Mission Accomplished at Mission Beach

Critter of the Week - The Cassowary

After 15 years of trying to find this elusive prehistoric beast of a bird, I was almost convinced it was a myth drummed up for tourists.  Nevertheless, I had it on good authority from the nice lady at Mission Beach’s Tourist Information, that they do exist, and to never give up the quest.  She said, they could be anywhere, or nowhere – not that helpful.  Nonetheless, now stationed on the Cassowary Coast we embarked on a challenging trek through the rain forest to give it a hot shot.  We navigated rocky creek beds, ignored the crocodile warning signs, and eventually emerged out of the bush at a place called Tam O’Shanter Point.  Along this secluded beach we stumbled across a few clues that Big Bird might be in the vicinity. 

While we were analysing the diverse contents of the scat, channeling our best David Attenborough, a vivid azure streak caught my eye from the nearby bush.   Not usually one for expletives, I have to admit that the F bomb was deployed due to my twin surge of utter excitement and alarm.

Clue 1:  No Shit Sherlock - that looks like Cassowary scat 💩

Clue 2:  Tracks of the creature that will rip out your innards with its razor claws, given half a chance

Mhairi - The Mutant Injured Turtle

Our mission at Mission Beach was well and truly accomplished… or so we thought.  We were on such a high after finding our feathered friend, we almost walked right past a massive Green Sea Turtle stranded on the shore.  We noticed it had a big gash on its shell and flipper was severely damaged, probably from a boat propellor strike.  Initially we thought it was dead, but upon closer inspection, it raised its head, gaped its mouth and looked like it was pleading to us “HELP ME” 😭.  

Luckily, we had phone service and Steve was able to contact Mission Beach Wildlife Rescue who launched a rescue mission right away.  They called us later that evening wanting to discuss the near 80 kilo old lady - and for a second, I thought they were referring to me.  How rude!  But they were actually letting us know that the turtle, which they had named Mhairi, was resting comfortably in a bath of painkillers and antibiotics and would undergo surgery if she survives the next few days.  

They asked our permission if they could post a video of the rescue story on their Facebook Page.  Local heroes of the day – who would have thunk it!!  Here's the link to the Facebook story Rescue Mission

Fingers crossed for Mhairi

Big Thing – The Big Cassowary (of course)

Paranormal Paronella Park

Captivated by the romantic story of a Spanish immigrant who constructed a castle in the middle of the Australian jungle, we set off to Meena Creek to learn more about this dreamer’s tale from the 1930s.  Over several years, José Paranella built an adult theme park and castle next to a waterfall.  He threw lavish parties and got very rich.  However, following his death, disasters such as floods, fire and cyclones ravaged Paronella Park.  Eventually, it was left abandoned and vibrant, green lichen took over the ruins.

Paranella Park by day

José and his wife Marguerita

Thirty years ago, Mark and Judy, a couple doing a lap of Australia, just like us, stumbled upon the abandoned buildings and decided to embark on the massive project of restoring José's castle and its history.  For the bargain price of the entry fee, you get a guided tour, permission to camp in your van onsite and do a night tour.  Whilst it was an enchanting experience in a breathtaking setting, I didn’t sleep a wink that night.  As the hours passed, an eerie feeling slowly took hold of me.  I can't explain it, it was just weird.   

The next day, I Googled if any previous visitors had experienced a “presence” at Paronella Park.  Turns out, they have!  Will I take advantage of the “free return visit within 2 years” offer?  No Way, José 👻

Mena Creek Falls at Paranella Park

Paranella Park by night

A Toothy Situation in the Tablelands

I guess you should expect rainfall in a rainforest.  After a damp week we decided to leave the coastal areas and venture up to the Atherton Tablelands and surrounding areas.  Whilst the rain had ceased, the temperature had plummeted.  Being true Poms, we love to moan about the weather, so we put on long trousers (or "pants" in Aussie speak) and enjoyed a (very) fresh topic of conversation with our fellow campers.  With the small talk out of the way, one of our new camping buddies asked Steve if had a set of needle files in his toolkit.  Steve, helpful as ever, was delighted to oblige, assuming it was for some caravan maintenance.  A short while later, the man put the file in Steve's hand proclaiming it had worked a treat – his false teeth were now in perfect gnashing order again!! 😁

During our stay in the Tablelands we had fun visiting the historic tin mining village of Herbaton and the highest town in Queensland, Ravenshoe.  Of course, Steve had to have a pint in the highest pub in Queensland 😉

We had a great time in the Tablelands driving the Waterfall Circuit.  Too many to include, but my favourite waterfall was Millaa Millaa.  

Volcanic activity in this area 9,000 years ago has resulted in stunning crater lakes like Lake Eacham and the Hypipamee Crater.

Lake Eacham - 65 metres deep!

Hypipemee Crater - the pond at the bottom is covered in bright green Duckweed

Word of the Week – Cauliflory

On our waterfall walks some of the trees were covered in “Cauliflory”.  It’s a unique reproduction strategy where flowers and fruit grow from a tree’s trunk in order to attract a greater number of pollinators like bats and tree marsupials.  It was an amazing thing to see up close.

