Sun, 6th September, 2015 Mum & Dad’s, Cairns (Tableland sightseeing)

Happy Father’s Day to Dad and Terry. Gave Dad a packet of his favourite liquorice. The boys said Steve got his Father’s Day – doing what he wants – detecting!!

Noted it was 25 degrees on the car’s thermometer as I headed over to Kaylene’s at Redlynch. Picked up Kaylene and headed up through Smithfield then up the Kuranda Range. Across the Barron River bridge – have to get Kaylene on the camera as we drive along. Stopped in Kuranda for a wander around the market shops and have a cuppa.

Some street art – Andrea had sent me a picture of the praying mantis when the girls were up here exploring recently.

Some more local wildlife in the shops!!

The boat building.

Passed St Saviours Church where a service was being held. Kaylene’s friend is the minister here. It was built in 1915.

The street is lined with big fig trees.

Lots of interesting shops and food outlets. Cute little Scottish shop. There was a poster ‘A Scottish Wedding’. The MC called for all the married men to stand beside the person who has helped them the most through the years – the barman was nearly trampled to death!!

Down to the original market area which meanders around the hillside – note the ‘lady’ in the treehouse.

A young aboriginal boy was teaching his little mates the art of ‘busking’ dance. He was very good.

Back on the road then we stopped at Jake & Lucy’s plant and herb stall. Years ago they put out a mannequin with a sign ‘Farmer wants a wife’. Then continued the family with children etc and they change it regularly – has become quite a tourist attraction though the mannequins look like they need some tidying up.

Turned off at Mareeba and headed for Tolga then down through Kairi to Lake Tinaroo. Turned off to check out a new land sub-division which have some great blocks near the water. Bit hazy today with some heavy clouds hanging around. A bit cooler up here, 21 degrees.

Into Tinaroo township and down across the irrigation canal then over the Barron River to the other side of the Dam Wall. I remember as kids on the camps here we would go into the dam wall itself to learn all about it – can’t do things like that now with all this Workplace & Safety stuff. You can’t even walk out onto the wall anymore.

The water flows out to maintain the water in the Barron River which then flows through the Hydro Electricity turbines at the Barron Falls at Kuranda.

Looking over a small bit of Lake Tinaroo.

Checked out the Info shelter – looking at our local things like a tourist now!!

Great photo showing the camping areas where we have spent many years camping and water skiing.

We also spent a lot of time at Barrabadeen which was the Scouts camping area on this point.

Back across the bridge over the Barron River as it heads down the mountains to the sea near the Cairns Airport.  Looking back to the dam wall then downstream.

The irrigation channel which flows to Mareeba and Dimbulah districts.

Up to the old Lookout where we used to roll down the green grassy slopes – bringing back lots of memories today.  The grass is very brown today. We used to go on camps with the Presbyterian Church when we were kids over the school holidays and had a ball – such great memories.

The plaque outside about the Dam.

Inside was info about the Irrigation Scheme.

Some more information and great photos. Years ago the water level was so low that we could see what used to be bridges, buildings etc that was in the area before the area was filled.

Headed back to Kairi where I stopped to take a photo of the Seven Sisters – remnants of the volcanic activity in the area – volcano vents. There is also Mt Quincan which is an old volcano hence this area has beautiful red soil though it stains everything – you can always tell a Tableland car as it has red tyres. Lots of different crops and hay are grown around here.

Back to Tolga for lunch at the Timber shop where there are lots of timber and other arts and crafts for sale. Lovely lunch too.

Into Atherton where I stopped for a photo of Merriland Hall where we saw in the New Year a couple of times while we were camping at Fong On Bay at Lake Tinaroo. The building – an igloo as it was known – was from the war time on the Tablelands – they are scattered all over the area. Oh the memories. Steve and Lou danced together (they were drunk) around the 2000 people – one shaking the guys hand while the other kissed the girl happy new year – they only got one knock back!! That was before I was dating Steve by the way!! Then we all went back to our camps and the boys headed out for a ski in the nude!!  How we didn’t have more injuries!!

Through all the rolling hillsides to Malanda – will have to come back one day with the van and explore it all properly with my camera – when you live here you just take it all for granted. It is such a beautiful area we live in with the sea, rainforests and the mountains.

Stopped at Malanda Falls and read the plaque about the John Prince and his family and how he invented the milking machine ‘releaser’. Never knew that – you learn new things every day.

Walked down to the next level where the 1967 flood level is marked. There is another 8 foot drop down to the water from here so the flood would have just ripped through this country.

