2013-11-12

HAK Tour - Cassowary Coast to Capricorn Coast - Calliope, Australia

Calliope, Australia

Southward bound again, we checked out Mossman Gorge, cooling off in the generous swimming holes surrounded by lush rainforest. Our overnight stay at the charming beach-side town of Palm Cove was an absolute surprise package. We were 50 metres from the ocean in a relaxed caravan park and cooled off with a swim and then meandered along the waterfront pathway to enjoy the view of nearby islands and the water as the light faded and the sky darkened. The many restaurants and resorts spilled right on to the street and meandered around enormous paperbark trees that were superbly lit from below, grandly lining the road. Palms were dotted between and held rank down on the sand but the paperbarks were definitely the star of the town once the sun was down.

We hit Cairns and the Coconut Grove Big 4 Caravan Park. It was completely resort-orientated and not my scene at all but the kids were quite pleased that this was Scotia's choice for her Birthday. So the following day brought Ruben a cast-free arm after 10 weeks, and Scotia a pile of pressies and celebration for her 11th Birthday.

Devin was stoked to learn that he was able to do his first Bungee Jump from the Cairns tower and did not hesitate for a moment to jump from the 50 metre platform as we watched from below
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Ruben and Tayah joined Matt for a Bungee Swing – where they were cocooned together on their bellies and then lifted 45 metres to swing through a 120 metre arc and shriek with delight, begging to do it again.

Although pretty tame after the morning’s activities, our skyrail journey to Kuranda was a spectacular way to see the rainforest below and stop at gorgeous waterfalls on the way. The venom zoo was a highlight for the kids but the endless markets, shops and eateries were not my scene.

Left the suburbia of Cairns for Wooroonooran National Park and camped at the Boulders to allow Fee and Ian to scale the highest peak in Queensland, Bartle Frere, and Matt and I to cross it off our list the following day. Second hardest peak in Australia after Mt Zeal, and the incredible incline, tree roots and muggy rainforest brought back memories of Kokoda.

Josephine Falls was an incredible swimming spot to cool off in post-climb, and had a natural rock slide that amused the kids for hours.

Mission Beach was our next destination, and with absolute beachfront, cheap accommodation and awesome company in several other families we had met, we forced ourselves to endure 8 days in paradise. My legs were so sore for the next 4 days courtesy of Bartle Frere, and the long, wide beach was perfect to walk it out. The kids kayaked, swam, body-boarded and played in the sand and we sat back in the shade of the palm trees and chatted, drank and watched. Tried 20 different tropical fruits at the visitor centre and instantly fell in love – some actually tasted like lemon meringue pie, apple custard and chocolate pudding!

Dribbling on down the coast we headed to Paluma National Park and were absolutely amazed by the sensational Wallaman Falls, the highest in Australia. After a quick jaunt down the track and some rock scrambling to the edge of the cool waterhole, we swam beneath the falls that felt like frozen peas hitting your shoulders. The force of the water, despite it appearing to be very slight at this time of year, took our breath away, but we managed to scream uncontrollably about our achievement beneath the shower, punching the air and feeling particularly pleased with ourselves. An absolute golden moment for me, looking around at Matt and our babes and getting all misty about what we were sharing.

It seemed that cool waterholes were everywhere as we explored Jourama Falls and Little and Big Crystal Creeks. Lush ferns surrounded waterfalls that cascaded down majestic rock piles, and open clear waterholes and in Queensland there is a bitumen path to each of these super sites. Rock Slides delivered just as the name describes, a perfectly natural waterslide within a rock face with constant water cascading down to ensure a super slide! It was hard to drag ourselves away, but after a day of refreshing water sport we relaxed around a superb fire and enjoyed each other’s company beneath that spectacularly starlit sky. Our group was a little larger again as we were joined by the Johnson family who we had first met back in Lucky Bay.

Time for civilisation again as we hit Townsville. I was preparing for my flight that afternoon to Melbourne to be with my Mum during her double mastectomy and reconstruction surgery. That Sunday 20th October, Ian received a devastating call from home that his brother Neil had sustained two heart attacks, and a little later that Neil Robert Kay had passed away. As I sat at Mum’s bed side before her operation and in the 3 days following I counted my lucky stars for the good fortune of the procedures success and her speedy recovery. It felt very strange to be in Melbourne, without my family and before the scheduled time. It was special to see the family and friends that I did so briefly and touch down again in Townsville knowing all was well. Fee was preparing to fly to Melbourne with the kids and spend the week with family and attend Neil’s funeral.