It’s a Bug’s Life

We have had flora and fauna overload over the last week, and there has been no escape when we return to camp after daily adventures.  Here’s our resident Huntsman in the kitchen making a meal of any mozzies.  Meanwhile his mate, the Praying Mantis is perfecting his pole dancing routine.

Into the Wet Tropics

Fun at the Farm

Our love for farm stays has grown with our latest discovery, Mountview Farm Stay & Poodles in Toonpan, just a hope away from Townsville. Throughout our visit, we bonded with our hosts, Katie and Jason, other campers, and all the farm animals.

We met a delightful family from Perth who were already six months deep into their Big Lap.  Imagine homeschooling 4 primary school age girls in a caravan!  I wouldn’t last a week.  They fessed up that they were a bit slack with the study schedule, but we all agreed these kiddos are acing life lessons on the road (not a screen amongst them) and most likely getting a far superior education through their travels.

Katie and Jason aren't just farmers' they also breed Poodles, which meant I was in my element to be surrounded by poodle puppies.  During our stay, they, along with Bindi, chief Poodle at the wheel, took us on a personal tour of their farm to feed the animals.  Jason was mourning the loss of his favourite goat to a snake.  I asked him how he knew Billy met his end due to a danger noodle.  He explained that a lethal snake bite causes bleeding from the eyes and nose.  Gross!!! 😬 Wish I hadn't asked.

Bindi, taking us on the farm tour

Katie and Jason - Best Hosts Ever

Turtles of Tropical Townsville

Townsville is a treasure trove of freebies.  There is so much to do without spending a cent. We took a long walk along Ross River, which bubbled like a jacuzzi in nature's own spa. Upon a closer peek, it was a turtle party down there!

The only downside with the farm stays is that you usually need to be self-contained.  Whilst we have a loo in our camper, we do not have the luxury of an indoor shower.  Not wanting to scare the little children at camp by using our outdoor shower, we thought it would be a good idea to find a shower in Townsville.   We have noticed that now have ventured into crocodile territory, all the larger towns boast pristine, free lagoons for everyone to enjoy.  I guess they provide the locals with somewhere to swim due to the less-than-friendly marine life lurking in the ocean!  The lagoons also provide smelly campers a welcome hot shower - we bumped into our Perth friends there - there were on exactly the same mission.

On our day out in Townsville, the third wallet-friendly escapade led us to the Palmetum, one of the town’s 3 beautiful botanical gardens.  The Palmetum is a collection of 365 species of palms.  Here is a pic of Steve’s favourite.  I don’t know its scientific name, but he named it the “hemorrhoid palm” 😏

The Hemorrhoid Palm - Ouch!

A Day Trip to Maggie

I read in a brochure that there aren’t many places in the world that almost guarantee a sunny day, but Magnetic Island is one of them.  The island also brags about having the largest population of koalas in all of Australia due to there being little in the way of threats.  Lured by the twin promises of endless sun and cuddly marsupials, we set off to the port, ready for an adventure. There, as we waited under a deluge for the ferry, my ears tuned in to a very familiar accent.  I asked the young couple if they might be visiting from Denmark.  Their smiles could've lit up the gloomy day as they congratulated me on my linguistic talent. Turns out, I was the first person on their 3-month tour not to mistake them for Germans or Dutch, and that made them very happy.  We spent the half hour trip sharing our travel tips, and by the time we docked, the guaranteed sunshine graced us with its presence.

View from Nelly Beach to Picnic Bay, Magnetic Island

Critter of the Week – Koala

We trekked on a hike to the Island’s WW2 fort site near Horseshoe Bay, and just as the brochure promised, low and behold, we saw some Koalas fast asleep in the trees.  What a treat!

Whilst I was "attracted" to Magnetic Island for the adorable marsupials and rich history, the big pull for Steve was, of course, the craft brewery at Picnic Bay.  And let's be honest, after a marathon trek across the island, a cold one at Maggie Island Brewing Company felt like finding an oasis in a desert.

Steve smiling at discovering the brewery

Mother’s Day at the Mother of all Waterfalls

Despite all the fun we are having, it was a bit depresso to wake up on Mother’s Day without the usual hugs and presence of my girls.  To cheer me up, we decided to do one of my favourite activities and go on a trek to a waterfall.  Lucky for me, we were now staying at our next camp - Crystal Creek, not far from Australia’s tallest single-drop waterfall – Wallaman Falls.

Here are a few pics from the top, and the bottom.  The photo of me smiling was before we set off (I wasn't smiling at the end).  My Garmin nearly blew a gasket due to my heart rate after the climb back up – but it was worth it!

View from the top of Wallaman Falls

And from the bottom - spectacular

Hej – guess who we bumped into on a hike to the waterfall?  Yep, our 2 Danish friends.  It is so funny how you re-meet people on this adventure.  The young Danes encouraged us to step it out, because a beautiful rainbow had just burst through at the bottom.

