Well we are now on our way into The Outback.  We stopped off for a short stop at the Hot Springs & hot they were!  I put my toe in and quickly withdrew it.  Very Hot!  You could make a cuppa with it!

Inot Hot Springs

Inot Hot Springs

Morning Tea was to be at Mount Surprise.  Actually Steve had his own surprise here.  He was in the lead & knew we planned to stop for a break here & we told him it was not a big place but he nearly missed it - looking for a shop, he suddenly realised he was heading out of town again.  (Mount Surprise is probably all of  500m from in to out)!

The Savannah Way - the main highway west
to the Normanton & Karumba

Mount Surprise

The Old Post Office & Telegraph Station
Mount Surprise

Terry & Steve at Mount Surprise Railway Station

 

 

The Savannah Way
(The main highway west to the Gulf of Carpentaria)

 

The distance from Ravenshoe to Karumba is approx 630km.  Our first overnight stop was at Croydon.  The main highway west is at best one lane each way and for much of it, the road is only one lane which means when you meet a vehicle coming the other way, each vehicle has to move over with 2 wheels on and 2 wheels off the road.  This is fine except that the highway also caters for Road Trains and when you meet one of these you have to move off the road completely - not always easy when towing a caravan!  The first Road Train that we met was when I was driving - slowing down as much as possible and moving onto the sloping sandy verge is pretty bumpy and a bit nerve-racking & guess what - Tezza slept right through it!

A Road Train can be up to 50m long

 

 

 

 

 

 

Musem in Ravenshoe

We left Ravenshoe in convoy and embarked on our trip across Queensland to the Gulf of Carpentaria.  The highway across to Karumba is called The Savannah Way.

Flame Tree

Sign at Service Station  

Numerous Termite Mounds in the Bush


Left Cairns yesterday morning and travelled up onto the Tablelands via Port Douglas & Mossman.  It is quite a climb up there but we finally made it to the top to Mount Molloy and then onto Mareeba and Atherton.  Mareeba used to be a tobacco town but has now changed to coffee amongst other things.  Mareeba was where Steve & I experienced the beauty of a Hot Air Balloon many years ago.  A great experience. 

Mossman Hospital - an old colonial building

The Daintree Inn at Mossman

The Mountains surrounding Mossman

 

The Village of Mount Malloy

Stopped for Morning Tea at Mount Malloy

From Atherton we continued on to where Steve & Jacqui have been house-sitting for the past month - just this side of Ravenshoe (The Old Dairy).  It is very high here and the temperatures are much cooler than at the coast or inland.  We stayed overnight with them ready for an early start into the Outback and across to the Cape of Carpentaria.  Ravenshoe boasts Queensland's highest road and also Queensland's highest pub!

Queensland's Highest Pub

The Old Dairy

Palm Cove is a pretty beach lined with palm trees, paper-bark gum trees and many other spectacular trees and flowering bushes.  There have been quite a few new hotels/ holiday apartments & restaurants built recently.  Double Island is just off the coast.



Palm Cove from the Jetty

Double Island

 

 

 

Salt-water crocodiles do frequent these waters from time to time - usually attracted by the fish & bait left by fishermen on the jetty.

Paper-bark Gum Trees along the Palm Cove Esplanade

No-one is allowed to cut down the paper-bark gum trees so developers had to build around them.  There are several cafes, shops and hotels along the front with big gum trees in the middle of them.

Paper-bark Gum in the foyer of a hotel

The same hotel

Upper level apartments have their own pool
 with an underwater view out to the ocean

Jacqui loves Paper Bark Gums

While at Port Douglas markets, Steve finally took the plunge and bought himself a proper hat!!!  Prior to this, he had insisted on wearing a cap much to the disgust of many Aussie males.  It is made from recycled trucking canvas which is probably what attracted him to it!!  At least that won't look out of place in the Outback!  Good One, Steve - at last you see sense!



Steve's new hat









Steve & Jacqui's landcruiser on the beach.
Did you knock that palm tree over, Steve??

Sunrise at Ellis Beach

Ellis Beach this morning








Sunday - Today we met Steve & Jacqui at Port Douglas browsed through the picturesque markets.  Port (as the locals call it) is about an hour's drive north of Cairns.  The road twists along the some of the most scenic coastline you will ever see.  It is a small, pretty town dependent mainly on tourism with a harbour catering for the many tour boats that take visitors out to the Great Barrier Reef.

The Main Street in Port Douglas

A Brief History of Port
(Details blow)

Port Douglas has many well-preserved old building of historical value.

The Court House Hotel

Menu in a Local Cafe

Kangaroo is a bit strong in flavour.  Crocodile is a white meat like chicken - I once had crocodile sausages.  Emu is something I haven't tried (couldn't catch it!!!!)

Little Brother & Jacqui

Jacqui watching the Tour Boats going out to the Reef

The Court House
 

The Court House is another historical building and below is the local church which is very popular for weddings due to its' unique position overlooking the harbour and the ocean.

St Marys by the sea

A Rose between Two Thorns
on Port Douglas Four-mile Beach

When he was president Bill Clinton instructed his security guys to wait at the end of the beach while he and Hilary walked along the sand chatting to locals.

Jacqui & Lin at the Wangetti Lookout
on the scenic route between Cairns & Port Douglas

These views were taken on the way back to Ellis Beach.  There are miles & miles of beaches like the one in the photos along this scenic route.

Wangetti Lookout

We then headed back to Palm Cove - another of Cairns beautiful Northern Beaches.........

Temp 34C today but very pleasant due to the sea breeze.  Still at Ellis Beach but went for a swim yesterday at the Cairns esplanade pool

Tezza enjoying the Pool

Cairns Pool (This pic doesn't do it justice)

 

and then onto the Cock & Bull for dinner.  Sara & Tim will remember going there 10 years ago - it was where the lady taking the orders thought he was my Toy-boy!!  The meals are still great value and they still serve Death By Chocolate!  The live entertainment was good too. 

The Cock & Bull with Marlin above

Cairns is famous for its' Marlin Fishing