Many times we have ‘negotiated’ with road trains whilst driving on the more remote dirt roads. By ‘negotiate’ we simply mean you get out of the way of these 3 or 4 trailer behemoths, 50 odd metres long and with 70+ wheels kicking up their associated dust, dirt and debris, all without any issues at all.
Leaving Karumba Point for our journey eastward towards the coast and only about 50 kms into it... plus on a sealed road, when an empty mining road train passed going in the opposite direction when ‘wham’, a small rock flipped up from its tyres and caught the right edge of the windscreen.
No big deal we thought but we were wrong as a crack started making its way across the glass and right across the drivers view and a few days later it was almost half way across our windscreen.
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| Windscreen crack after a few days |
When the sun danced on the crack from the right angle, it made it look like sparklers were alight in front of our eyes. Very distracting and something that needed to be fixed by replacing the windscreen.
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| The route taken during FNQ Part 2 from Karumba Point along the Savannah Way to Atherton and then eventually back home |
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| Our route from Karumba Point to Atherton |
We were back travelling on part of a 3,700 km road route called the Savannah Way which goes from Broome, WA to Cairns Qld and where we met rapidly changing road conditions. At times we had single lanes going in opposite directions but there were larger sections of only a single lane and wide graded dirt shoulders on both sides to handle traffic going in either direction.
What this meant when confronted by a road train coming towards you, let alone any other vehicle, we had to drive off the sealed road onto the dirt, an interesting and quite regular event as we made our way to our first overnight stop… the Cumberland Chimney.
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| Free camping at the historic Cumberland Chimney |
The chimney was built by Cornish masons after gold was discovered in 1872, then a town was established in 1886 including the chimney, and a gold treating battery using cyanide, was built in 1890.
Apart from the chimney, all that remains is a lake with an excellent covered observation deck overlooking it and toilets. As usual, wherever there is permanent water there is birdlife and makes this a popular free camping spot.
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| Small sample of birdlife found at lake of Cumberland Chimney |
There were four other campers scattered around a very large area and once again with no moon in the sky, tried to take a photo of the chimney being lit up by a very small personal head lamps, the milky Way forming its blanket above it.
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| The chimney and Milky Way |
We only had limited time the next day to travel the 106 kms to our next location which doesn’t sound very hard but we had to be there by 1:00 pm to join a tour and there was a fair bit of rough, rocky dirt road to negotiate.
This destination has become very popular as its reputation grows, so on the way in, not only we only managing 35 kph but were following in the dust of others heading the same way… but it was worth it.
This destination and associated tours are heavily booked, so the 1:00pm tour was our only option with no other tours available for a few days, amazing considering where it is located!
We had reached Cobbold Gorge Village, a private venture created by a cattle station owner in the middle of nowhere. The attraction of course is the Cobbold Gorge itself which can only be seen by doing a guided tour.
The camping area was on rocky dirt and very dry, but there was both power and water if you needed it. There were also very well appointed cabins, a large reception/shop building, a restaurant and an affinity pool overlooking a natural lagoon. Not quite what we had expected but very well done.
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| The infinity pool was welcome relief from the heat in Cobbold Gorge 'village' |
At 1:00 pm exactly we boarded a 4WD bus with about 14 other people and bumped our way down winding dirt tracks before crossing an apparently dry river bed, apart from the fact there was a bore pumping water from below its surface.
First part of the tour was a 2 hr walk in amongst rock formations and the scrub whilst being taught about native plants, whether they could be used for food or for medicine and slowly climbing up onto the top of the rock.
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| The walking track climbs up through very rocky terrain |
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| Rob wearing her bridge slippers before crossing |
It was as if something had used a scalpel to slice down into the rock to let the water slowly but surely over thousands of years to form its deep snake like form deep within the surface.
