2 Geckos Travelling Australia: Fri, 25th Nov, 2016 Mum & Dad’s, Cairns, Qld (exploring Tinaroo Dam & Christmas dinner)

Up early and picked up Erica and Terry to check out Tinaroo Dam etc. Stopped at the Kuranda Range Lookout – lovely clear day.

We can see Green Island clearly.

Moved down a bit for a better shot of the Cable Ski Park etc below us at Smithfield.

Up the range and into Kuranda for a drive around. Very touristy though the Kuranda Hotel known as the Bottom Pub needs a bit of TCL. Opened in 1880.

The Skyrail gondolas pass over us.

Continued on to Mareeba – very hot wind today. Drove through town to a park on the other side for morning tea. Then tried to find the Bi-centennial Lakes by following a sign off the main road but then there were no other signs!! Hence we didn’t find them.

Called into Rocky Creek ‘free camp’ area which was a military hospital during WW2. They are lots of boulders with plaques for all the different groups involved and for later conflicts etc. Steve & I stayed here on our first trip in our caravan – just looked for the photos and I mustn’t have taken any. Will have to come again and get some photos.

Just before Tolga got a photo of the Big Peanut.

Lovely Flame Tree in Tolga.

Through Kairi and then to the Black Gully Sailing Club area on Lake Tinaroo. First looking across to Tinaroo and the main boat ramp then across to Platypus Bay where all the dark green pine trees of the Forestry are.

Around down towards Downfall etc and over the rest of this bay.

Someone had been starting to chop down the old trees.

A bit further around we checked out the boat ramp!!

Back out and then up to the Lookout over Tinaroo – unfortunately all the trees have grown up and there isn’t a good view anymore. When we were younger we attended Presbyterian Camps at the hall below the Lookout. They used to march us all up from the hall then up to the Lookout trying to tire us out so we would go to bed and sleep!! Boy we had some fun on those camps.

Into Tinaroo to check out the Information plaques. Kaylene and I had done all this last year but the water was a lot higher then. Great to be able to show it this low to Erica and Terry. In 2003 the dam got down to 23%, it is now at 37%.

View from the information area. The swimming pontoon is high and dry.

Followed the road around the front of the Tinaroo Lodge complex – another view up the dam towards Downfall.

I have decided we have our Spring in November as all the trees start blooming then like this Poinciana.

Around to the Dam Wall Lookout with more information and photos. Shame they haven’t put where and what the photos are of. Two great photos though of the dam full and flowing over the spillway and one of the dam under construction.

Looking across to the Dam Wall. On our camps and with school we have done excursion where we walked into the wall cavity and along it – I remember seeing water dripping and wondering if the wall had a leak!!! You can’t do anything like that now and they have even closed off the walk along the top to the spillway – too much over protecting now but also too many people sueing!!

Across the irrigation channel – missed that photo. Pulled in below the wall for a photo of the water spraying out to keep the Barron River flowing – we have the hydro-electricity facility in the Barron Gorge so it needs the water to keep flowing. Then it all flows out to the Inlet. We have the air-conditioner cranked up as it is a dry hot day today. The smell that met us though by the water nearly sent us back into the car – Rotten rotten eggs. Held our breath and grabbed a few photos. Just got the rainbow in the spray.

All the Frangipanis are in bloom too.

Across the Barron River.

Up to the other side next to the wall – looking across to Barrabadeen Scout Camp area and then down the Lake towards Downfall and Fong On Bays. We have had many wonderful camps at Barrabadeen with the kids and friends.

Wound our way around the edge of the Lake.

Turned into Platypus Bay camp area. I love all the pine trees which are all under the Forestry Dept. Terry (who used to be an Overseer for the Forestry) said the timber is used for housing.

Long way down to the water from the campsites – looking back to the dam wall then back up the other way towards Downfall etc.

Next stop was Downfall Campground. The designated sites are a long way from the water so this guy made his own campsite. Scanning around to look across to Fong On Bay then back up towards the Dam Wall. Fong On Bay campground was our favourite place in our late teens with all ‘the boys’ water skiing.

