Our two weeks in Cairns had come to an end and we decided to start the trip southwards and spent four great days and nights at Babinda Rest Area where we met up with two great couples we had previously met on this trip.
We took a picnic lunch with one couple and visited Babinda Boulders, a lovely spot with a great walk along the pathway following the cascading water.
The following day after saying farewell to one couple another couple we know arrived, so they joined us for another picnic, this time at Josephine Falls and Golden Pond. This is a very pretty area with the two highest mountains in Queensland, Mt Bartle Frere and Mt Bellenden Ker, towering above the area.
Innisfail became our next base. The towns Art Deco style buildings and bridge make great photo opportunities. The North Johnson and South Johnson Rivers meet and create a pleasant and functional harbour area in the centre of town.
Sugar is the main industry in this area and a sugar museum can be visited at Mourilyan and a large raw sugar loading facility proved to be very interesting at Mourilyan Harbour. In past years cattle loading for export was conducted at this port and the old cattle yards are still standing.
Flying Fish Point and Etty Bay are just a short drive from Innisfail and are beautiful, quiet, fishing and holiday destinations.
The Mamu Rainforest Canopy Walkway on the Palmerston Highway gives spectacular views of the tropical rainforest, highest mountains, river and valleys from high in the tree tops. A little further along the road we visited Crawford's Lookout which also overlooks the very deep valley from a different angle.
After a week at Innisfail we visited Paronella Park, a castle built by a Spanish immigrant in the early 1900’s. Jose Paronella came to Australia in 1913, worked very hard, bought some land, returned to Spain to collect his wife then proceeded to hand build his dream castle on the banks of the Mena Creek overlooking the waterfall. The castle was open to the public and was a very popular entertainment area with a ballroom, theatre, cafe,swimming pool, tennis court and beautiful gardens.
Unfortunately cyclones and time have caused a great deal of damage but the current owners are committed to restoring the castle to its former glory. We hope to return in a couple of years to see how the ballroom rebuilding is progressing.
From Paronella Park we travelled back to the Bruce Highway and then to the coastal town of Kurrimine Beach but decided not to stay as it was very busy. Tully Heads was our eventual resting spot for the next week. Tully is famously known as the wettest town in Australia and has been awarded the “Golden Gumboot”. A huge gumboot is the centre piece at the park as you enter the town.
Tully has some interesting scenic places close by and we filled several days by driving around the district to view them. Tully Gorge provides a cascade of water each morning when water is released from the dam at the top and rafting is a popular sport on the fast flowing white water.
Murray Falls was very spectacular even at this time of year. There is a camping ground and swimming hole although the water was very cold.
We also visited Mission Beach with its “Big Cassowary” but weren’t lucky enough to see a real one in our travels. The quaint little town of El Arish, beside the Bruce Highway has a pub which has been refurbished after the last cyclone so we enjoyed a cold drink and wandered around the old building and took in the great display of photos and memorabilia of the town and its characters.
Bananas and sugar cane are the main industries in this area and harvest was in full swing. Crawf was most interested in the different types of machinery used in the sugar industry. At this time of year the farmers are cutting, carting and replanting sugar cane all at the same time.
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