Anyone for Roast Pork?

As Kirstie and Charlotte usually whip up a wonderful feast for me on Mother’s Day, Steve stepped up to the plate and promised to serve up a scrumptious roast post-hike.  The tiny wild boar piglets we spotted on a waterfall drive were in luck as our prior purchase from Coles saved them from becoming our latest air-fried sensation.  

I think they would have crackled up just bootifully!

Coddiwompling (My new favourite word)

Whilst we have locked in a couple of “not to be missed” accommodations on our trip around Australia, for the most part, we are just “coddiwompling” around and rocking up at places on a hope and a whimsy.  

We are surprised by how we seem to have so many stunning places in Queensland all to ourselves.  The lady in the Townsville Tourist Information Centre explained it's because the Grey Nomads from Victoria and New South Wales haven’t made their annual pilgrimage to the warm climate here yet.  I was equally chuffed that A) she didn’t class us as Grey Nomads and B) we're ahead of the grey army.  

We're keen on keeping that lead!

Whitsunday Wonderland

Airlie Beach

Airlie Beach is a very pretty place – firstly in the sense of the stunning waterfront, and secondly, due to the beautiful European backpackers lounging along the foreshore in their scanty swimwear.  Sadly, the water is just for looking at.  If the crocs don’t get you, the boxfish jellyfish will, for sure.  With swimming off the agenda, we have taken to a lot of hiking during our stay.  Fooled by its sweet-sounding name, The Honeyeater Track was a B* of a vertical climb.  Cedar Creek Falls, on the other hand was a hop, skip and a jump from a car park, which is why I am smiling.

Cedar Creek Falls

We popped by Airlie Sailing Club to soak up the scenery.  Steve, oozing optimism and proudly decked out in his Sydney to Hobart T-shirt, was quickly recruited for a twilight sail by an owner who clearly knows talent when he sees it.  "Bobby's Girl" came in first in a lineup of 40 with Steve as bowman.  Needless to say, Stevo was invited back the following week and promoted to the job of "trimming the main" whatever that means.

Steve on Bobby's Girl

Our Little Fly-In

Our stay in the Whitsundays was made even more enjoyable by a special guest appearance from Charlotte. It's crazy that it has taken us 7 weeks to get this far, but you can get here in just over 2 hours by Jetstar. Needless to say, we packed a lot of fun into her brief four-day stay with us.

On Charlotte’s first day, we took a short drive to the pretty town of Bowen and hiked around Horseshoe Bay before heading to Hideaway Bay and Dingo Beach (not a dingo in sight, but there was a great pub right on the beach).

Hike from Horsehoe Bay to Rose Bay

Just like the other Queensland towns we’ve visited, there are some spectacular murals around Bowen and Airlie.  Here are two of my faves.

Outside the Police Station in Bowen

Council worker's shed, Airlie Beach

Big Thing – The Big Mango

Bowen boasts the Big Mango, and tasting the pure mango sorbet from the tourist information centre was a treat in the heat. A few years back, this giant fruit vanished, stirring up a media frenzy. It turned out to be a juicy plot twist when Nandos, in a cheeky collaboration with Whitsunday Tourism, revealed it was all a ruse—a marketing ploy to promote their latest product line.  For being such a good sport, Nando's gifted the good folk of Bowen with another big mango - so now they have two. 

The bigger of the two big mangos in Bowen

 Cruisin’ Around on Camira

We won the weather lottery and picked a sunny day to explore the Whitsunday Islands on Camira, a big catamaran.  Donning the compulsory sexy stinger suits, we had fun with some underwater exploring on the reef off of Dumbell Island.  The colours of the coral and the fish were spectacular.  

We spent a few hours at Whitehaven Beach with the option of lazing around on the beautiful beach – or going for a bushwalk.  In an effort to balance out the ton of food and drink the crew were ploughing in to us, we opted for the latter, and were rewarded with stunning views from the lookout point.

Whitehaven Beach Lookout

Critter of the Week – The Bush Stone-Curlew

We share our Whitsunday camp with a family of Curlews.  They strut around like they own the place, give you a sassy hiss it you accidently get close (even though they follow you around) and randomly scream like a banshee at about 3 am every morning just to be spiteful.

The Bush Stone-Curlew

Finding Boofhead

During one of our many strolls around Airlie, we chatted with a fisherman who was quite the storyteller. I was curious about the crocs and he affirmed their ubiquitous presence in the area.  He told us about a legendary local 80-year-old 4.4m croc known as "Boofhead", aptly named for his massive noggin.  After being the big croc on the block for decades, he recently got into a fight with a much younger croc who challenged him for control of the territory.  Our fisherman friend, who might embellish as fishermen often do, described an epic showdown that spanned the whole weekend. It seems the younger croc claimed victory as Boofhead has since been spotted on a Proserpine River sandbank, nursing a battle-worn leg.  We went in search of Boofhead on our last day but had to abandon mission, and sadly dash to get Miss Charlotte on her flight back to Sydney.

"Boofhead" courtesy of ABC News, not my iPhone!