Mount Carbine

Mount Carbine 29 July – 11 August

Mt Carbine Caravan Park is just wonderful.

We have met some lovely people, who leave their vans, sometimes for weeks and then camp their way up to the Cape/Tip. We have been advised by a few travellers not to take our new Ranger up there. We have took a while considering what to do. We have no fridge for foodstuffs etc the impending birth of another grandchild, so we are leaving it until next time. 

Richard and I decided we must do Cape Tribulation so off we went and didn't realise how long the journey was... but is was worth it!! Had to take a photo of the Cane Train


We had intended to take the van to Cooktown but have been told it is over $45 per night on caravan sites and with the cost of fuel we may just leave here early one morning and do the trip and stay overnight in a Motel. We have just paid for another week here as we are waiting the arrival of the above said Ute cover when will this arrive him upstairs only knows… meanwhile the weather is just beautiful and the birdlife amazing. We even did an off road trek yesterday to a lookout, Helen not too keen. The Ranger performed very well, we love the vehicle…

We chickened out of going camping up to the tip (Cape York) as so many people told us not to take our new Ute. We did however, take a drive to Cooktown and Helenvale to visit the famous outback pub “Lion’s Den” which was devastated by the cyclone this year but is up and running!! This pub with camp ground is at the end of the “Bloomfield Track” which starts at Cape Tribulation. I have put a few photographs up on my last blog update but will now show some more.

The Ferry across the Daintree River

 

 

 

 

The wonderful prize the Pouffe



Lions Den Pub a sorry looking Lion

We had to travel 68km to the nearest supermarket in Mareeba so we took a trip to stock up and also collect Helen’s raffle prize of a patchwork pouffe that she had won whilst at the rodeo. We found the lovely lady on her beautiful veranda and had a beautiful conversation with her. Supermarket and alcohol shopping completed we were approached by a very nice man who, once again, wanted to know how we like the Ford Ranger, this is a constant occurrence up here in FNQ. (We think this could be a place to live)

We met some very lovely people at the site and one couple, Linda and Butch were very special we are still in touch with and did meet up at another two sites after they left us.

Richard eventually received the cover for the Ute which had been delivered to the Pub instead of campsite.




Fitting the Ute cover

 



 

 

 

The owner of the pub was quite a character, when Rich went down to pick the cover up he was very stressed about the local Bull Rodeo which was being held on the showground behind his pub on the following night…. His language was very choice as he had taken delivery of lots of beer and food and couldn’t do with taking delivery of our Ute Cover. Basically he wasn’t used to the amount of work ha! ha! The cover was fitted that morning (8 August) by Butch and Richard, using the tools of the fore mentioned Butch.



The Woodies with Linda and Butch

A number of Bird Watching tours came on the campground
especially to look at this particular bird. Think it was a
tree owl it was very camouflaged, it looked like the bark
of the tree







  

Unfortunately, the next morning we said a very sad farewell to Butch and Linda and hoped that we would all meet again on the road.
The afternoon brought a lovely surprise as a couple (from Tasmania) we had spoken to the week before arrived back to the site after their trip to the Cape in their Ford Falcon.  Pete and Sylvia would visit the pub later (to let the publican know that he had made it!!) with us and later attend the aforementioned Bull Rodeo.



Mt Carbine



This is a Bull at the Mt Carbine Bull Rodeo

 

What a night, we loved every minute of it and spoke with some locals who had travelled 80kms to just be here. A band started playing at 10p.m. and finished at 2a.m. Lots of people camping it was a huge event for the area, even though it was much smaller than the last Rodeo we visited at Mareeba. We loved it!

Our laptop died in spectacular fashion at Mount Carbine! Needless to say it has taken us quite a while to get to somewhere where we can buy another. Yes, today is the day, we bought a new laptop! Helen is now typing up a few words but, we'll leave the big write up for another day.

We visited Cape Tribulation and Cooktown whilst staying at Mount Carbine, which is one of the most amazing campsites we have ever stayed at (2 weeks).
So please check out the following photographs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is where Cook repaired the Endeavour after striking a reef. They were there for 6 weeks.

 

Cooktown museum, built in an old convent.

11th August 2014

We said goodbye to Mount Carbine on the Monday morning of 11 August and had a really good tow through the outback. We had to stock up again with provisions and managed to get a good parking spot on the road outside the local Woolworths at Atherton. Walking into the small Mall we were halted in our steps by the sound of someone calling “Richard” it was Linda and Butch!! we had a great little chat, they were on a campsite not far from Atherton but we were on our way to Ravenshoe. The Atherton Tablelands is a stunning area and we will definitely be back here!!

We arrived at a lovely little campsite set up on the town’s tourist attraction, a railway, complete with station and carriages. We paid $15 a night and stayed for 3 nights.

In Ravenshoe, we visited the highest pub in Queensland which is called “The Tully Falls” the owner asked if we would like to have a look around, she was the grand daughter of the original owner! She told us the story how just by chance she found out that the Hotel was for sale so she bought it and is now in the process (which is very slow) of renovating it to its former glory. It was so beautiful!

 

 

 

 

The massive veranda on this majestic very old building was something I had never seen before, it was really grand. The rooms off this veranda were again, just so different, very small and really quaint.  



Just a part of the front Verandah












The dining room of the Tully Falls Hotel

A fire was lit every day at 4:30 p.m. for the campers to have a get together over a drink. Once again we met some really lovely people from all over Australia.














A drive around the area and we visited a nearby town called Herberton which had a Gold Mining Museum and a Historic Village and lovely café for coffees. We also visited a surprisingly hydro-electric Dam Koombooloomba. There were a number of waterfalls in this area too and we visited Millstream Falls.



Helen trying her hand at finding a bit of Gold!!






 

 





 



Millstream Falls



Koombooloomba Dam

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whilst here in Ravenshoe we had some very cold nights and Helen was unbelievably cold!! So on the back of the cold nights we packed up and moved on to Mount Surprise.