Lovely
sunrise colours. Tide right out with mackerel clouds.
Heard
this crunching noise then spotted a Great Palm Cockatoo eating the Coastal Almond
tree’s nuts.
Packed
up and headed into Bamaga. I walked back to check out some plaques I spotted.
Bamaga is named after a Saibai Islander, Bamaga, who brought his people here in
1946.
As
well as the horses roaming the streets they have the usual wandering dogs.
Headed
out of town towards the Injinoo Airport. More horses and a pony. Sadly there
was a dead one by the road too.
Found
the DC3 plane wreck from 1945.
Walked
further along the road and found more bits of the plane that had ripped off as
it came through the trees. This wing must have wrapped around a tree looking at
the curve in it.
We
followed another track and found the fuel dump – plenty of old drums lying
around over a large area.
Note
off Margaret’s Hema – As Japan pushed down through Papua New Guinea during
World War 2, the Cape became a major base for Australian troops. In this period
many planes crashed and wrecks of a DC3, 2 Beaufort Bombers and a Kittyhawk
fighter can be seen near Jackey Jackey Airfield (now called Injinoo).
We
found one of the Beaufort Bombers. It was spread over a large area.
Back
across the end of the airport runway which has cattle grazing at one end of it.
We
drove in to find the Kittyhawk but we found another plaque for the other
Beaufort Bomber inside.
Some
interesting artwork. I could have used that painting on my van – 2 geckos
travelling.
Outside
was a memorial to the people who lost their lives in the plane crash at
Lockhart River in 2005. We remember that well.
Nearby
was a plaque about Jackey Jackey who was Kennedy’s companion.
Watched
a plane take off. Reminds me of when we used to watch Dad fly down to Brisbane for work and when he returned. We would hang off the wire mesh watching the planes landing and trying to be first to see him get off the plane. So different nowadays at Cairns Airport.
Back
to the turn off and up and down the dirt road till we joined the Bypass Road.
Straight ahead is the Old Telegraph Track down to the Jardine River but you
can’t cross there anymore.
Around
to the ferry and straight on board and across we went.
Very
corrugated on this side of the road. Onto some bitumen. Passed the turn off to
Mistake Creek then road works. The water truck had just been through so we were
flicking up mud.
We
pulled into a parking area near the track into Fruit Bat Falls and had our
lunch.
Very
smoky – the wind is blowing from the east so something is burnt over there.
Passed the turn off to Captain Billy’s Landing. We will come back another time
and do these other east coast beaches. Pretty yellow flowers on the trees.
More
roadworks near the turn off to the Heathlands Ranger Station. Mal is fascinated
with how corrugations form in one spot but not another. We had an in-depth
conversation over the UHF while we were driving along.
Heading
back into the big ant hill country.
Stopped
at Branwell Roadhouse so Bob could top up his field then continued on to
Moreton Telegraph Station to camp for the night. I spotted more plaques as we
drove in – about the bridge and a telegraph station overseer.
We
paid our camp fees and picked a spot on the other side in the bush rather than
the lush grass area.
Bob
and Margaret were driving with their windows down so Bob was getting a hair
colour change. With his wild eyebrows we all reckon he looks like Jack
Nicholson.
Went
for a wander and found photos of the Great Palm Cockatoo. It is their mascot
and is on all their things for sale.
Some
laughing kookaburras landed in the tree near us and had a wonderful cackle.
Dug
out the barra fishing rods to try our luck down at the Barra Hole in the
Wenlock River. Checked out some graves as we went.
Bit
of a walk past all the other camp facilities. A tour group driving old land
drovers we having a cuppa. Two chaps were making repairs on a fuel tank that
had split.
Down
the track to the river. Had a good look around and didn’t spot any crocs or
croc evidence.
Steve
showed Malcolm how to cast the lure and after 4 casts he hooked a little barra.
I managed to get it on video. He was very excited. Too small to keep but he has
ticked that off his bucket list.
Bob
put his lure in a tree so Steve went for a long walk downstream and across to
retrieve it.
We
flicked and flicked but couldn’t get any more action. Mal headed back so Steve
flicked the lure for a bit and parked it on a rock so another trek down and
around to retrieve it.
Time
for drinks so we headed back. Noticed this concrete thing which Steve thinks
could have been for a flying fox across the river.
Our
route for today.
Had
dinner then played Skipbo – very funny!!
Lovely
clear sky tonight.
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