Back to Reality

After leaving Cairns we were able to catch up with some family and friends as we took a 12 day drive down the Queensland coast.  

We have made a huge decision which will change our 5 year nomadic travelling style for good. We have decided to set up a home base at Golden Beach Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast, in our home which we bought 7 years ago.  It needs a big make-over, we have no furniture, still not sure where the caravan will fit, and in this day of trying to get tradies and materials it could take a long time to fix up.  It is a little overwhelming, so much easier to remain nomadic and carefree.

Nevertheless, we’ll do our best to make it a home, and promised ourselves it won’t stop us hitching the van and travelling in between projects.  But, our tenants haven’t found anything to move into yet, so fingers crossed it will all work out for them very soon, as we are running out of time to get sorted before Christmas.  I’m picturing Christmas in the van in the front garden at this stage!

This brings us to our current 2 week house sit for a very good friend at Glass House Mountains between Brisbane and Sunshine Coast, in a beautiful natural setting.  It hasn’t been without it’s dramas, a 2m python (carpet snake) coiled up in the chooks hutch ready for bed just 1 metre from poor chook who was also hoping to go to bed. We had to prompt said snake to find somewhere else for the night.  Almost every day has rained, which is tough on the 2 dogs, we walk them when we can, but meanwhile try to keep them dry and happy although I could see they too had lost their spark.  Number 2 chook was broody, and wouldn’t budge for days and looked like she may die, only to get a new lease on life and is now running around fine, she doesn’t know how close she came to the lights dimming.  All manner of stuff have tried to infiltrate the home to get out of the rain,  joys of having beautiful semi tropical forests all around you.

Our camp ground at Mackay (Rowallen Park Scout Camp)

A friends place at Agnes Waters/1770






Nearby coastal walk




Sunset on the Mary River at Tiaro

Glasshouse Mountains, stayed in the town of Glasshouse, beautiful rural area, just near centre of photo

Snake in hutch

Said snake after chased from chook hutch

Walking puppy dogs

Small nearby bush walk,  beautiful markings on Australian Goanna

Meanwhile we will continue to catch up with family and friends as we wait it out, maybe even go and explore the Sunshine Coast Hinterland for a week here or there, and see what other adventures we can get up to.

A Sad Goodbye to Cairns

After exactly 4 months in Cairns, we are very sad to be leaving. It is not ideal to have our 2 children and their families living so far apart, we always seem to be saying goodbye to one family, only to then enjoy spending time with the other.

So we got to do some final things before leaving Cairns

A fun day out on the Tablelands picking strawberries

Oh boy we are going to miss these two

Picnic lunch at a Playground in Atherton

Granite Gorge near Mareeba, great time feeding Rock Wallabies and bush walking some of the gorge

Ayla climbed a really big Rock on her own, so pleased with herself….my little Bushwalking Protege


We managed to get in a 6km hike around Lake Barrine before we met up with Craig and family

3/4 of the way around the path was blocked by tree that had fallen overnight…so up the side of the hill we scrambled to get around, we were not turning back

Our last Friday play date with Ayla … at the Pirate Ship on the Esplanade

Some final touches to our gardening project ended in water play

We had a final couple of nice dinners ranging from a Pork Roast to a KFC feast, and a final play afternoon……inc Thomas the Tank Engine

and Pip Petal My Little Pony

We had our final hike through the lower hills behind Bayview Heights..we lived there for 8 years and never did the Ivan Evans Walk Trail

One of my favourite sayings still is “Todays Lunch Room”, great view




Our final Cairns Cane Train

A trip to the other side of Cairns, sparsely populated, no bridge across, Yarrabah is the Aboriginal settlement

We followed a 4WD track as far as we could to the end of the peninsula …. Derek had to saw a huge fallen tree up to clear the road

Beautiful views back to Cairns in the distance, and unspoilt beaches

Interesting what you find

My last Tuesday birding in the Cairns Botanical Gardens, and a reminder of the beautiful Ulysees Butterfly that never fails to delight us on our many walks (also found in Craig’s garden from time to time). Bird Club motto is Latin for “Where’s the bird, There it goes”, by the time we get the binoculars focussed….. There it Goes (Double Eyed Fig Parrot and the Sunbird, both sighted almost weekly).

