Where are they now ?: Rewards for Improving our Fitness

In between spending time with family we have been trying to keep on top of our fitness, which we have neglected since returning to Qld. We have made excuses, some very valid too such as the wet weather, the flu and Derek’s sore foot, but really we also have not felt motivated.

All that has now changed. We feel well enough to start building up our muscles and strength, and with the goal of climbing Glacier Rock, we set about getting back into shape. (HOWEVER, Derek considers all of this a necessary evil 😅)

As well as our usual 4-6km per day walks around the Barron River, we are lifting weights and have had fun ticking off a few more local hikes

BEHANA GORGE - Wooroonooran NP 7 km return hike, to Clamshell Falls, each kilometre got steeper, one hill is a killer known locally as Heartbreak Hill

Lots of swimming opportunities as we followed Behana Creek uphill

MACHANS BEACH to Holloways Beach via new walk bridge

Looking back towards Cairns

EARL HILL and Half Moon Bay at Trinity Park

We had completed the much higher hill last visit so had unfinished business here. 4.5km circuit, with a few caches to collect on the way. We turned them all into 😃 faces,

We started from the beach side, and it reminded us of Mt Coolum, lots of steps up the side of the cliff

Within minutes we had gorgeous views

It levelled out to some great views north over Trinity Beach and back over Trinity Pk to Yorkeys

GLACIER ROCK……the Ultimate Reward

It sits high up above our caravan park, and I can watch the Kuranda Scenic train pass along the top of the Barron Gorge twice a day at least. It is a 7.5km return hike (3 1/2 hours) from Stony Creek carpark, through rain forest and open melaleuca forest to fabulous views over Cairns

We followed the old Douglas Track from the 1860s which traversed the Aboriginal trade routes between the Coast and the Tablelands, before the Railway was completed in 1891 after taking 5 years to complete the Cairns to Kuranda section with 15 tunnels and 33 bridges and 83 curves, reaching an altitude from 5m to 327 m above sea level

I was so excited to finally meet the challenge

Rain forest from start to the mighty foot bridge, every step was uphill all the way to the top of the range

Over the railway line the stairs went up the cliff face

Killer stairs after a huge uphill climb, legs were shaking

We left the rainforest behind and had our first glimpse of the view, and our caravan.

After many much easier switch backs following under the power lines the view was even more fabulous. Time for a well deserved rest. Cairns city in the distance.

We went over the mountain range following the lines and then continued along the Douglas Track again

Straight ahead was Kuranda via the MacDonald Track

I Love the feeling of looking down over the landscape, the effort is so rewarding

We had timed it beautifully with the returning train from Kuranda 4.10pm and after chit-chatting too long at the top we made it to the foot bridge over the railway with just 2 minutes to spare