HAPPY DAYS IN CAIRNS

What a way to finish the trip! Thanks Struan, Sue and girls for such a great week up there. We pulled in to Cairns and flopped into Struan's house for a much needed relax after pushing hard for the last couple of weeks. We could have spent a month here and still not seen everything. We caught up on a couple of movies at the cinema, played ping pong and did some clothes shopping- simple things that you can't do in most of the places we've been. We also did some really cool things like the train and Skyrail to Kuranda, Hartley's Crocodile farm and when Struan treated Mum and Dad to a night in Port Douglas, we went to the Cairns night markets.
There were lots of other things we did like crazy rides at the Cairns show and rafting on the Tully River but probably the best was the amazing day on the Outer Barrier Reef- wow, thanks Farmor and Grandpa for treating us- what a day. We saw whales jumping totally out of the water right up close to our boat, swam with Hawks Bill turtles, sharks, sting rays, a moray eel, clams and lots of fish of all types and colours.

Well all good things have to come to an end and now its time to head home and remember what real life is! But we will be thinking about the next great adventure- there's plenty to choose from.....

Finlay and Freya

Lucky Fin was there to save the day!

Maybe white men can't jump but Crocodiles clearly can

Hartley Creek Croc Park

Would you trust this face?

Train to Kuranda

Butterfly Farm in Kuranda

Inside the Skyrail gondola

Rafting on the Tully with Captains Gary and Struan

Top Guns of the Cairns Helicopter Rescue Service

Heading out to the Reef

THE OUTER REEF

CRAZY TIMES from Nhulunbuy to Cairns

Its a long, long way to Nhulunby the song should say! 700km of dirt road known as the Central Arnhem Road to be precise. It all started well and the road was in reasonable condition and we overnighted at Mainoru. Things were ticking over well the next day til we had a call from the Hills on the 2-way to say they had a problem- this was an understatement. They had a major problem! Their trailer had spun around 360 degrees at least once when a suspension spring had broken and flipped the trailer over. Amazingly, Greg held onto the car and they were all ok. But it did mean they had no trailer or boat any more. This took the edge off our time in Nhulunbuy but we did get to see that it is an amzing place. We also happened to be there for Territory Day on the first of July which was a celebration of all things Northern Territory including Fireworks!
We then headed back along the same road and made it to Mataranka where we met the Joyces again and went to Bitter Springs which was so nice that we went back again early the next morning before heading for the Queensland border. We had a great bush camp that night with the best camp oven dinner ever and a few left over fireworks to celebrate Pete's birthday. The next day we made it to Mt Isa where we did an underground mine tour which was really impressive. We got  to see some of the older machinery being used and driven around- not sure I'd want to work underground.
We left the Joyces and headed for Cairns stopping at Undarra on the way to check out the amazing lava tunnels.

This Black-headed Python was one of the few distractions on the long road to Nhulunbuy

Fireworks and fish at Nhulunbuy

The sky above Nhulunbuy on Territory Night

Bitter Springs- early in the morning before the crowds arrive

Under water at Bitter Springs

The tastiest camp oven dinner ever

Sunset near the Qld/NT border

Yum!

Lava Tunnel at Undara

FISHY DAYS AT FANTASTIC COBOURG

The stars aligned and the Hills, Joyces and ourselves came together in Kakadu. We spent 2 days playing around and sight-seeing which included lots of crocs on the Yellow Waters Billabong tour.
For a while it looked like the stars were no longer aligned as the hills trailer axel came away from the trailer! With everyone helping we managed to repair it on the road and keep going. The stars re-aligned and the fish were on. We did a charter fishing day where we filled the fridges with beautiful eating fish like Golden Snapper and Esturine cod. We also got a lot of tips on where to go ourselves.
The next few days were filled with fish and mud crabs. The fish included Mackrell, Baraccuda, Mangrove Jack, Barrumundi, Giant Trevally, Flat head and Long Tom.

We had a fantastic time at Cobourg and it was one of the few places we have been that was really isolated with very few other people. Even the drives up and down were interesting. On the way up we stopped at a creek crossing and saw an amazing collection of birds like Jabiru, Brolgas, Darters and more. As well as 2 File snakes. On the way back we passed a wild water buffalo. I think we will be back one day with our own boat.

Finlay

 

Kakadu Art

Kakadu Croc

 

 

All Aboard for the Fishing Charter

 

 

Pete's Big Golden Snapper- Yum

 

Observation Point near Victoria Settlement where one man was stationed for 11 years to watch for invading French and Dutchmen!!

The Ill-fated Victoria Settlement

Mackrell and Baraccuda

Mangrove Jack in Caiman Creek

Cobourg Jetty

 

 

BUNGLE BUNGLES

After some serious washing and food shopping in Kununurra we headed for the Bungles Bungles. Some parts really do look like beehives. The place was amazing, very striking. I went on my first helicopter flight which let us see all of the Bungles and it was spectacular- lots of fun in the chopper too! On the ground we hiked 12km up Piccanini Creek and into the gorge and then camped at the most unreal spot next to a waterhole and huge rock wall. We also liked Echidna and Cathedral gorges.
Then we headed down to Wolfe Creek Crater- where a meteorite hit the ground 300 000 years ago. It was massive and I’m glad I wasn’t there when it happened. That was our last night with the Goldricks as they headed for Alice Springs and we went north-east on the Buntine Highway. On the first afternoon we saw a King Brown that was over 2 meters long. We followed it at a safe distance til it hid in a clump of spinifex.
If all goes well we should be with the Hills and Joyces in 3 days time in Kakadu.

Finlay

Bungle Bungles from the Helicopter

 

 

In the Chopper

 

 

The Fire Chief hard at work

 

Cathedral Gorge

 

The Ampitheatre at Cathedral Gorge

 

Picaninni Creek

Hiking/Camping in Picaninni Gorge

On the way back from Picaninni Gorge

Oh what a feeling- Bungle Bungles!

Yes we have our seat belts on! Maybe

Mini termite mounds

Wolfe Creek Crater

 

Sunset at Wolfe Creek Crater

Heading for the Buntine Highway

 

 

 

KIMBERLY KAPERS 3

On to the Mitchell Plateau and the first 2 nights we spent at the King Edward River just relaxing. We went to Mitchell Falls- we walked there and back, the Goldricks took the helicopter in for an aerial view of the whole region- and Surveyors Pool and Port Warender.

Next stop was El Questro which had beautiful scenery and a “Hamburger Night”. This was particularly handy as our pantry was now pretty low! I really liked El Questro Gorge and Zebedee Hot Springs.

From here we went up the Old Kurunjie Track which was a real highlight. It was nice to finally be alone in the Kimberly with incredible scenes like the Cockburn Ranges, billabongs and marshes full of bird life and banks of the Pentacost River where we stopped and counted real, wild Salties! At the other end of the track was Diggers Rest which had 60 horses, nice dogs and heaps of goats which were giving birth to kids in front of our eyes! We had to check each time before driving that none of the kids had hidden under the Prado. We had a crack at Barra fishing with one eye on the look out for crocs but didn’t manage to land one.

This morning we came to the end of the Gibb River Road (Highway as it really is these days!) and headed into Kununurra and internet access.

Freya

Walking across top of Big Mertins Falls

 

Big Mertins Falls

On the way to Mitchell Falls

Mitchell Falls

Port Warrender

Back Massage at Surveyors Pool

Surveyors Pool

Surveyors Pool

The King Edward River

Cockburn Ranges