimming pool at the caravan park, as well as some nice sea breezes. Each afternoon we took our chairs down to the beach and sat under a shady tree to escape the heat. We also went for a couple of drives looking for birds, including an evening excursion to see the Frigatebirds. We had the headlight fixed and it turned out to be just a blown bulb.

We treated ourselves to dinner at the onsite café but, although the food was good, there was only one item of local seafood – not a good look in a town known for its fishing industry. Having said that, dinner of fish and chips, byo, at a table by the beach, was certainly a pleasant way to spend an evening.

We enjoyed some stunning sunsets 
over the Gulf of Carpentaria

Weipa is a service town so we were able to stock up on supplies and get things ready for the next week or so. While we were doing some more forward planning, we decided to cancel one of our National Parks bookings. We had planned on camping at Eliot Falls but decided it wasn’t worth the drive at this time – it’s the most beautiful spot and one we definitely want to go back to, but the heat was really making conditions unpleasant. We figured that once we are living on the Tablelands, the Cape will be a much easier trip.

We would have a few of nights at Cook’s Hut in Kutini-Payamu National Park so set off ready for a rainforest campsite. It would still be hot, but not as bad as Weipa, and there was the chance of rain.

Merluna Station

16 – 18 August 2024

Leaving Rinyirru National Park early we stopped again to photograph the Red Goshawk, then continued on to Musgrave Station Roadhouse before making our way to Coen. We had noticed that one of our headlights wasn’t working so we called into the mechanic to see if they could have a look at it for us. Unfortunately we would have had to wait a number of hours, just for someone to have a look so we opted to continue on and try to get it sorted in Weipa.

We have stayed at Merluna Station a couple of times and enjoyed the quiet, relaxed atmosphere, so decided to spend a couple of days there before heading into Weipa. We were on a bit of a timeline due to some more National Parks bookings but had a few days to fill in.

Merluna is the sort of place where you end up chatting to fellow travellers and we met a couple who live at Ravenshoe. It turned out they may be in need of housesitters so they took our contact details on the off-chance we may be able to help them out.

Fiiday drinks at Merluna - a great place to meet people

We really didn’t do much at Merluna, just hung out, did some chores and relaxed. We headed off to Weipa, having booked a site at the caravan park. Weipa is really popular and gets very crowded so we wanted to make sure we wouldn’t be turned away.