Chillagoe weekend

Chillagoe weekend - July 9 - 10 - Day 1
Gone by 9 am west up the Kuranda range, stopped at Henry Ross Look Out, then Barron Falls before stopping in Kuranda for the morning.  Walked along the streets and into the shops.  Cary & Bryce were buying lots of souvenirs and gifts.  Had a picnic lunch in the park, where a bird pooped on Cary!  LOL though she didn't think so!!  Some more shopping at the Heritage Markets before meeting Scott on his motorbike.

SHOPPING!!!  Oh look shoes!!

Kuranda candy- that's one big lolly

Heaven for some - Hell for others

Headed out again on our drive to the sleepy historic town of Chillagoe along Wheelbarrow way.  We went about an hour and half west of Mareeba on a mix of bitumen and gravel roads, passing a few road trains along the way.  Scott was in heaven riding his motorbike today. 

Australia outback

Arrived at the Hub, the local meeting place, we got a map of the area and booked a cave tour for the morning.  Stopped at the Eco Lodge and dropped off our luggage in our 2 suites.  We drove to the Balancing Rock and then the Wullumba art site before going to the caves.  We did Bauhina Cave and Pompeii Cave on our own.  They were very narrow and rocky descents.  Brody, Darby, and Bryce went exploring in the first cave further than the rest of us.  We all went in the second cave and it opened up to a huge cavern.  Good thing we had our torches as it was very dark.

hiking in the outback

The Balancing Rock

trying to read the aboriginal writing on the rocks

The small entrance hole

Big stretch for some!

inside the cave

Heading into a cave

There was a very beautiful sunset and a very clear sky for looking at the stars after supper.

Sunset in the outback

Day 2
Breakfast at 7:30 am that we pre-ordered the night before.   Bryce tried veggie-mite, 'okay' but, he didn't take a second bite.  Loaded all of us into the Kluger and made our way to the BP Fuel and Historic Ford cars.  We didn't make it far as Cary spotted a kangaroo bouncing by, then another.  She was very excited as it wasn't a dead one on the side of the road.  Eventually got to see the Fords and a Falcon GT in great condition.
9:00 am tour of the Trezkinn Cave along the steel catwalk encircling a huge central mass of limestone.  Our ranger, Bob, led us through the well lite cave with information signs along the way.  There were several steep and narrow flights of stairs.  We learnt stalactites come from above and stalacmites grow up.  We saw some magnificent formations including the 'chandelier'.  We saw the 'column' where a stalagmite & stalactites meet and grow together.  We saw seashells, as the caves are from the coral reef 400 million years ago.  The brilliant sparkling calcite crystals were my favourite!  The caves were discovered in 1967.  Cary didn't like seeing the few bats hanging around.  We all had a great time exploring them this weekend!

Cary chasing kangaroos

'72 Ford Falcon GT

waiting for our tour

watch your head - even Cary

Chandelier

Amazing limestone

Long way up the lime caves

Did a driving tour at the smelter before leaving Chillagoe.  I read the information as we drove through the old smelter site.  

                                                                                                       

Smelter - where iron ore was melted

First Canadian guests

July 3-16, 2011
My sister Cary and her 17 year old son Bryce, arrived today.  It was so great to see them walk through the gates at the airport!!! 
Took them down to the Esplanade and the lagoon after unpacking at home.
We were off school this week so we could spend lots of time with them.  Then the second week we were back in school and they could use my car and tour around on their own.  Scott had to go to work for a few days mid week, but that didn't stop us from having some great adventures.