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| The narrow Cobbold Gorge snaking through the rocky landscape |
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| The electric boats negotiating there way along the gorge |
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| Glass bottom bridge as seen from the boats |
There were 2 boats in the water but we were not alone whilst sliding almost silently past a large freshwater crocodile, it must have been very used to visitors because there was no movement from it at all.
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| Large freshwater croc watching us glide by |
All this lead to taking way too many photos of course!
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| The views within the gorge were simply gorgeous |
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| Campfire near the restaurant in the 'village' |
A friend had shared another free camping spot further east, so next morning after negotiating our way back along the dirt road and travelling back along the Savannah Way, we then turned off at Routh Creek, passed through a gate and followed a narrow dirt track for about 2 kms until we reached a deserted camping area next to the creek.
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| Free camping all alone next to Routh Creek |
It was hot… very hot.. but the water was not fit for swimming so we spent the remaining daylight hours here under the shade of surrounding trees. We were serenaded by whistling kites, faaarking crows and sulphur crested cockatoos as the sun set and we settled into a very quiet night alone in the bush.
By now that crack in the windscreen had become very annoying and it was time to contact our insurance company and get the car booked in to have the windscreen replaced, something we achieved in an eclectic little cafe in Mt Surprise, population of ~160.
Atherton, a town we had visited years ago and on tablelands of the same name west of Cairns, was our repairs destination and we hoped everything would happen quickly. Covid mucked that up for a few reasons, the first being a lack of available windscreen stock because stocks had been reduced to save $’s with lockdowns and less people travelling Australia wide.
Second reason came in the form of less mechanics being available with people laid off or on unemployment benefits again due to Covid. So we were advised it would take over a week before the windscreen would be replaced.
Whilst initially a bit frustrated by this, it ended up being a blessing in disguise as we slowed right down attitudinally and became normal tourists and started exploring further afield whilst using an Atherton caravan park as our base.
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| King parrots visited our van site every day whilst we were there |
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| Our wandering around the Atherton Tablelands and beyond |
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| Yungaburra pub in village of same name |
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| Beautiful old staircase in the pub |
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| Quaint colourful street in Yungaburra |
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| Local platypus resident searching for food |
We left our van in Atherton and had planned an overnight stay on the coast somewhere north of Cairns, so whilst driving to Port Douglas on the coast north of Cairns, we stopped in Mareeba for a coffee at an interesting place called Coffee Works, filled with a large array of coffee related paraphernalia old and new all located in what was more like a large shed. Excellent coffee!
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| Good coffee served in eclectic surroundings |
At some point you need to descend down from the tableland to reach the coast and after some steep winding road through rainforest, we reached Mossman where we briefly stopped to watch people, including young children picnicking under large trees by the river or mucking around in clear waters of the river whilst surrounded by signs warning of saltwater crocodiles. They obviously know something we didn’t.
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| View to the coast whilst descending from the Atherton Tablelands |
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| There were croc warning signs but the locals were still swimming! |
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| The view along coastline whilst driving from Pt Douglas south towards Palm Cove |
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| View from jetty of beach at Palm Cove |
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| Main street in Palm Cove |
In the morning we wandered into Cairns to buy a few things before starting our climb back onto the tableland, stopping in Kuranda for lunch before returning back to the van.
There was still a lot to see near and around Atherton starting with a visit to the close by village of Herberton, the oldest settlement town on the tablelands because of tin mining commencing in 1860 .
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| One of the homestead buildings of Herberton |
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| Historic Herberton village has a massive collection of 'old stuff' which takes hours to really appreciate |
Finally there was everything around Atherton itself which includes numerous waterfalls to visit and admire, all different to each other, the Nerada tea plantation, our favourite tea where we also saw tree kangaroos for the first time perched 15m above our heads.
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| Nerada tea plantation |
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| Tree kangaroo with joey high up in a tree |
Because of the very high rainfall in the area there are many lakes to drive around and a very handy lake/wetland we visited a few times to photograph birds.
