While we stay at Mt Carbine for the week we can leave the caravan and trip across to Port Douglas .
This time we snorkelled and dived on the Great Barrier Reef.
We left the caravan very early for the drive not knowing how long it would take without the van ., with early morning traffic on this twisty road. It took a little over an hour, so we arrived by 7.30 and had time to park and find where the boat was and be there to get aboard by 8 am.
The boat was the Posiden and there was more aboard than we thought. When we confirmed dives we were told I could only have one dive and Larry two as the dive places were booked for each reef. We were to stop at 3 reefs. This meant snorkel 2 and dive one for me but some one pulled out so I got 2 dives and we snorkelled at the best reef.
There were 3 groups of 4 to dive the first reef , we were in the first group and after checking our skills we dive. 2 young girls pulled out and got out of the water, good only me and Larry and dive instructor for half an hour . As usual I had trouble staying down so was given extra weight, I still have trouble going where I want to go so got help.But on returning to surface a few things were explained to me and the second dive was a little easier . Until I lost my ring and tried to retrieve it , I lost all composure and rolled over . Oh Hum instructor came to my rescue but I could not make him understand what had happened until we surfaced. Then a couple of instructors went looking but could not find my ring.
I had taken my wedding ring off a few weeks ago ,as it was tight with my swollen fingers, and replaced it with a black haematite magnetic ring, so the loss was not to bad.

We saw plenty of fish , good healthy coral with not too much bleaching. This does not mean it is all healthy just what we saw.
One day we are both going to get our Paddy certificates for diving. We have done so many dives in a few different countries, we need to spend the time and do it properly one day.
Even though the boat was a bit hectic with paddy divers, unqualified divers, and snorkellers and there where some on board to watch friends and family. Maybe 50 with staff.

Back o Mt Carbine and the van .
Mt Carbine and close by Mt Molloy got their names as Mining town Carbine and Molloy not because they are mountains even though they are on the mountain range. Mt Carbine started as a town for the miners of an open cut wolfram mine, this is long closed but a few workers are mining for tungsten and the town is hopping this will proof profitable and the mine reopen with more workers.
Bringing the town back to life, as while we were in Cape York the local shop, post office fuel station burnt to the ground, so all that is left is the pub and a few residents, until things are rebuilt. They do get quite a few travellers through on they way to Cape York or Cooktown.

Cairns
population 133,893 established in 1876
We leave Mt Carbine and head with the caravan for Cairns as we have to have the car serviced and do some other jobs we need a bigger town for. We have a few days to look around but have chosen the wrong weekend as it is a long weekend in QLD and the end of school holidays so people are out and about before school term starts. We also choose the wrong caravan park, very tight getting in , had to go up on the bushes to turn down to our camp, but we are opposite the toilet block and behind the pool. The pool in the caravan park is full of kids when all I want to do is cool off in peace and quiet.
 
We do a trip in the afternoon to a place called Crystal Cascades, a river flowing over rocks with small waterfalls and places to swim. With holidays this was all full but we walked to top then back to swimming places for quick dip.

Next day go to Karrunda village and Barron gorge and falls. The falls have a 260mt drop over granite rooks. The gorge has a scenic railway through 15 hand carved tunnels and a 7.5 km skyrail.
The water from the river is used to drive turbines that provide power to Cairns.
 
Next afternoon Larry did a Mt Whitfield track walk of 7km each way. Rough track with a shear drop one side, I am glad I decided I would not go , it took nearly 5 hours.
I had slipped over on our Gorge walk on wet boulders and was a little stiff. I seem to slip on wet rocks, but this time I did not destroy a camera.
The Cairns botanical gardens has a bush walk around a fresh water lake, a salt water lake, a swamp , wetlands and melaleuca forest.We had walked part of it the day before but decided to do the guided bird walk while the car was being serviced. It took 4 hours and It was 35 deg c, we were glad toyota dropped us off and picked us up when they finished the car. I know if gets hotter in NE Vic but this at this time of year is building to monsoon rains so is getting humid. It is not too bad until you exercise or have to work outside in it. We are feeling it on some days more than others, but a quick cool swim fixes it.


Babinda
We move on to Babinda a little town of 1068 people established in 1912 for the sugar cane industry.
This town is officially the wettest town in Australia. The local Rotary club provide a park for people to stay for upto 72 hours just outside town on the river. Which you can get in but at present it is only knee to waist deep, but still has a current strong enough to carry you down stream. This would be a very dangerous river in full flow in the rainy season.. You pay for the hot showers . Nice little town with a baker that makes sourdough bread on Saturdays, so my order is in .

We drive to the local swim hole called The Boulders, upstream is falls and fast flowing water over large boulders buy there is a larger hole down stream to swim, still has current but not bad. We walk up to the top then take a long 2 hour swim and play in swim hole. Oh what a life walk and exercise to see the country side then cool off either in a river or beach, and never have to put on more than a T shirt and shorts, apart from covering up to stop the march flies from bitting. We have learnt what to use to keep them away as they are big and hurt.

We went to Eubenangee swamp for a look and onto Bramston beach for a swim.
Just as we were getting changed after our play in the waves I happened to notice a Kookaburra swoop down and then I saw he had a lizard, big rush for the camera. My first shot was not to clear but taken quickly . I also took short video which showed that it was possibly a baby sand monitor and he was alive at the start. For 10- 15 mins the kookaburra bashed it on the ground then latter on a tree branch all while, we think its partner ,whatched on from another branch.

 

Innisfail
population 9222 established 1879 for the sugar cane industry.

Every where you go in this area you smell the sweet smell of sugar cane especially during the crushing season april to november, and you can buy fruit like paw paw and bananas from little stalls outside farm gets. They have honesty boxes for money and the fruit is the best.

We leave the caravan at a driver break station so we can do the drive up to Mamu rainforest canopy walkway and the North Johnston river and Gorge walk.

You have to pay for Mamu but it was well worth it . The canopy walk goes through the tree tops for 350mt longer than the one in the Daintree, and is 15mt high. The tower is 37mt above the ground with 100 steps up with some of the best rainforest views we have seen so far. There is also a cantilever walk that is 40mt long and the last 10mt is 20mt high and cantilevered { no support}.
So a bit shaky in the wind.This park is QLD government parks and wildlife run .
 
The North Johnston river walk starts with a view over the gorge and I nearly said no but we could not get into the falls further down the mountain as there is road works across the entrance and you can not park anywhere and walk back.
This walk is only 1.7 km each way to the lookout, it drops 800mt down along a winding unkept dirt walkway to a beautiful view across the gorge and river. You can walk another 700mt to river but this is nearly straight down, so not for us ,as getting back up the walk we did was hard enough for me.
We did nothing the next day but lounge around, I wrote this ready to post when we had reception.