Monday got up VERY early and went zip lining at 8:45 am at Cape Tribulation 2 hours north of us.
Tuesday was Tjapukai Cultural Center for their open house.
Wednesday was Cairns Central shopping & the Red Beret to watch the State of Origin AFL game.
Thursday snorkeling and hanging out at Fitzroy Island.
Friday was Rusty's market, Crystal Cascades, Barron Gorge and Holloways beach.
Saturday we headed up the range to Kuranda and the Tablelands.  Scott met up with us on his motorbike and we made our way to Chillagoe Lime Caves in the outback for the night.
Sunday we went on a guided cave tour, check out the abandoned smelter, and explored the Tablelands.
Monday I worked, so Scott took them go-karting and to Fresh Water  swimming hole.
The rest of the week we were back at school so they would drop us off and headed to the tropical zoo, crocodile farm, explored beaches and to the shopping centers.
We hit the night market, cable park, Brody's field hockey practice, Hailey's tennis practice and a BBQ at the beach.
Saturday afternoon headed to the airport with them, after Brody's field hockey game, to fly to Melbourne to surprise the next guests, Kim, Darrell and Chris!

Cheers Mate!

Cary's turn to drive

Cary buying treats

Autographs after shooting hoops with the Taipans Basketball team

Barron Gorge & Surprise Falls

Snorkeling at Fitzroy Island in the Great Barrier Reef

Life's a Beach!

Cary finally turned it the right way!

Gales on the paddle skis at Fitzroy Island

Very tall cane sugar

Shopping heaven

Lake Placid

walking along the esplanade & lagoon

beach at the lagoon

Fresh & LIVE mud crabs for supper

Daintree & Cape Tribulation

Daintree & Cape Tribulation Monday July 4
Up very early and gone by 6:15 am.  Took muffins, fruit, sausage rolls, juice and granola bars for breakfast on the go.  Took the ferry across the Daintree River, then continued up the very narrow and windy road to Cape Tribulation.

Ferry across Daintree River

cane train being filled

8:45 am pick up for our Jungle Surfing adventure.  We were all given special names on our helmets for our trip, Scott was Bambi, Brody was Batman, Darby was Madame Butterfly, Hailey was Herby the Love Bug, Cary was Rambo, Bryce was Austin Powers and I was Cookie Monster.  We went zip lining over the Daintree Rain forest for about 2 hours.  We zipped between 5 tree platforms, at one point we were 22.5 m above the Mason Creek with a 78 m span.  We could see the Great Barrier Reef from up here!

go Herbie

the swinging boys

Madame Butterfly fluttering by

Rambo and Bambi hanging out together

After we finished on the zip line, we walked to the beach and found lots of coral.  Brody found a Pandanus Fruit and broke it open.We continued on our adventure to the Daintree Discovery Center.  We had a quick bite to eat before starting our walk through the rain forest.  We learnt about the Fauna in the area following the guide book and # on the plaques.  The boys had fun playing with the cassowary plums.  We learnt so much at the interpretive centre.

watching an informative video

Looking over the top of the rain forest out to the coral reef

Rain forest floor

Back to the car for our return trip across on the ferry, through Mossman and into Port Douglas and Four Mile Beach.  Played on the beach for awhile, walked to the look out and then went for supper on the wharf at Hogs Breath.

Find Scott & the kids on Four Mile Beach

A quiet ride home as everyone was pretty tired.  We did make one more stop at Alexandra look out.

Tanks Market

Tanks Market  June 26
Today was the monthly market at the Tanks, this is the area next to the Botanic Gardens we had seen before, but couldn't go into.  The Tanks use to hold oil during the war and now are used for displaying art work, wellness booths and market stalls.  They often use them for concert and other live performances.  Today we saw a ukulele auction and other art work.  There was a variety of items for sale including jewelery, clothes, plants, art, food, crafts and so much more.  The one Tank that had all the wellness booths in it had everything from Reiki and massage to reflexology.

valve on the tank

Hailey loves the 'living statues'

sign going into the tanks

inside the tank

 

Darby checking out the art

Art display inside a tank

Another tank

Ukulele art

After we finished walking around we headed to the Esplanade for the Sustainability Expo (recycling) and a swim in the lagoon.  We also watched a street performer escape a straight jacket and chains, then swallow a sword.  Had supper at Rattle and Hum along the esplanade before heading home.

Canvas bag dress, hey I could make one!

Creative dresses from pop cans, newspaper and plastic.