Staying Warm
After leaving Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island, we continued to chase the warm weather and we headed further north to Port Douglas, Cooktown and then west into the Gulf Country. We have seen some truly beautiful places that we have never explored. I encourage you all, if you can ever do so, to visit Australia and particularly our more remote places as there is so much more to my island home than the usual tick'n'flick list.
We've walked beaches, hiked rainforests and rugged mountains ranges and gorges, fished for those elusive catches in the Gulf, and have explored caves and historic sites. And of course along the way we have continued to meet some amazing people with fabulous stories to share. We have even managed to catch up with family and friends and have consequently continued to celebrate life whenever possible.
We started the last part of this journey with more 50th celebrations. My beautiful friend, Jodie, got to let her hair down on Hamilton Island surrounded by special people who always make me smile. While the weather was unseasonably crazy with torrential rain, we did also have a few magnificent days to enjoy friendship and good times. The weather gods also shone bright so that we could go snorkling and indulge in the beauty of Whitehaven Beach, which is truly one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
Port Douglas, the Daintree and Cape Tribulation were home for a couple of weeks and allowed us both to take some time to reflect and plan forward. Its amazing how immersing yourself in the magnificence of nature can help clear the head and enable you to see more clearly.
These areas of Queensland are the traditional lands of the Kuku Yalanji people and the rainforests in this area, particularly the Daintree, are over 135 million years old, making them the oldest rainforests in the world. Its truly an awe inspiring area and thankfully, the remoteness also helps protect it.
On to Cooktown, a place I am embarrassed to admit, I knew very little about....apart from the obvious Cook bit. But I really liked this quiet little village, and its history is so much more than just the story of James Cook. Having said that, as sailors, we are both in awe of what he managed. The coastline here is nothing much more than reef after reef and yet he managed to navigate through with nothing more than a high point from which to make a plan!
After a few months of ocean blue, we traded in our beach sandals for hiking boots and headed west into the red dirt and savannah bushland country. Visiting the towns of Chillagoe, Mt Garnet, Georgetown and Croydon. Here we explored caves, lava tubes, volcanic craters, old mining sites and smelters. We were blown away by the history of this area particularly Croydon, which was the heart of gold rush country in the Gulf. The pioneering folk of this area were incredibly influential in Australia's future and the women in particular were brilliant. Definitely worth stopping in.
From the Savannah Way to Karumba in the Gulf. A place I have always wanted to visit. Hard to describe it really. Amazing sunsets, abundant birdlife and great fishing. Not a beachside resort but utterly unique. Craig took the opportunity to try his hand at Gulf country fishing and came back with a mighty 94cm Black Jewfish, a Blue Salmon and a Jewelfish. He was pretty chuffed.
We hung around Karumba for a week before heading to one of my bucket list places, Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park. This is the traditional lands of the Waanyi People and its described as "a beautiful oasis in the outback" which is so apt. It was just beautiful and after driving long dusty roads into what seems like vast nothingness, it was truly a sight for sore eyes.
After all that nature, the best part was finding a couple of strangers wandering aimlessly across the NT border into Hell's Gate. After several months, it was fabulous to see my sister Michelle and her fella, Quentin. It was such a treat to then meander together back through the outback to the sea.
From one sister to the next! We have finished our Queensland road trip now back on the Sunshine Coast were my sister, Deanna and her three, along with my Mum, Frances, who made us feel much loved and welcome. The next adventure now awaits......
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