Back to FNQ After 13 Months Blog 5
First up, we love North Queensland but the furthest North we visited on our trip in February last year was Mossman on the edge of the Daintree. The Daintree Rain Forest, Cape Tribulation and the Cape York were all 'bookmarked' to experience as best as circumstances would allow, time being the essence.
The blogs covering all this period do not reveal the numerous cancellations we have made, hence the travel maze continously being negotiated as dictated by this unpredictable pandemic.
A consequence of this, as it has related to us, has been flight and accommodation cancellations and subsequent credits so to use what we had 'up our sleeve'we decided to head north once again and explore the 'bookmarks'.
Three nights in Cairns on arrival allowed us to utilise a special deal hotel credit too good to expire and pick up a hire car for our travels. We were to be based firstly in Cooktown for two nights followed by 5 nights at the Daintree Village.
Our expectations in all aspects of country, attractions, accommodation and sustenance were well above expectations and was a most memorable expedition.
Stormy Cairns
Scenes around Cairns Botanic Gardens
Cooktown
Cooktown, some 300+ Km's north of Cairns on coastal lower Cape York, was founded at the mouth of the Endeavour River named by Cook after the landing in 1770. The town was established in 1873 as a supply port for the goldfields and owes it's name to Cook. The Endeavour was beached for major repairs after running aground on rocks, where it came perilously close to sinking after 23 hrs before being arduously re floated to the river mouth.
Mount Cook, 1,415 ft - 432 m serves as an impressive back drop to the town and is where Cook made observations from the top of the mount to chart a safe course back out to sea. The landing at Cooktown was one of fourteen landings made by Cook along the east coast from Botany Bay to the Torres Straight Islands with Cooktown being the sixth landing after the first at Botany Bay. The seven weeks spent here was the longest period the Endeavour crew spent on the Australian mainland.
Over the seven week period repairing the ship, botanists Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander discovered many species of flora and fauna and were the first europeans to sight a salt water croc. Important interactions took place with the local indigenous Guugu Yimithirr peoples. Some of the crew had come across a strange animal which they shot, skinned and ate. Cook and Banks were to learn from the indigenous inhabitants that the name of this animal was 'ganguuru' which was translated after some variations to 'Kangaroo'. This was one of 130 words and phrases of the indigenous language recorded in a journal being the first such record of an Aboriginal language.
The historic Cooktown convent school now the local museum with an extensive and impressive collection of Cook and the Endeavour memorabillia.
'Taking aim'
Hailed as Australia's most unusual railway, the creation of the Cooktown to Laura Railway, was a direct result of the discovery of gold in the Palmer River.
Banana plantation lower Cape York
The Daintree
From Cooktown we headed South for the 325 Km trek to the Daintree Village where we were based for 5 days to explore the surrounding area down to Cape Tribulation. We explored by car and had two boat excursions on the Daintreen River, one from the Village and the other lower down the river at the ferry crossing to Cape Trib.
Our cabin was based in the Daintree Village Hideaway set in lush tropical gardens and with only two other cabins on site. Our Daintree experience was the highlight of the trip.
Our hideaway digs at the 'Daintree Village Hideaway'
Exploring the Daintree River from the Daintree Village
Big male checking out the boat
Female on beach, male keeping it's distance
Local stock at waters edge for a drink with a close encounter. Only a handful of stock at most are taken each year as the crocs have more than enough food in the river.
Female resting. The open mouth is to assist cooling off.
Local road bridge. Road heads to the upper reaches of the river.
Trip to Cape Tribulation
Mouth of the Daintree from road to Cape Trib.
Local residence known as 'The Queenslander'
Cape Trib. coastline
Mangroves at Cape Trib.
mangrove fungi
the odd beach hippie can still be encountered at Cape Trib
Cape Trib Cafe with a swimming hole on property
ingrediants grown on grounds of Cape Trib ice-cream factory
Mossman Markets ( good)
River Cruise on lower reaches of the Daintreefind the croc?
lots of 'em
flora around our cabin
Alas all good things come to an end and after 10 gloriousb days in FNQ it was time to get the hire car back to the aiport and head for home.
Foot note: Brisbane experienced a number of clusters as we transited at Brisbane airport. SA reacted by quarantining arrivals who had been in designated hotspots and anyone else arriving from Qld to have a test and if negative good to go. we were both negative but Ngaire had a SA Health directive to home quarantine for 14 days with pay before returning to her aged care duties. Another 24 hrs and the same would have applied to me as things got worse.
All part of Navigating the Covid maze!