It was strange to drive without our twin "Big Red", as we had made plans to catch up again with the Kays further down the coast. We stopped in at Bowen, a pretty coastal town with a rocking skate park that Devin wore himself out on. All that remains of the set from the movie Australia is a large vacant block in the middle of town, and of course the long jetty. Airlie Beach was our base in the Whitsundays, and the town was prettier than I had imagined. A massive lagoon pool creates an amazing public space right at the water’s edge and a safe swimming spot during the stinger season. The “boardwalk” meandered along the water’s edge and allowed a gorgeous view of the ocean and the myriad of accommodation and houses set in the hill sloping back from the beach.

The weather was on our side for an obligatory day out on the water to explore the Whitsundays. Our mauve catamaran “Camira”- aboriginal for 'of the wind’- was a beautiful vessel that sailed effortlessly on the calm water with the wind that was just sufficient for sailing, and not for an uncomfortable ride. We lay back in the netting at the front of the catamaran between the hulls, and took in the surrounds.

The water was a welcoming blue and the numerous islands more highly vegetated than I had thought they would be, so that the only visible sand was a thin ribbon of pale yellow to separate the deep green and ocean blue. We snorkelled for the first time in 6 months and it was grand to see such colourful coral, which I think was more vivid than on the west coast, and a great variety of fish, including the vibrant nemo.

Next stop was the highly rated Whitehaven Beach, which appeared to be pristinely white from a distance. Stepping on to the Island was a little less impressive than I had imagined as there was some debris on the sand and it was certainly less white up close. I really felt that Lucky Bay in South West oz was whiter, but perhaps they keep it quiet to reduce the tourists. Still a beautiful part of the world and the kids and Matt enjoyed some beach cricket and we relaxed in the absolutely perfectly clear water.

Cape Hillsborough was a relaxed beach camp that we were fortunate enough to share with the Johnsons after not really having a plan for ourselves. The kids found a frilled-neck lizard and we all tasted the sugar cane Steve had harvested on our way in.

We supplied up at and drove through Rubyvale to the tiny town of Sapphire. Dry and hot was just as we remembered the inland parts of Queensland and it certainly lived up to expectations. With the temperature nudging 37 everyday you can imagine our delight when the local free camp, in the centre of town, is conveniently located right by the local swimming pool! As the cattle roamed free around us, we cooled off each afternoon before the heat finally dissipated from the land. Tried our luck at fossicking for the famous sapphires, but after hours of hard work (by Matt and Steve – the kids and Mums retired very quickly!) there was not a single stone to show for it. They put their backs to it in a different spot the following day and still nothing! Fortunately, after paying $8 for a bag of wash (that Pat’s Gems had prepared earlier for tourists like us!) the kids did some successful fossicking and did not leave empty-handed. No cuttable gems though. The kids decorated our van with spooky Halloween pictures and were happy to settle for a treasure hunt rather than trick-or-treating – they ended up with lollies anyway! Some Halloween treats and an open fire was a perfect end to our Sapphire souire.

Fortunately we were able to check out some gems in the sky at a local observatory with a comprehensive tour of the Sapphire night sky and a close view of nebulae and a star cluster.

Carnarvon Gorge was more than I had expected. Camp sites were green and the wildlife abundant! The tranquil and easy trail was punctuated by the stunning and dramatic retreats of the Moss garden, Amphitheatre and Art Gallery. After a 6am departure we enjoyed a relaxing walk and were back at camp before lunch. Our trip to Mickey Creek Gorge provided an opportunity for the younger kids to navigate their way across some deep water to check out the narrowing Gorge beyond. It took an hour of deliberation and negotiation about who would go first, and then procrastination about being the first but Tayah, Ruben and Kai finally did it! Recent rain had brought out the echindnas and we were lucky enough to get really close with one. Daily platypus activity in the creek kept us entertained one evening, and we were happy to have waited so long for a close viewing of up to 8 platypi.

Unfortunately it was time to part ways with our new travelling companions and we bid Steve, Lindy, Kai and Shae farewell until we are able to catch up again in Melbourne in the New Year. An overnight free camp on the Calliope River, and tomorrow we are bound for the coast........

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