Kauri Creek – used mainly by the canoeists etc is very dry though this is still a trickle of water going down the creek into the lake.

Across the little bridge over Kauri Creek.

Down the pine-lined road to School Point campground. This was the ‘later’ years campground with the old gang – not as much water skiing done then.

First view of the lake here – wow this shows how low it is as we used to ski over those logs. Years ago, before things got to official, the guys got permission to chop down trees to open up this area for skiing. I think when the dam was lower they were chopped again. Looks like they should do it again but probably aren’t allowed now due to ‘red tape’ regulations etc.

Drove along the edge which would be the high water mark to check out the exposed bridge. Someone had found an old hat which Steve tried on. Amazing to think that bridge has been under a lot of water for many, many years (except when it was exposed last time in 2003) and it is still ok. People have driven over it but we certainly didn’t.

We used to tow the kids up into this bay skiing.

Then back down and around the bend.

More photos as we drove back then along the bank to further up the other side of the ski area. Very dry here – there is another bridge where Steve helped a cow out of the mud once.

The old fence posts are still standing.

Didn’t go into Fong On Bay camp area as it is a longer drive in. Lots of memories there. Continued along the dirt road to Lake Euramoo. Friends used to tell us scary stories about the ghosts here!!

Further along was The Chimneys. At last I now know their story as the National Parks have put up a sign. The house was built in 1924 and the two men operated a steam driven saw mill near here.

Across Euramoo Creek where lots of ‘Wait-a-While’ is growning – nasty vine with prickles that grab your clothing or your skin and make you ‘wait-a-while’ till you can untangle yourself.

Next stop was the Cathedral Fig Tree. Information boards about all the area.

Great photo of the Gillies Lookout. Steve & I drove out there once – fabulous views.

Terry found some Blue Figs from this tall tree. They used its timber and another tree to make planes that couldn’t be located on radars during the war.

More info.

Certainly is an impressive sight.

Huge ferns growing up high in the branches.

Around the other side.

The thick vine of the ‘Wait-a-While’ which is called Lawyer Vine and was used as a cane – never felt that thank goodness. Dad thinks it was called Lawyer as it held you up a lot!!!

Terry pointed out a Red Cedar tree. Terry had a slab of Red Cedar which I got polished and made into a coffee table – it is at Jon’s now.

Left the Forestry area around Lake Tinaroo and headed for home through the rolling hills of dairy farms along Boar Pocket Road.

Onto the bitumen as we start the windy road down the Gillies Range. Stopped at Heales Lookout – oops Outlook (named after the Shire Councillor of the area). Much better view today as the fires that were still smouldering when we last came up are all gone.

Looking over Little Mulgrave, Goldsborough and lots of canefields leading to Gordonvale. I went abseiling up in those hills when I was 15 on an Outward Bound thing with school. There are gold mines up in the hills of Goldsborough – might have to check them out again one day.

Continued down the range – Mr Frog greets us. We used to always look for the Bikini Lady when we were kids as a marker for how much further we had to go. She was a tree that someone had painted a bikini on and over the years someone kept her dressed in various bikini togs. The Gillies is a very windy range though they have straightened a few corners out. Of course it was much more windy when first built.

Stopped at Robson’s Track marker. Steve used to ride his motorbike down this track. Now it is a favourite with the mountain bikers and hikers.

Past the Little Mulgrave Pub – an iconic hotel in these parts. Over the Little Mulgrave River and past all the Grass Farm. I used to work with Terry at BSES – now he is growing grass for yards etc and even had his grass used for the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Following the river down passed the turn off to Goldsborough then on to Gordonvale. Nearly at Edmonton I snapped a shot of cane being dumped in the rail bins ready to head off to the mill at Gordonvale to be crushed. I missed getting a shot of the cane harvester.

Back to the Van Park to drop Terry and Erica off then home to change and back out to Andrea and Alan’s for our Christmas dinner. I was in charge of dessert so I had made a Sticky Date Cake yesterday and had the sauce ready to go. Made a pavlova with fresh cream and fruit and got some fruit mince pies too. Andrea had everything looking beautiful with lots of lights and heaps of Christmas decorations.