Judy & Brian Tour Oz

  Mission Beach Qld July 31st, 2023 We left our semi-dry spot in Glengarry this morning and headed out to Mission Beach. South Mission Beach to be more precise. But first, a problem with the stop lights on the van. I popped the covers off the connectors but couldn't pin-point the problem and as it was getting late, I decided to take a chance and head out anyway. Smooth run down to Cairns but then, the traffic and the traffic lights and on and on and on. I was fair frazzled waiting for the crash up the bum due to our lack of stop lights, but it thankfully never eventuated. Finally clear of Cairns we then ran into road-works, which you can't complain about really, This Bruce “highway” needs all the help it can get. And then there was the rain, and more rain, down through Innisfail and all the way down to the turn-off to Mission Beach. A miracle. It stopped raining just before we pulled into the Van Park. Our site is sodden, soggy and soft as a mudpie, but we backed and fille...

 Port Douglas Qld July 30th 2023 A photo shoot kind of blog today.... The original Parkrun on the Esplanade in Cairns. My fourth attendance. Tried for  a PB but fell 2 minutes short. The course is different from the first visits and is quite a good track. Cairns Qld Palms at Palm Cove, northernmost part of Cairns. One of Judy's favourite places.  We saw this string of empty carriages being shunted in as we were pulling into our caravan park. The line used to run right through the park and service the fields further down Mowbray Road. I just loved the early morning sunlight painting highlights on these rusty battered but still very much in used carriages. Glengarry Qld Kookaburra sitting on the proverbial wire. This is when you wish you had a proper camera with a long lens. Oh well, at least the phone fits in my pocket! Glengarry Qld Port Douglas Markets. Every Sunday whether they need them or not. Port Douglas Qld Unusual rear view of the Sugar Shed. Built in 1905 to hous...

  Port Douglas Qld July 28th 2023 Turned out rather a nice day, no rain and lots of sunshine between cloudy bits. We went on the now rather lame Lady Douglas cruise up the Dickson Inlet. We’ve done this maybe four times before and I guess we’re just a bit over it.  They managed to find two small crocodiles, so they got a tick-in-the-box, but we probably won't bother again. Apart from anything else, the skipper kept banging on about how crocodiles only eat once or twice a year, which I'm sure is just plain wrong. Research shows that a crocodile can last for up to three years without a feed, they normally feed on ‘snacks’ every few days. Baby saltwater crocodile, maybe 60cm long. Dickson Inlet Port Douglas Qld The marina is looking tired an unloved. Today we hear that it was bought a few years back by some billionaire who wanted to pull it down and build two, yes two, huge hotels on the site. So, all the tenants closed their businesses and left and the builders started pulli...

  Port Douglas Qld July 27th 2023 Took my morning stroll out along Mowbray Road, down across the creek of the same name and up into the back blocks. The sun was actually shining and it was quite pleasant. Mountains behind caravan park, Glengarry Qld One of my favourite bridges has had a facelift and been saved from demolition. I was just walking over it when the men from the local council turned up to inspect the vandal damage to the not even 4 week old reno. They have put bollards along each side and joined them with a nice 2 inch thick rope in the form of a handrail. Very decorative and stops us pedestrians from walking off the side of the bridge. One of these ropes had been cut right through. Must have taken some effort to do this. The air was blue with what the engineer said! And he was right, a very apt descriptive name for people who do this sort of thing. PS: two days later the rope on the other side was cut as well. Let me bore you with a bridge story.... The first br...

  Port Douglas Qld July 26th 2023 Time to leave our favourite spot in one of the top three van parks by our reckoning. It’s been raining on and off but stayed relatively dry while we broke camp and moved out. By the time we hit Mareeba it was raining properly and continued to do so all the way to Glengarry. That descent from Mount Morgan down to the highway is pretty special, it even has a sign that says “All vehicles use low gear”. I couldn’t help but wonder how many drivers would know what “low gear” means or how to use it. The road also has a “Danger: High Accident area”. So enough said, take lots of care and lots of time to get down safely. Glengarry is on the Captain Cook Highway just south of Craiglie, which is just past the turn of to “Port”. Luckily it stopped raining while we set up, but it’s very damp, even muddy underfoot. We had some shopping to do so went into town to the shops, had some lunch and returned to the van. The rain started almost immediately but as I ...

Atherton Qld July 21 2023 Easy run up into the mountains except for the last 40km which was at snail’s pace due to climbing and twisting and narrow road  which banked up the traffic into a convoy. Oh well nought to do but tag along and enjoy the scenery. Made it into what must by now be in our top three van parks, the NRMA Atherton Holiday Park. Shock! Horror! They’ve heated the pool! Yeah, way to go them. Got parked up and nipped into town to hit the shops for some essential food items, and Bunnings for a new heater and a new hose fitting. Later in the day I walked back up to the platypus pond, saw nothing, then went around to the old train station and took some snaps of the carriages now being used  for a cafe. Train cafe, Atherton Qld Train cafe, Atherton Qld Atherton July 22nd 2023 I was up early and did the Atherton Parkrun for the second time. its been four years since I did this one last, the time certainly gets away. This time I walked up to the start of Parkrun, maybe...