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| Prolific birdlife to be seen if you're up just after sunrise |
The scenery you drive through on the tableland was very lush green paddocks, large trees combined with undulating valleys and clears skies was simply breathtaking, so our extended stay meant we really got to appreciate what a peacefully beautiful part of Australia this is.
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| Rob admiring a massive curtain fig tree |
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| One of multiple lakes to be enjoyed |
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| Lots of waterfalls, creeks and rivers to enjoy in the Atherton tablelands |
Again we had heard about yet another spectacle to visit before reaching the coast, electing to stay there overnight so as to make the most of what was to be experienced.
José Paronella arrived from Catalonia Spain with a dream to build a castle. He chose a special part of Australia to create Paronella Park next to Mena Creek and its falls. He built everything by hand during the 1930’s and also created north Queensland’s first hydro electric system in 1933.
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| This water supply is also source of the park's hydro power |
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| The lake and some of the 'castle' constructions found inside Paronella Park |
We camped overnight within the park itself, a sprawling combination of remarkable structures, gardens and small lake. When the park first opened it must have left local visitors amazed but now unfortunately, it is in various stages of concrete decay due to the materials used in its original construction.
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| They run night tours within the park which includes a spectacular light show |
Nonetheless… both the daytime and night tours in Paronella Park made sure everyone truly respected one persons drive, energy and vision to create a remarkable creation!
We took some back roads to finally make our way back to the coast as we reached Mission Beach to stay for a few days amongst the palm trees next to the ocean and to catch up with a work colleague we had not seen for 8 years and very much enjoyed recounting past experiences and enjoying their great hospitality whilst gazing at Dunk Island in the distance.
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| Only cassowary we saw |
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| The beach of Mission Beach |
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| Sugar cane harvest was underway around Mission Beach |
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| Route across to Magnetic Island via ferry from Townsville |
The island has changed a lot from when we visited last… its grown up and become more ‘normal’ to many other high tourist visit destinations along the coast and whilst the various bays were beautiful, the ‘same same’ feel didn’t massively inspire us, mind you it was very dry and not very lush.
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| Variety of scenery on Magnetic Island |
We did enjoy Townsville much more than in the past, however as it had gained by becoming more sensitive to tourism rather than being the military focussed town in its recent past.
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| Creative house construction on side of Castle Hill, Townsville |
Having now been on the road for almost 2 months, home was beckoning but not until we made a few more stops starting with 2 nights at a secluded coastal location called Hideaway Bay about half way between Bowen and Airlie Beach.
The locals were waiting for the wet season to start because it was visibly very dry with brown grass being more dominate and even the local wild magpie very willing to take food whilst perched on my leg.
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| New 'friend' at Hydeaway Bay |
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| Dingo Beach beach |
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| The Dingo Beach pub setting and the favourite item on the menu |
Airlie Beach is the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands and after finding a caravan park to stay for a few days, we joined the thousands of other tourists to have a relaxed look around town and the harbour.
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| Shute Harbour a short drive from Airlie Beach and gateway to Whitsunday Islands |
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| The views around Airlie Beach usually consist of water views |
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| The fantastic pool in the caravan park |
Again we caught up with some lovely friends for lunch at a great pub out of town which was also wonderful. The caravan park itself provided a surprise in the form of some local wildlife, obviously very used to all the tourists as they wandered around.
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| These cute ducks paraded past us each morning |
It was time… so homeward we went, a massive southerly wind and a brief torrential torrent of rain making the going harder until we reached the road to our final free camp for this trip near the banks of the Calliope River, close to the town of the same name and about 20+ kms from Gladstone.
There were still plenty of people travelling in caravans and motorhomes, evidenced by the numbers of them lined and camping on both sides of the river. Seems like Covid has kept people on the roads longer for fear of sudden lockdowns restricting their movements.
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| Plenty of people still out there enjoying themselves but it was time for us to go home |
CLICK HERE for a few more photos of FNQ Part 2.
Go well!
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