Two months in Townsville.

[drron]

For the first Saturday in august I travelled to Ingham.Not a place with great architecture.Also has a typical north QLD scene.

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Cane trains crossing the Bruce highway.Now to some buildings.

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Possibly nature is more impressive.

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[drron]

It's a lovely area - was it a nicer spot to stay than the previous apartment?

A much nicer area and really nice walking along the river.Even had a couple of kookaburras sitting on my balcony today.Unfortunately they flew off when I got my camera.
Townsville is really a good base for people fleeing southern winters.

 

[drron]

I think these orchids were placed in the tree.

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I wonder what stories this little place has.

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A memorial to the canecutters.A fellow was sitting there selling his book-the last canecutter.He didn't want his photo taken with his book.

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[drron]

Ingham has one particular claim to fame.

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Indeed it is the original pub with no beer based on a 1944 poem written by an Ingham farmer after US servicemen drank all the pub's beer.Slim Dusty did eventually agree.
The story of the Original Pub with no Beer and song writer Slim Dusty - The Original 'Pub With No Beer'

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They are proud of their mural.

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Pity they have a post right in front of it.

 

[drron]

I now faced a decision.This weekend was the Italian festival in ingham.I did consider going but decided nature would win.why should I pay $15 to try Italian food which may have been very good but inevitably overpriced.So I decided to drive west to Wallaman falls with possibly a visit to Jourama falls as well.Things didn't quite go to plan but more of that later.
You drive~ 50KM west of Ingham.Cross an interesting little creek and come across some of the incidents you come across driving in the country.

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The drive is worth itIt is the highest permanent single drop waterfall in Australia.The view from the car park is impressive.

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[drron]

Slightly different views as yoy walk across the lookout.

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Rugged country.

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[drron]

The last of the falls from the top.

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I then walked to the Gorge view lookout.

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A lizard stopped and posed for me.

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[jastel]

Paluma is worth a look as well.
Alligator Creek to the south, may be a bit low at the moment but is nice if flowing.

 

[drron]

Both are on my to do list but may not be able as you will find out soon.
So back to the TR.
Initially I had not planned to walk to the base of the falls.But the first section of track was paved and I got a glimpse of the falls so pressed on.

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Some nice views.

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The track was still reasonable at first but became more uneven and steeper.

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Interesting botany.

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[love_the_life]

And you’re leaving us hanging.......

 

[drron]

LTL I am an old bloke.I remember the serials at the movies and on TV.You have to leave the audience hanging.
But all will be revealed now.
I do have some mobility problems and this was quite a steep track with uneven ground.I was getting the old jelly legs as I got to the bottom so sat on the last of the stone steps for a breather but also because I could get a few photos.

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I was within 20-30 metres of the end of the track.I got up,lost my footing and ended up sitting down with my right foot under my backside accompanied by a loud crack.Now it is my right knee that is metal.I started to have visions of being winched out by the Rescue Hospital and featuring on the Townsville news programs.
I gradually got myself up and again was seated on the rock.Amazingly my knee still had the full range of movement with absolutely no pain.So I stood putting the weight on my left leg.Once standing I experienced quite a deal of pain in my right foot.Fortunately not the ankle which I could also move fully.
So I limped to the end of the track but not to the viewing platform as that meant a scramble over large boulders.So I sat down,took some photos and had about 30 minutes rest before attempting the return trip.

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[drron]

It is a beautiful place and there were quite a few in swimming.

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Then began the ascent.Once again i will leave you hanging until tomorrow.

 

[love_the_life]

Sounds like you were very lucky with the fall!

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

Sounds like you were very lucky with the fall!

Yes - I thought i would be cancelling my trip to sydney to see the grandkids and heading up to Townsville instead !

 

[drron]

lucky is relative.Although I am lucky my knee and ankle were not problems my foot certainly was.Quite a deal of pain over the lateral side of my foot and a fracture of a tarsal bone certainly was a possibility.It wasn't that pleasant walking so I went in 200 metre stints.It took nearly 3 hours to get the 2Km back to the car.It did give me time to take a few pics.This is a rainforest in the wet tropics.

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The beautiful part of this ordeal was how generous us humans are.most asked how I was going.One young couple visiting from Thailand stopped and talked for a while offering their water.Fortunately I had taken 2 bottles of water and one of coke-a sugar hit is not bad when exercising.
A Canadian couple also stopped and talked.When I got to the paved part of the track the Canadian fellow came back as he and his wife were worried that I might have been in trouble.I badmitted to him that I had twisted my foot and it was very sore but the ankle was fine.Apparently the same had happened to his wife.I did accept his offer of water as I had used all mine then.
They had been married in Queenstown 2 weeks ago.He was a tradie,his wife an auto mechanic so they intend to wander the world for a while.So my thanks go to Stu and his wife and I wished them well.Great people.
So up on the top and it is now a dry forest.

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Back to the car and devoured my apple and muesli bar.

 

[JohnM]

Do you ever use walking poles @drron? They are lightweight and telescopic, so not onerous to carry in a backpack. Often most useful going downhill. I mostly use just one for a bit of extra support.

I always carry my set if going on a steep or slippery hike. Learned my lesson coming down from the Torres del Paine hike, not that I injured myself but It made me realise that some anti-gravity support would be good. I bought a set the next day.

 

[drron]

I have used them and do have one at home.I do think it will become a mandatory piece of equipment from now.

 

[JohnM]

Sensible medical advice, I think .

 

[OATEK]

Still waiting to hear if any fracture?

 

[drron]

The foot has improved a lot.As I said a stubborn B.Might get an Xray tomorrow.Could be a problem with the cuboid bone but not neccessarily a fracture.
So a few pics on my way back to Townsville-most out of the car window!The stream that plunges over the falls.

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There is a walk along the creek and apparently a good chance of seeing a platypus.Not on the program now though.
There are a couple of lookouts on the road down.

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Right beside the lookout-

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Fills you with confidence.