A Change of Plans

The When planning our little trip, I was expecting the roads out west to be slow and rough resulting in a long drive back to Cairns...so I had planned to do it over two days stopping tonight in Ravenshoe. The reality, we discovered, is that the roads are quite good...even most of the dirt ones. 

Now Ravenshoe might be a nice place but the attraction of another walk on the beach and dinner at Coco Mojo was just too much...so here we are in Clifton Beach for our last night up north. 

An Oasis in the Outback

The day started with a casual breakfast...fighting off the local birds who didn't seem to understand the meaning of "Do Not Feed The Birds". Then it was time for our tour of Cobbold Gorge. 

A short 4WD bus ride soon had us at the start of the gorge...where set off for a walk to the top to look down into it. Then it was back down again to board a small electric boat for a quiet glide up and back along it's navigatible length. 

Back at the resort it was time for lunch...and another fight with the birds. After lunch we bought our Fossicking License and drove down to the Agate Creek gem field. We didn't know what we should be looking for but we did find some interesting bits of rock and had a pleasant afternoon. 

HeadingFurther West (Friday)

Today we were moving to our final destination for this holiday...Cobbold Gorge. As we didn't have a particularly long way to go we weren't in a hurry so we walked up to Atkinson's Lookout before leaving the Undara Resort. 

Once on the road we didn't get far before stopping in Mt Surprise for fuel and food. Continuing on along a mix of sealed and good unsealed roads, we passed through Einasleigh and Forsayth before arriving at the well setup Cobbold Gorge Resort. 

Going Underground Again...But Differently (Thursday)

We are in volcano country so the perfect way to start is with a walk around the rim of one...so we took a drive to Kalkani Crater. A short walk brought us to the top for a pleasant 2.5km stroll around. 

After lunch we went on our first guided tour...the Active Explorer...through three lava tubes. Formed only when the conditions are exactly right, lava tubes are like an underground river cavern...except formed by lava. 

Late in the day we went on our second tour...a sunset tour watching kangaroos and wallabies, enjoying the sunset with a glass of champagne and then visiting the bats in lava tube. 

Moving On (Wed)

Today it was time to move on but first we had one move Cave to visit...the Donna Cave. So it was up early and pack so we could get out there before Bob, our guide. Another beautiful and fascinating cave...alll worth visiting. 

With only a relatively short drive today we had time to head out of town first to visit The Archways at Mungana...a semi-open cave system that you can explore yourself. 

Back in Chillagoe we fuelled up the car, bought some lunch to go and set off for the Undara Experience...a resort at the Undara Lava Tubes over near Mt Surprise. 

We chose a reasonably direct route...only 120km of good dirt road today. It turned out to really be a good dirt road...and it needed to be as it was the official route for road-trains.

We arrived at Undara late in the afternoon to find a place quite different to Chillagoe...a well set up and organised resort with lots of tourists about...being directly accessible from Cairns on a sealed road obviously making a big difference. 

Going Underground in Chillagoe (Tue)

There's not a whole lot to Chillagoe...two Pubs, a General Store and a Roadhouse...and it's caves. 

Following a lazy start to the morning we had a look at the ruins of the Chillagoe Smelter on our way out to our first cave...the Trezmin Cave. Like all of the caves in the area, this is a dry cave but it has some quite spectacular features. 

The day was warming up by the time we returned to the surface so we made a quick visit to Balancing Rock before heading back into town to find some lunch. 

After lunch it was off to the Royal Arch Cave...this cave was quite different with large caverns that were open to the sky. It was rather hot by the time we came out so headed back into town, stopping off at an old marble pit along the way. 

Dinner tonight was the pub across the road again...$12 T-bone or Barra night so it was quite busy. 

(Photos will be added if we ever get reliable network)

Please Shut The Gate

Today we were heading for Chillagoe so we set off early along the inland road. Thirty seven years ago when we first went to Cooktown it was the only road...it was dirt...and it was a shocker! Today it is all sealed, much straighter and even has a 110 speed limit in places. 