Read the info board. Malanda started in 1910. Of course Malanda is famous for Malanda Milk as this is all dairy country. Will have to do the tour one day.

Then down the steps for a photo of the man-made swimming pool in the River.

Back to the car looking across to the rainforest. I went with Dan and his year 5 class on an excursion and the leeches were dropping off the leaves of the trees onto the kids hats as we walked along – a few made their way into the kids socks so we had some bloody shoes by the end of the walk. I always have some salt in my back pack when we walk.

Stopped to photograph the farming statue, a couple of murals and a street of Malanda.

Through more rolling hills where mainly dairy cows roam. Too up and down for crops. Into Millaa Millaa where my grandfather, George Brotherton, came in 1918 to set up a sawmill with this Uncle and another chap. George later built a veneer mill and a lovely big home just out of town in 1946. Another statue depicting the life of the dairyman.

Showed Kaylene where the sawmill, veneer mill and the house were across the paddock from here. Off the main street the close has been named after my grandfather.

He had found a very old Kauri pine tree in the scrub years ago and had it preserved. Unfortunately it did die but the locals managed to cut it and bring back some of it for display.

Millaa Millaa brochure.

Looking up the main street from the café where we had Skybury coffee.

Onto the Palmerston Highway and into the drive up to the old house. A Ravenshoe bank manager and his family bought the house from Dad and have visions of restoring to use as a B & B and wanted all the history etc. Will be great to come back when it is finished and stay for the night. No one was there so I just grabbed a couple of photos. They have certainly worked hard clearing all the guinea grass from the large area of land around the house. It will look so different when they finish the painting. Grandad didn’t have any of it painted – inside or out.

Lovely bit of colour as I walked around the circular drive to the front steps for a photo.

They must be getting the leadlighting restored.

Looking back to the old sheds.

Onto the main road then turned off to find Millaa Millaa Falls. The bush turkeys were making a nest – a huge mound, right beside the carpark. One comes down from the hill beside home in Cairns and scratches around at night, then the curlews start squawking – who said the bush is quiet!!

Walked down the steps to the Falls area. Kaylene was impressed with the Falls. We saw some spectacular ones in Tasmania but I still think this is one of the best. Freezing cold too though some brave soul decided to get in.

Got the info too. We did the falls walks etc when we brought the van up a few years back for a test run and stopped at Henrietta Creek. Will have to do it again one day so I can add it to my blog.

On the way out we saw the ‘Loo’. It was installed at the cemetery but certain parties were not happy about it so it was moved to here. I didn’t realise the Millaa Millaa Cemetery was just up the road – none of our family are buried there. My grandparents, uncle & aunt etc are all buried in Atherton Cemetery.

Looking back over where the old saw mill was and over Millaa Millaa township before we head off down the Palmerston Range to Innisfail.

Shame we had heavy clouds as we would have had a great view of Bartle Frere which is the highest mountain in Queensland. I have climbed this one with Girls Brigade many years ago.

At least we can see Broken Nose – the pointy bit.

Nice big wide range but very steep descent. A truck blinked us pass as he was crawling very slowly down the range. Crossed over the Beatrice River. Pulled into Henrietta Creek camping ground. Nice area with walks along to waterfalls and longer ones down to the North Johnstone River. Interesting statistics about the rainfall here – dry year 2000mm and a wet year 6000mm – bit of a difference to Hobart who was flooding with 50mm of rain!!

Further down to Crawfords Lookout – he was a surveyor and Dad has his theodolite which he polished up years ago when he had the chrome plating workshop. Kaylene was gobsmacked at the view as she has never been here. Must admit it is very spectacular view down to the North Johnstone River which then flows into Innisfail and out to sea.

We didn’t do the long walk when we were here last as it was after Yasi and the area was closed off due to cyclone damage.

Down into banana and sugarcane country as we turned off before Innisfail to head home. Got Kaylene on the camera and she managed a photo of Broken Nose from the other side – we have gone completely around it. She hadn’t worked out the zoom bit yet!!

Not too much traffic so it was a lovely drive. At last we saw The Pyramid which always made me feel we were nearly home when we were on all our driving holidays and BMX trips. Still another half hour till home though and it is getting slower as they extend the lower speed limits further out of town as the population grows. Used to be 100 all through here to Gordonvale and Edmonton – now it is only 80.

Mum rang to say dinner was at Greg’s tonight so dropped Kaylene home. Was a lovely day together exploring our backyard. Headed back to Edmonton to Greg and Tracy’s for dinner. Lovely night chatting and hearing Tracy’s nursing stories!!