Taking credits on the Qld coast

[DC3]

Tell me about it.

And it’s cold with it.

I’m on the Sunshine Coast at the moment. What a misnomer…

Hopefully it will cease by Friday when the tour starts.

It’s called weather.

 

[RooFlyer]

It’s called weather.

Remarkable. @JohnM , when it starts snowing, just remember ....

 

[JohnM]

We went to the Ginger Factory at Yandina (possibly better known as being at Buderim, back in the day) yesterday. Ignoring the theme park-ishness, the factory tour is interesting and informative, with a tasting of products and how they can used.

 

[craven morehead]

Lovely little village Yandina. Lived there for 5 years before moving out bush (CQ) in 2000.

A petty the weather's not good as the area you are in is such a good mix of hinterland meets coast.

Do they still grow Sugar Cane between Yandina and Coolum?

Fingers crossed weather improves as you head North.

 

[JohnM]

Lovely little village Yandina. Lived there for 5 years before moving out bush (CQ) in 2000.

A petty the weather's not good as the area you are in is such a good mix of hinterland meets coast.

Do they still grow Sugar Cane between Yandina and Coolum?

Fingers crossed weather improves as you head North.

It is a nice area, albeit sodden at present.

There was some sugar cane along the drive to Coolum.

The weather system is slowly moving east.

 

[JohnM]

OK, the tour has ended and I’m in the CNS QP waiting for my bird to BNE and on to PER.

There were quite a few adventures to do with floods and other events out of anyone’s control along the way that I will elaborate on in posts to come.

Great to catch up with the he-who-shall-not-be-named mate and family after a lengthy gap and especially good to meet @TheRealTMA and @craven morehead and MrsCM for the first time. Excellent night in both cases.

The night with @craven morehead was made all the better by a chance meeting in the same resto with a fun work colleague from about 20 years ago who joined us in enhancing the red demolition derby.

With the late changes to my plans and booking my CNS-xBNE-PER flights, I was unable to snare any U bucket. But judicious scoping of EF prior helped in the choice of flights and my UPG requests on both sectors came through.

So, it’s up, up and away in 1A all the way.

 

[craven morehead]

It was fantastic to catch up with @JohnM for dinner and a few quiet reds at Castaways Resort in Mission Beach FNQ https://www.castaways.com.au/ Quite a decent spot!
To be honest we could have talked for days and as my driver, I mean wife said, AFFer's have their own language and the similarities in our OCD ideas on travel, credit cards and loyalty programs etc are remarkable if not borderline nutjob (her words)
I was lucky enough to meet some of Johns' well travelled tour companions and also an old work mate who was happy/brave enough to join in the demolition derby Now I will need to plan a visit to PERfect WA for another chat and a couple of these

John, myself and tour companions. Mrs CM will get a start in my TR.

 

[Daver6]

It was fantastic to catch up with @JohnM for dinner and a few quiet reds at Castaways Resort in Mission Beach FNQ https://www.castaways.com.au/ Quite a decent spot!
To be honest we could have talked for days and as my driver, I mean wife said, AFFer's have their own language and the similarities in our OCD ideas on travel, credit cards and loyalty programs etc are remarkable if not borderline nutjob (her words)

Clearly MrsCravenMorehead is a smart lady that she so quickly summised that @JohnM is a nutjob. But he's a pretty good bloke really

 

[JohnM]

OK, back to the TR.

After a night in Brisbane, the tour started with the drive to the Fraser Island (K’gari) ferry at River Heads near Hervey Bay. Still raining heavily and a lot of flooding but not (yet, as it was to turn out) impeding traffic on the main highway.

Heading into Hervey Bay.



Onto the ferry for the 45-minute journey across to Fraser Island. Still raining solidly and we are at the epicentre of the slowly clearing system that had for several days extended across a large part of Queensland. About 150mm fell on Fraser Island that day.



A very sloshy evening at the Kingfisher Bay Resort. Fortunately, the worst was during the previous travel day and we arose to light showers that cleared as the day progressed.

First stop on the full day 4WD tour of the island was Lake McKenzie, the famed freshwater lake. It was still too cloudy and cool to fully capture the lake in its unique glory of high clarity and blue-sky reflection, although a flash of sun did appear momentarily. A quick swim confirmed the renowned appeal of the low-pH water.



