Sat, 25th Aug, 2018 Mum & Dad’s, Cairns, Qld (exploring Tablelands)

Warmer morning.

Headed off early with Bob and Margaret to explore the Tablelands. South to Gordonvale – looking up at Walsh’s Pyramid as we turned and headed up the Gillies Range. I saw on the Hema that the mountain range is actually called Lamb Range. You learn something everyday!

We used to always look out for the Bikini Tree – a shapely tree that someone had painted a bikini on many, many years ago. Unfortunately during a fire a few years back it burnt and fell down. As the Gillies is a very windy range (263 corners, 800m elevation in 19km road) it was a great thing for parents to keep kids occupied and marked how far we were up or down the range. Now we have the Frog Rock.

The ‘Gillies’ was built in 1925 with 150 men employed to build the road. It opened on Sat, 10 July 1926 allowing traffic between Cairns and the Tablelands in 2 ½ hours.  The road was only wide enough for one-way traffic so a timetable was created to allow vehicles up and down at different times of the day. There was a gate at the top and bottom – known at the Top Gate and Bottom Gate (of course). The highway was called the Cairns Range Road originally but the name was changed to Gillies Highway after William Gillies, a former Premier of Queensland and local Member of the Qld Legislative Assembly for Eacham, after his sudden death in February 1928 but it was not made official till March 1934. Someone posted this photo of the Top Gate on Facebook which was very handy for me.

Stopped at Heales Lookout (670m elevation) – fabulous view down over Goldsborough Valley and back to Gordonvale. We can just see the steam coming up from the sugar mill at Gordonvale.

Up to the top and past the site of the Top Gate.

Turned off onto Boar Pocket Road and followed the narrow bitumen road up and down the rolling green hills to another track that goes to the Gillies Lookout. We need 4WD to go in which we don’t have in the Tarago but Steve and I went in years ago and it is a stunning view on a clear day.

Onto the dirt for a bit to reach the Cathedral Fig Tree. Great map and photo of Lake Tinaroo – our backyard when we were growing up as we spent a lot of time water skiing up here.

Bob and Margaret were very impressed. Lot of ferns growing up the top.

We walked around the platform. Nice straight tree on the other side.

Back to the main road then we into Lake Barrine. An extinct volcanic crater.

An impressive slab of Kauri Pine which was sawn at Yungaburra Mill in the 1960s. Its girth measurement is 6 metres. Scientists estimate the tree was 1000 years old when cut down. Dad’s father managed the mill in Yungaburra when he first came north from Woodford in 1916. He went to build his own saw mill in Millaa Millaa then he built a veneer mill as well.

Very nice restaurant with lovely view from the outdoor seating over the lake. Lots of fish too.

Great old photos. Mum tried water skiing here when she first came to the Tablelands but she says she swam more than she skied.

These brown bottles are from the war years when the tea house was used as a convalescent home for Australian soldiers. Malaria was one of the many ailments and it was important for those inflicted with this disease to keep their fluid intake up. The easiest way for nursing staff to ensure they did was to supply them with beer. It was the ‘Open Beer Bottle Policy’ that ensured that the beer was consumed as soon as possible after opening. There were no restrictions to how many each solider consumed. There are hundreds if not thousands of bottles scattered around the lake. I wonder what the medical profession would say about that method these days.

As we walked back out I noticed the toilet sign – so true!!

Lovely flowers and plants as we walked around the outside of the tea house.

Steve found another big slab and a big cross saw under the house. So old information boards about Red Cedar which is missing pictures and the other with pictures about the timber cutters and transporting the timber.

Nice seat.

A mechanical saw.

Another slab of Kauri Pine was up the internal staircase.

Walked down by the lake and along the path to check out the very old Twin Kauri Pines.

Must be a young bush chook which I have now realised is called a Brush Turkey – I always said Bush! It has a very yellow collar – the others we have seen are all faded.

Continued on – fabulous views – I just love the Tablelands. Shame we have an overcast day though.

Turned off to Lake Eacham – another volcanic crater. Eacham and Barrine (thought to have been created as recently as 10,000 years ago) are known as ‘maars’ are created when rising lava comes into contact with the water basin. The resulting steam causes a violent explosion, creating a crater. The craters then filled with rainwater. The volcanic soil of the Tablelands is very good and very red. Walked around to the viewing platform. The crocs are everywhere these days.

Back to the main swimming area. A nice big picnic area has been put in.

Into Yungaburra. I had thought about getting a cuppa and wandering around the markets but it is huge and there are cars lining the streets so no room for us. Eventually found a park near the old saw mill which was great to visit since Grandad was the manager. Walked around it reading all the info – no mention of him though.

Drove down to Tinaburra to show Bob and Margaret the lake. A few people camping and out water skiing. Looking back up one of the many ‘arms’ back to Yungaburra.

Through Yungaburra then left to the Curtain Fig Tree.

Around the boardwalk to the other side.

Back to the main road then on towards Atherton. I love all the rolling hills.

Turned off a Shaylee Strawberry Farm and headed towards Kairi. Looking across to the Seven Sisters and Mt Quincan. These are volcanic cones created by explosive eruptions. As air vents opened volcanic ash and scoria (light weight volcanic rocks with gas bubbles) hurled into the air, falling to build the cones around them.