We spied the Ulysees on our last outing this time to Behana Creek near Gordonvale

Our 2 week house sit at my cousins even came to an end, and as nice as it was being in a home, and exploring a new part of Cairns suburbia in daily walks, we still love our van and the waking up to new scenery that comes with it.  

Moving day, all packed up at my cousins property at Gordonvale and ready for new adventures as we head back to the Sunshine Coast

First stop is a catch up with some extended family we met for the first time and by accident over in WA recently, who are currently travelling in the Cairns region, so it was a big 35km drive to Babinda for a fun day of swimming at the Boulders and a huge chit chat

Good bye Cairns for now ……… Next stop Mackay

Cairns Last Few Weeks

We missed our window to hike the 19km from Babinda to Goldsborough Valley so we didn’t get to see what awaits the other side of the Causeway. Definitely one for next year.

The car has had a complete overhaul of the suspension and brakes, and a service, and the caravan has had a wheel alignment, so we are good to go. The school holidays have just begun, and so we have left Lake Placid and now at our house sit looking after fish and budgies for my younger cousins who also live here in Cairns suburbia.

Had a great 3 and a bit months here…….see ya same time next year!


Now parked on our other Cousins rural acreage, whilst we vacate and house sit

  
This weeks hikes. WHITE ROCK PEAK the little white dot at the top of the peak. It is a 4.8km return hike starting from the top and along a ridge to the last 80m which was a sheer steep 50m downhill scramble to sit on the rock, had our hearts in our throats as we hugged each tree for dear life getting down,  haa haa it sounds gross but the view made it worthwhile.  Managed to pick up my first leech ….. yuck, didn’t feel a thing but lost heaps of blood

We were the only ones, and just as well as only room enough for 2 at a time


The beauty of the rain forest

Leech country, I had 3 inches of flesh exposed above my socks and below my pants, Derek had shorts and short sleeves, 😣😢


We also had time to do a small part of the GREEN ARROW on Whitfield Conservation Park in the middle of Cairns, awesome views every direction

Over the City

Out towards Craig’s home

Down the Barron Valley

From the highest peak




We had a quick walk along the houses at the start of the trail, all with million dollar views over the city, this caught our attention, looking up to their front door which was an engine train 

HARTLEY’S CREEK FALLS 10 km round trip at Wanghetti Beach. Not well known to tourists, it’s classed as a locals secret

First stop 1.9 km in was Flat Rock falls, also some creek crossings to get up the creek to the falls, one of us got a wet shoe!

Love mid week outings, no-one around








Trudged up, up and some down to then do a 200m rock hop to the falls

The usual obstacle course hiking through rainforest


Beautiful stop for morning tea, even soaked our feet. Many would have a swim, but it was freezing

We detoured on the way back up a small side track to the never used Quaid Road (long story about a 32km long private road built through Conservation land during the 1970s under Joh Beijelke-Peterson government only when the government changed it was disallowed) Umm, why am I on the side of the road, not like I am about to get run over!! (Maybe it was shady)

I really wanted to go up Smiths Track to Tobys Lookout, Kauri Trees and upper Stony Creek which meant walking up and over a ridge high above the caravan park up to 500m above sea level to the Speewah side

The weather has become very hot by mid morning, so this time we only aimed for the section that was above a Kuranda Rail Train tunnel, and pick off another cache

Cairns Lights Festival - one of the rare times we go out at night

Fabulous time spent with family too

Jumping Castle fun …race to the top

Dancing Concert time….Under the Sea


Swims and ice blocks, and beach parks and ice cream

My friend who I worked with here in Cairns asked me what could we possibly find to do in Cairns for 3 months ……

We still have not exhausted our list….. maybe whilst house sitting we will get time to explore the southern section of Lamb Range behind us, and a trip or 2 up to the Atherton Tablelands.

Bird of the Week - Red Backed Fairy Wren spotted on Quaid Road, Wanghetti