Moving on around the island through an old settlement and the forest.

 

[JohnM]

Then on to the famed E coast 75 Mile Beach which is effectively a road, subject to an 80kph speed limit and the usual road rules.



The Maheno shipwreck.



The Pinnacles.



Cloud disappearing - at last.



Then on to popular Eli Creek.

 

[JohnM]

Back into the forest.



Back to the resort and a drink at the Sundowner Bar – and finally the sun to be seen at sunset!



Next morning and time to leave Fraser Island. News overnight was that the highway was cut at Gympie and there was no way we were going to be able to drive back to BNE to take our flight to MKY for our next destination of Airlie Beach.

There was no alternative but to drive. Fraser Island is in a slightly awkward location for transport for tour companies. It’s a must-do destination in Queensland, but it’s about a 4-5h drive from BNE including the ferry, yet it’s about 11-12h to Airlie Beach at the S end of the GBR. There’s nothing much of great tourist interest in between.

Clearly it’s a dilemma and Intrepid has to toss up between backtracking to BNE and fly N or a lengthy drive. They opt for the backtrack and fly. I did not mind driving as I like scoping the changing scenery and agriculture.

So off we go. After getting back on the mainland, it was a lengthy day driving with a few breaks, and we lobbed into Airlie Beach late that night.

 

[JohnM]

Next morning, a beautiful day at Airlie Beach and on to the twin of this and out to the Whitsundays for the day.



Rounding the point towards famed Whitehaven Beach.



A walk up to the lookout and a nice Golden Orb Weaver spider on the way.

 

[JohnM]

Back on the boat and off to do some snorkelling in a small bay.



Into the water to frolic with the fish.

 

[JohnM]

Moving along to another bay with coral reef.



The tide was particularly low, exposing a large section of reef and making parts of the reef normally comparatively deep more easily viewed.

 

[JohnM]

Into the water again.



An excellent day out.

Next morning, we set off for Mission Beach, a c. 6h drive. The plan was to stop in Townsville, about halfway, for lunch and then carry on. It was not meant to be so straightforward. As we entered Townsville a large sign notified that the highway was blocked further north. Some checking revealed a semi-trailer had crashed about 50 minutes north and the highway was closed, with reopening time uncertain.

We killed time around Townsville into the afternoon until the advice came through that the highway should be open “within an hour”, so we set off. As we approached the crash scene, it was evident that traffic was still banked up. Nothing to do but wait it out. After about an hour, it began to move and it was soon plain sailing.

We ended up arriving in Mission Beach at 2100h. Some judicious calling ahead to our hotel and pre-ordering meals meant that we could eat almost immediately and not disrupt the kitchen crew too much their usual wind-up time of 2100h. All’s well that ends well.

 

[JohnM]

Next day, it was out to the Reef again. Mission Beach is a much, much quieter gateway to the Reef than Cairns, Port Douglass or Airlie Beach - quite sleepy in fact. Nice.

We travelled for just under an hour to our first reef, then moved about another 30 minutes out to a second reef with sand cays while having lunch. Cracking day out.

 

[JohnM]

But of course, in the water is where the action is.

 

[JohnM]

A great day out and no other boats in sight. Very nicely topped off by a great evening with @craven morehead and Mrs CM.

 

[JohnM]

Out of Mission Beach the next day and into Cairns via a loop through the southern part of the Atherton Tableland.

First stop Millaa Millaa Falls.



Then on to the Curtain Fig Tree before the run into Cairns.



Next day, it was up to Kuranda and Barron Falls (Din Din). Interestingly, the rainfall has been comparatively low in far N Queensland this year and the flow was not as great as might be expected in May.



As we left Kuranda heading for Port Douglas we spotted a cassowary running along the edge of the main road, but the encounter was too brief to get a photo.

After settling into our accommodation at Port Douglas, it was onto a boat for a sunset cruise in the mangrove-lined estuary.

 

[JohnM]

Next day and into the Daintree WH Area of pristine ancient rainforest. A cable-driven ferry goes back and forth across the river non-stop.