For a bit of variety, about 50km south of the Palmer River Roadhouse we turned off and headed south west towards Mount Mulligan...an abandoned coal mining town from the first half of the 20th Century. 

A "good road" we were told, it was an interesting drive but definitely one for a 4WD...dirt in mostly good condition, creek crossings that were dry but quite rough, a river to ford, no one except a road gang grading part of the road and farm gates...lots of them, mostly closed so they had to be opened and closed again. 

The scenery was fantastic...definitely worth the trip...as was the visit to the old mining town even though there is now very little left. From Mount Mulligan we continued south until we hit the Burke Development Road for the run into Chillagoe. 

A Day Around Cooktown

Another beautiful sunny day...perfect for pottering around Cooktown. We spent the morning visiting a local wetland and Quarantine Bay. After lunch we went for a drive out of town to Isabella Falls and Endeavour Falls. Back in town afterwards we wandered around the Cemetery and the Endeavour River foreshore. Dinner tonight was at the RSL. 

Through the Car Wash to Cooktown

Another beautiful day today as we left Cape Tribulation for the Bloomfield Track. Strictly a 4WD track, it begins a few kilometres out of Cape Trib with a creek crossing at Emmagen Creek. From there it was 30 kilometres creek crossings, potholes, steep hills, scenery and traffic...and plenty of it.

Wujal Wujal marks the end of the Bloomfield Track when you cross the Bloomfield River...and a small detour to the spectacular Bloomfield Falls. The drive from here is easy through to the Mulligan Highway and on to Cooktown...so for some variety, we took another detour to visit the Trevathan Falls. 

Eventually we arrived in Cooktown and had a look around before dinner at the Bowls Club.

Moving On

We loaded up the car and headed back into Cairns to swap the Kia for the 4WD Mitsubishi Outlander that was going to be our wheels for the rest of our holiday. 

All set, we started north for Cape Tribulation...our first stop. Instead of taking the highway up the coast we took advantage of having a 4WD and took a forest track along the top of the range from Kuranda to Mossman. From Mossman it was back to the conventional route to the Daintree ferry and on to the Cape. 

Arriving late in the afternoon, we had time for a walk on the beach chasing what little network coverage you can scavenge before heading off for dinner.

Last Day in Paradise

Today was our last day in Clifton Beach before we move on to the next part of our adventure...so the morning was taken up with mundane things like doing the washing. To work up an appetite for lunch, we took a stroll in the sun along the beach to Palm Cove. 

After lunch we had time for an ice cream and a look in the shops before an amble back along the beach. Once back it was time for a last swim in the ocean before relaxing by the pool. 

Dinner was Coco Mojo again...if you must know, it is the only restaurant in Clifton Beach...but the food is really nice and so going back there was a pleasure. 

Up on the Tableland

Another beautiful day so we decided on a drive up on the Atherton Tablelands. We headed around Cairns, stopping for some "unloved caches" along the way...with mixed success...to Gordonvale for  a late morning tea. From there it was a twisty, windy climb up the range...great for a MX-5, pity we were in Kia Rio!

At the top we stopped for a while at Crater Lakes before driving on to Peeramon...nothing much there except for a virtual cache and a Pub that doesn't open until 3:00pm on a weekday. From there we pressed on to the Malanda Falls where I had an unfortunate meeting with a Dendrocnide moroides otherwise known as a Stinging Bush...and it does...lots!

Having put a bit of a dampener on the day, we had some afternoon tea in Malanda and headed back to Clifton Beach for a take-away pizza dinner.

And Wait Another Day for Perfect

Woke today to a perfect one...the rain had gone and the sun was shining. Perfect for another beach stroll...south this as far as we could go before heading back for lunch.

After lunch it was time for a swim...first at the beach and then in the pool. Dinner tonight was back to Coco Mojo...very nice!