We finally got to test out our endurance with a rather strenuous walk to the base of the Wallaman Falls. These falls are the highest single drop waterfall in Australia, plunging 268 metres and are very spectacular,
The trek down - and up was so pretty, through the rain forest along a goat track which in places was quite slippery and muddy - especially for Darryl and Mark in their thongs!
As we travel further north, we are realising the Queensland floods not only impacted roads and walks, but towns and farmlands. Here in Ingham, the town was inundated and is still recovering from the disaster - the ladies at the information centre are working out of a windowless container as their beautiful building is closed due to mould. The caravan park we are in was flooded - the water came so quickly at night, that all guests were evacuated to higher ground and all their cars and vans were ruined. The owners here have done a magnificent job in getting the place operational again and you’d never guess a few months ago it was under water. These stories are especially sad when in NSW these events are being replayed again.
We are in the midst of sugar cane country - some crops have been flood impacted and others are in flower, showing they are ready for harvest. We visited Lucinda which has a sugar export facility - the jetty is almost 6 km long and the sugar takes 22 minutes to travel along the conveyor belt to the ship. Unfortunately it’s a covered jetty so no strolling along here. It was amazing to read that cyclone Yasi saw waves wash over the top of the jetty and it was partly destroyed.
We had a pleasant day touring the local beach side towns of Forrest Beach (where Jack and June Kennedy live) Taylors Beach, Halifax and Lucinda. These are beautiful beaches but out of bounds due to crocodiles and stingers! There are however, lovely structures and murals along with the magnificent trees.
We went to a lookout to have a good view of Hinchenbrook Island and the river Herbert estuary.
This had been an excellent spot to spend a few days and we’ve used the camp facilities where Mark became a wildlife instructor, showing this green tree frog to a couple of German children.
Life in tropical areas is very problematic for some of us with sandfly or mosquito bites bringing up huge itchy welts - despite us walking around covered in repellants and smelling like citronella. We hope our bodies soon become less attractive to these bugs! We have a rough plan in the days ahead before we reach our turn around point at Cairns. The weather has been good - sunny now and almost 30 - but quite humid. Till the next blog, the happy travellers sign off ❌❌❌❌❌❌
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