Easter in March

From Fletcher Creek we headed further south and spent the Easter weekend at Bedford Wier, a man-made muddy river/lake created from damming. The banks were crowded with holidayers and waterskiiers. Farther up we found a nice spot under some trees with nice neighbours: Sandy and Stan who'd raised 5 kids and were now training their little dog Gem not to bark by spraying her with water. It seemed to be working.

A short walk away was the dam and a clear shallow river where we caught crayfish, ghost shrimp and eel-tailed catfish, and cooled off. It was a popular fishing area. On Easter morning eggs were hidden all around the van. It was chocolate for breakfast!

On the 3rd day the girls and I were happily exploring the island in the river you see above when Kevin saw a yellow and black striped snake swimming in the river farther up. We quickly exited the area. It was time to move on anyway as we were planning to meet Jim in Brisbane the next weekend.

Fletcher Creek, March

As we headed south, driving an inland road towards Charter's Towers (a nice town an hour in from the coast), we discovered Fletcher Creek, a roadside camping area on a beautiful creek. A man told us people camp for months on it's banks, catching crayfish and relaxing. He had been coming there for years with his wife and was now there waiting for his daughter to arrive so they could sprinkle his wife's ashes at the river, where she'd wanted them. On a lighter note, he advised us to buy meaty bites dog food with rice, to bait our crayfish traps.

We picked a spot upstream from everyone, near a couple with a jack russel terrier named Mitzi who barked at us ferociously until she decided we were ok. We stayed for 2 nights and had a great time.

Our traps caught dozens of crayfish each time. We threw most of them back but cooked up a few. The girls were dramatic and teary the first time we cooked them, begging for the crustacean's lives. They felt a little better about it when Kevin said he'd just cook the boys.

We cooked about ten and made the girls try them (not without a fight). Kyra maintains she does not like them, but Mercedes loves them! The next day she helped Kevin pop a few into the boiling water on the fire. She said to him 'They're gonna be lookin' down at you and cursin' you.' Kevin said, 'what about you? You're cooking them too.' She replied 'Yeah, but I'm just a little kid.' You've got to love the logic.

Both girls loved to check the traps, pulling them out of the river first thing in the morning and throughout the day by a long rope and tossing them back. They got good at picking the crayfish up without getting pinched. They even created games with them, naming some, and sorting the small ones out from the big ones to protect them, catching the escapees, and then setting them all free to the river.

I taught the girls how to build a small fire. Kyra was especially enthusiastic and spent many hours with the project. We had a few great campfires in the evenings and enjoyed the quiet. The camp site doesn't look like much in the photo but this stop was a highlight of our travels. It's interesting what moments stick with you as you move on.

Trying to go North, March

We left Mission Beach after being stuck an extra night because of flooded roads. We were getting very soggy by now but were hoping to continue north. We just love the tropical jungles with it's night sounds and tree frogs. From Innisfail we turned inland to visit more waterfalls and rainforest. A woman at an information centre in Milanda suggested we go for a swim at Lake Eachem. It was a beautiful lake that could have been in Nova Scotia, except the water was quite clear and the surrounding forest was tropical. We had a great swim, jumping from a concrete structure into deep water. You could see the fish.

The next morning at a campground in Yungaburra (I love the names of places here), we made the decision to give up going north, and go south to dry out. The rain just wouldn't quit. On the way out of 'the wet' we stopped to see a giant curtain fig: a strangling fig tree whose host tree fell but caught on another tree, so the fig continued to grow, it's roots hanging in a curtain.

I had to add this picture of the cockatoos drinking beside our campsite in Darwin. They're such neat birds.

More Waterfalls and a Turkey, March

From Wallaman Falls we revisited Mission Beach, a tiny tropical town. We stayed at the council campground again and the man that ran it recognized us. It was pretty full but he worked to find us a spot. It was quite a nice feeling to be welcomed back by someone to a place we knew already, after newness everyday for months. We stayed for 4 or 5 nights, meeting the neighbours around us who'd been living there for several months each. It rained a lot, but we got out to see the sights of the area, visiting more waterfalls and freshwater swimming holes. We got back to one of our favourites: Aligator's Nest, a place you need to ask the locals about to find. This time the road was flooded up to the knees before the park. We parked, waded across and walked to the swimming spot. It was much deeper but just as wonderful to swim in. On the way back the girls had a swim on the road!

The turkey you see above is a brush turkey. They're very common in Queensland and I had to include a picture of this comical bird. They always look shocked and amazed.

Wallaman Falls, March 16-17

Wallaman Falls, Australia's highest sheer drop waterfall, plunging 268m to the river below. It was quite a breath taking sight with the noise and the rainbows in it's mist.

On our drive up the mountain towards the falls, a huge goanna was on the road in front of us after we came around a sharp bend. It ran off, but instead of disappearing into the bushes as they usually do, it climbed a tree, giving us a great view and photo opportunity. It was most likely a Perentie monitor, Australia's largest goannas growing up to 2m long, or more. They lay their eggs in termite mounds where the activity of the termites keeps the eggs warm. Just an interesting little fact.

We camped at the nearby campsites. We were the only ones there until evening when another van showed up. We took a forest walk to a river. On the large smooth rocks we saw tadpoles and tiny toads in and around the pools. In the river we spotted long necked turtles. Then Kyra saw something we'd been looking for: a crayfish. After some searching we found it again and Kevin caught it for a picture.

In the morning, Kevin made us pancakes. We had a wonderful time here.

Townsville Again, March

Back on the east coast in Queensland our first stop was Townsville. We had a great time at the foreshore, the well-developed green space on the water that every city and town in Australia has. If the town is away from the water their park is on a river or lake, or just in the town. All of them have free gas barbeques, playgrounds, washrooms and picnic tables, almost without fail. It's a wonderful fixture here in Australia. The foreshore in Townsville runs for kilometers along the ocean, with a giant salt water swimming pool, barbeques and playgrounds dotting the paths, and a huge water fun park for kids, like a giant playground but with water pouring and squirting and dumping out all over. All of this is free. In the picture of the water park I think our kids are under the waterfall.

At the Townsville aquarium we had a great time. One of our favourite creatures to see are the leafy sea dragons, sea horses covered in appendages that look exactly like seaweed. If you've never seen one they're worth a look on the internet. The photos of Mercedes caught in the giant fish and my kids: the snail and Nemo, were taken at the aquarium.

The black cockatoo was hanging around the foreshore along with some of it's mates. They were quite tame. This one is the female red tail. They're great parrots, screeching and waddling around. We never knew a black cockatoo existed until we came to Australia. We found the tiny lizard on the sidewalk and Kyra got it to run up her arm. They're very delicate and quick.

Pretty Cows, March

Still heading across the plains to the east coast in March. It seems so long ago now. The cows are numerous and often on the roads. If you enlarge the cow on the left you'll notice the number of flies on her head, poor thing. The 2 calves were on the road. We drove right up beside them and they didn't move a bit. They just looked in the window at us. Very cute.

The fella in the river was a local who was checking to see if the water was too deep for fishing. We were waiting for a crocodile to have him for lunch. He decided it was too deep and finished his beer.