Charters Towers

We left Greenvale of Monday 17th September and headed down the road to Charters Towers. We stopped at the first caravan park we saw , which is the Dalrymple Caravan Park, it is well set out and the amenities have flyscreen doors on - so cool - the first ones we have seen and there are no bugs in the toilets or showers - great. It is next door to the golf course for any one that is handy with a club and only 15 minutes walk to the town centre. Pictures below, and this weekend starts their centenary celebrations.We are going on a Texas Longhorn Steer muster in a covered wagon and having Billy tea and damper for morning tea on sunday and then on Monday we will be leaving for pastures new.

Entrance to the Caravan Park

Where we are parked - next to the horse in the paddock

This was the Bank of New South Wales

This was the Telegraph Office

City Hall

The Australian Bank of commerce

These are just a few of the beautiful old buildings in Charters Towers and there are lots of other things to see and do. We went to the Zara Clark Museum this morning and what a beautiful eclectic place that is, lovely people and great exhibits. We are going to the antique fair tomorrow and then panning for gold and to the lookout. Will let you know how we go.

Greenvale

We left Malanda heading towards Charters Towers on the inland route, we were thinking of staying one night at the oasis Roadhouse near the Lynd Junction, but the park was full of Dongas for the roadworks people and they were charging $35 for a night with no TV, Phone or internet connections so we carried on to Greenvale and stayed at the Caravan park there. Although this was an older park the amenities are spotless and it makes a nice change to see people put flowers in vases in the amenities blocks. You could also pick your own spot, either down the back through the paddock (with power and water) or on a slab with power and water. The people were very friendly and helpful.

they had a board advertising a meal at the Country Club on a Friday night for $10 so we went to try it. What a great time we had, again very friendly people and they told us the history of Greenvale, it was a three course meal, we all sat down together at one long table and the drinks were $3 for beer and wine.

The town itself boasts an Olympic swimming pool , a pub, a caravan park, a servo 2 small shops and a craft shop, a seniors centre where they have craft days every weekend. They also boast that they have one of only four "Sausage Trees" in Australia. (Picture below)

We initially booked in for one night but stayed three - so relaxing. The owner offered Stephen a job but he declined.

The same day a gentleman drove in not feeling too well (all by himself) sweating out of breath and chest pains, and even though it was in the middle of nowhere they rang for an ambulance who came from Townsville and started to treat him on the spot for a heartattack. They had to get the chopper in to fly him to Townsville where they put him in the icu. When we left he was out of the icu and doing ok.

The inland road - The Kennedy Highway/Developmental Road was all red dirt and road works for at least 100ks. It took twice as long as it should have to get where we were going and by the time we got to Greenvale we were really tired. Would not advise anyone to use that road unless they have to or until they finish the roadworks.

windmills near Ravenshoe on the way to Greenvale

Greenvale Sausage Tree

We really enjoyed our time at Greenvale and will go back there if we are in the area again and highly recommend the stop at the Caravan Park to everyone.

Long time no post

 We flew home to Brisbane for the weekend on 31st August as it was my daughters birthday, her husbands birthday, my birthday and fathers day all in one weekend. And we missed everyone. We had a great time

From left to righ - Harley (a friends son) Owen and Jack our precious grandsons

Waiting for food to arrive in the local hotel

We have been without internet access for a while, hence no posts and this will be a long one with pictures. Our last adventure in the Cairns area was to Cooktown. We went in the morning early as it was a three and a half hour drive. We lunched in the botanic gardens and walked along the front to the gun powder storage area, we saw the Captain cook statue and read all the information about the beaching of the Endeavour and then we went to the Captain Cook Museum which we spent the longest time in and then we drove three and a half hours back to Cairns, but it was worth it

The harbour at Cooktown (not a good picture)

Captain Cook statue

View from Lighthouse lookout

The lighthouse - very sunny day

We left Cairns and headed back to Malanda for another week of rest and relaxation. We only did one long trek this week and it was to Chillagoe to see the caves. Imagine me caving. they were gorgeous and the photos do not do them justice. We also visited Haloran's hill lookout in Atherton and Mareeba Heritage centre and the town where I got my hair cut.

Trezkinn Cave

Chandalier Trezkinn Cave

Just to prove I did do the caves

View from the opening to theTrezkinn cave

Balancing Rock

Area around balancing rock

Royal Archway cave inhabitant (there were quite a few of these huntsman spiders in this larger cave)

Rock formation in one of the caves with small tree roots growing down from the surface

Larger tree roots growing down from the surface

Another stupendouse stalagtite (think that is the one that grows down)

Cows eat cars in FNQ ( Far North Queensland ) they breed them tough up here

Views from Halloran's Hill, Atherton

Another view from Halloran's Hill

Inside the Mareeba Heritage Centre

Love this Dunny with just the legs showing

The front of the Heritage and Visitor Information centre

Places we visited in Cairns area

Here are some more pictures of places that we visited in the Cairns area

Copperlode Dame Lake Morris

Copperlode Dam

Kuranda Station

River Cruise Barron River, Kuranda

One of the inhabitants of the Barron River

Small bird making a nest in the lifejackets on the boat

Cairns front (mostly mudflats)

Cairns esplanade

Cairns boardwalk along the front

Ferry crossing the Daintree River to Cape Tribulation

Cape Tribulation from the lookout

A tree in the picnic area

Cape Tribulation Beach

One of the many Boardwalks in the Rainforest at Cape Tribulation

One of the Cafes in the Daintree Village

Barron Falls from Kuranda side

The Kuranda train stops so that people can get off and take pictures of the falls

Close ups of the falls

Barron Falls