Through Kairi – will stop on the way back out and on to Tinaroo. It was the township built up while the dam wall was being built and now is a great retirement place and holiday village. Checked out the info in the shelter. I had taken all these photos a couple of years ago when I came up with Kaylene on a ‘let’s be tourists’ outing.

Down the hill below the wall and across the irrigation channel.

Drove up to where the water is released into the Barron River which will then flow down to Machans Beach.

Up the hill on the other side where there is more information about history of the area. Great photos.

Walked over to the wall – can’t walk across it any more. When I was younger we used to come up for camps with the Presbyterian Church and we would walk through the dam wall. No problems back then regarding OH&S.

The dam is stocked with barramundi who grow very big. Unfortunately they die too – maybe this one might have not recovered from being caught or was hit by a ski boat or something. We have spent many years skiing up here as kids, young adults then as parents with our own boys. Fabulous memories.

Back into Tinaroo township to nice picnic area with lots of information.

Back to Kairi. Pulled into an RV spot under the trees opposite the hotel. Good map of the area and info.

The old saw mill is looking a bit sad.

The silos. They need the artists that have been painting all the ones in Victoria etc to give these ones a facelift.

Into Tolga where we stopped at the Tolga Wood Works for lunch and a cuppa. Steve was impressed with his cappuccino. Bit fancy for us!!

Through Tolga which is another sleepy village and on to Atherton. It is a bigger town. We continued on to Malanda where we stopped at the Malanda Falls for a wander.

Walked down across the little bridge keeping an eye out for a platypus. The water is the North Johnstone River which flows down towards Tully.

Got Bob to check out the water temperature – he said it was cold!!

Into Malanda – another quaint Tableland town. Great sculpture and other art work on the buildings.

Lots of old ‘igloo’ buildings from the war years through the tablelands.

It is home to Malanda Milk – there is a great museum here.

Snapped a few more views as we head to Millaa Millaa.

Turned off onto the road to Ravenshoe and headed up the lookout. Our elevation is 1100 metres. So beautiful even though it is cloudy. Took a video of the view too.

Zoomed in on Broken Nose (the pointed knob) – one part of Mt Bartle Frere (Qld’s highest mountain 1622m).

Zoomed in on Millaa Millaa (where my Dad was born and grew up) and the red roof of the family home from 1946.

Into Millaa Millaa and down Brotherton Close to the huge Kauri tree that my grandfather managed to get a ‘Special Purposes Reserve’ put around it in 1947. Unfortunately nothing lives forever and it came down so they got permission to cut it up and bring it in to town as a display.

Cute dairy cow statue.

Huge statue of Christie Palmerston and his guide Pompo. Needs a good clean. A lot of work went into creating this with the carvings on the sides as well.

Info in the shelter.

Up the street is another ‘cow’ statue.

Mum and Dad have sold the house and Ian and his daughter are doing a fabulous, painstaking job of restoring it. Hopefully one day we can all visit when it is finished.

Further along the road is the remains of the old veneer mill.

Down the road to Millaa Millaa Falls. Parked in the car park above and walked down the track to the falls.

Bob checked the temp – even colder!!

Info about the falls etc.

Followed the waterfall circuit winding around the narrow roads through the green hills. Stopped at Zillie Falls for a look. There is a track to go down to the bottom but we will give that a miss.

Next stop is Elinjaa Falls. Hard to see the falls from the top so we followed the track down the hillside.

Got Steve beside one of the ‘big’ trees – he said he found a booby to hold!!

On to Mungalli Falls. Great information board.

Wandered over to the top part of the falls which we just drove over to get here.

In the pool at the bottom a platypus popped up for a moment. I stood waiting till he popped up again and managed to get a photo.

Walked around the café, which was just closing up, to the viewing area above the falls. Looking down on the falls and then further to the bottom.

Continued down the Palmerston Highway to Crawford’s Lookout. Fabulous view down to the North Johnstone River.

Sadly though someone thought it would make a good rubbish dump. She left her tablets behind so we know who left the rubbish.

Down the range to the turn off onto the Bruce Highway just north of Innisfail. Back over the North Johnstone River.

The other side of Broken Nose.

Turned off at Babinda and drove towards the mountains to check out ‘The Boulders’. There is a free camp up here too. They have just refurbished the picnic area. Read all about the wreck of a Mitchell Bomber that crashed into Mt Bartle Frere in 1942.

Nice stainless handrails down to the swimming area.

At the end of the path looking downstream.

We went back up and then followed the track to Devils Pool. Legend is that a beautiful young aboriginal lady Oolana was married to a very old elder. Later another tribe came through and there was a handsome young man, Dyga. He and Oolana fell in love and ran off knowing their union was forbidden. The tribes came after them and Dyga was taken away by his tribe. Oolana flung herself into the calm waters here and called for her love. When she hit the water a big upheaval happened, water flowed everywhere and huge boulders were thrown up and she disappeared under them. Her spirit remains and it is believed she still calls to her lover, hence 17 (mostly men) have perished in the rushing waters around the boulders. Usually after heavy rain and men often are the risk takers of course. A plaque for one of those men.

Nearly dark when we got home – wonderful day exploring.

Mum had cooked Spag Bol, she hasn’t lost the knack – just like the old days of Sunday night dinners. Then we watched Sister Act with Mum and Dad – love that show.