Fri, 6th July, 2018 Macrossan Park, 22km east of Charters Towers to Mum & Dad’s home, Cairns, Qld (sightseeing)

7am 14.8 degrees, overcast – where’s my sunshine!! Two more trains during the night and one at 6.30am but they were very quiet.

Lots of whistling kites this morning and 3 peacocks came wandering by.

The passenger train came over while we were having breakfast so I stepped out so the driver could see me and he gave us a toot.

Packed up and headed back to the main road. Heard on the UHF about a wide load so we stopped and waited for him to pass. A semi pulling a semi with a big crane behind.

Then another triple load came by.

Descended down from 380m to 200m with mountains of Leichhardt Range appearing. Lovely to be back in the mountains. I think this is the Bluff (545m).

The sky is clearing. At Woodstock we passed the passenger train who went by us at breakfast. Someone’s caravan didn’t make the trip.

Into Townsville – forgot the Supercars are racing there this weekend. Should be stop – not this time. Home is calling. Palm Trees and Castle Hill.

Past the big Army Base, which seems to be getting bigger as it stretches along under Mt Stuart.

Onto the Motorway and across Ross River.

Onto a new section of the motorway we haven’t been on. It bypasses Boule. 328km to Cairns. Traffic hazard sign warns of detour north of us around an accident. We were stuck one time coming home near here when a van had rolled and there was no roads nearby to detour the traffic around so we just sat for a few hours!! As it is the National Highway you would think they would make it 4 lanes all the way around Australia!!

Rang Mum to say where we were. Highway has wide centre lines etc but now it is only 80km for a long way.

At last back to 100km section. Pandanus Palms beside the very long water pipe.

Stopped for a cuppa at Rollingstone. We had our first night of ‘The Trip’ here on the 16^th August, 2014 – wow hasn’t time just flown by.

Parked near the creek. Nice plaques on the toilet block about ‘Bushy’ Parker who the park is named after.

Steve tossed in a bit of biscuits and lots of little fish arrived.

Decided we needed a selfie to celebrate our return here. I even put my feet in the water – bit chilly.

Then a turtle and eel came out for a look. Even a freshwater prawn.

Spotted a kingfisher flitting around too. He sat still for a moment so I could get some photos.

Where we parked on our first night. Dug out the 2014 photo.

Spotted some information boards that are new since we were last here.

Past pineapple fields. Another mangled van or something by the road side as we head north.

Past the Frosty Mango – missed a photo of the big happy mango there. 

Sugarcane with lots of arrows – learnt all about that when I worked in the sugar industry when I was 20. Harvesting is on now so we have to watch out for the trucks taking the bins to the railway sidings and for the locos taking the sugarcane to the mills.

Bambaroo – Steve remembers coming down to the Ingham Speedway which was against the mountain in a cane paddock, many years ago.

Found the detour. It is a little road around the farm houses – not really suitable for this amount of traffic, big trucks, vans and it seems some people think they should be able to do 100km/h on it too!!

The accident – petrol tanker had crashed just on the top end of that stretch so we came out of the side road just above it.

Roadworks next raising the road and a new bridge over Cattle Creek floodplains before Toobanna.

Through Ingham then across Herbert River. Heading into clouds again.

Up the Cardwell Range and turned off to the Lookout (153m).  We remember this range before it was improved when we used to head south for Speedway and to Steve’s parents – very windy.

Two lookouts over Hinchinbrook Island and Channel. Still lovely view even with the clouds. Some people were complaining about the power lines spoiling the view. I said they need to cut the tree down in front!!

Lots of information.

Walked around to Panjoo Lookout. Better view and you can see around to Lucinda Point jetty. Took a video of the view.

As we headed back down from the lookout we had a fabulous view back over Ingham and the plume of steam coming up from the sugar mill but I didn’t have time to get a photo. They need a lookout for that view too.

Through State Forest so lots of pine trees – oh the lovely mountains.

Past 5 Mile Swimming Hole – that brings back memories too. Into Cardwell for lunch. The sun is shining and the sea is sparkling. The town has come back well after its devastation from Cyclone Yasi. Lots of interesting art along the foreshore.

Very busy so we went further along and found a spot by the water. The breeze has sprung up as the clouds came over the sun and it is quite chilly. We found a seat not in the shade with a nice view back over the water and Hinchinbrook Island.

  

Continued north past ‘Sunbeam House’ which has been restored as I am sure it was in worst condition than that when we passed by it nearly 4 years ago. Everyone loves this little cottage.

Slow going – lots of roadworks. These two wrecks are beside a stop/go lights for one of the roadworks, obviously one stopped and the other one didn’t.

Travelling beside the railway line. The boys and I had a few trips on it going down to Woodgate for Easter when they were young – loved it.

Rope ladders over the road so the ring-tailed possum and sugar gliders can traverse the road safely. I wonder if they have a camera to see if any of them actually use it.

Across another ‘Murray River’ which is more like a creek, near Euramo. Mt Tyson and the Tully Sugar Mill with steam pouring out.

Passed the turn off into Cowley Beach – lots of fond memories of our years in our shack there.

Across the South Johnstone River and through Innisfail.

‘Broken Nose’ and Mount Bartle Frere come into view as we leave Innisfail. It is Queensland’s highest mountain at 1622m. Steve and I have climbed it in our younger days so at least it isn’t on our bucket list!! Lots of bananas here.

Over the North Johnstone River.

Better view of Bartle Frere.

Through Babinda - this couple have been working on this garden for years.

Mount Bellenden Ker is under cloud. It is Queensland’s 2^nd highest mountain at 1597m.

Getting close to home when we can see Walsh’s Pyramid (922m). Crazy people run up and down it each year in a foot race. We haven’t climbed it but I don’t think I will die with any regrets if I don’t climb it.

Gordonvale Sugar Mill pumping out steam. Across the Mulgrave River.

Six lanes into Cairns now. It just keeps growing though the subdivisions are getting further out of town due to our narrow flat stretch between the mountains and the sea.

White Rock – named because of the white rock at the top. Harder to see now as the hillside doesn’t get burnt as often since they stopped burning the sugar cane.

Into Cairns – City in a Garden. Of course that always causes problems when they have to block of the lanes to prune all the plants!!

Past the beautiful big raintrees – nearly home.

My home with Mum and Dad since I was in Grade 3 and where we were living for the 7 months before we headed off on our trip.

I can see Mum through the window.

So wonderful to see Mum and Dad again, even though I was only here in February it seems so long ago.

Had a cuppa then unpacked the truck – back into my old bedroom.

Rang Erica to say we had arrived safely. Our route for today. 9660km since we have left our van.

Dinner at Brothers with Mum and Dad – no joy from the membership draw.