Heading South (Atherton, Airlie Beach and 1770)

Unfortunately we have started to head south. It's getting colder and colder. For all my friends in Canberra, I feel so sorry for you. For me it is going to take a lot of getting used to. Anyway. On my journey south I have visited Atherton, Airlie Beach and 1770/Agnes Waters.

ATHERTON 

In Atherton we unfortunately had to stay in a cabin for three night because it was bucketing down rain and wouldn't clear up. Hehe! In Atherton we also went to the crystal caves. It may look tacky from the outside but wait till you see the inside. There are crystals from all over the world including Mexico and Brazil. I didn't know they could come in so many shapes and size. I think I saw one for every colour of the rainbow. One of my favourites was the crystal ball. 

Crystal  Ball

Bowl Crystals

Empress of Uruguay - This is a giant amethyst at the Crystal Caves

We also went on a scenic drive to the Crater and Milla Milla Falls. The Crater was amazing. When you throw a rock or stick down there it hits the water and sounds like your slapping someone across the face. Milla Milla falls were incredible. They were one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. It was just perfect.

Milla Milla Falls

Crater

But my absolute favourite was Dairyland. First we saw the baby calves, goats, pigs and piglets. They were so cute. Next we went to see the cows getting milked. It's so cool that they know when to get on and off the machine. Im happy for the milkers because they don't have to do by hand like they did in the olden days. Afterwards we got some delicious chocolate and some yummy cheese. Which is all gone now. SURPRISE, SURPRISE!!!! 

Cute Piglets

Cows Getting Milked

Mama Pig

AIRLIE BEACH

In Airlie Beach the only thing we really did was go on a tour around the Whitsunday Islands. Which was amazing! On our tour first we went for a trek to a lookout over the beautiful islands. The water was crystal clear and the most pretty blue I had ever seen. We even saw some stingrays floating around down there. Next we went for some lunch and a swim on Whitehaven beach. For lunch we had a BBQ and were encountered by so friendly reptiles. These goannas were everywhere. One was even in the garbage scavenging around. After lunch we went to Mantaray Bay for some snorkelling. I went in a glass bottom boat. We saw a giant trvelly.

Glass Bottom Boat

Mum And I Ready For Our Bush Walk

At Airlie Beach we also went to the markets and saw a sand dragon. it was made completely out of sand and it even had fire blowing out its nostrils. We also learnt how to make sand balls. It's super hard. We put money in the guys bucket because we thought he was really talented.

Sand Dragon

Sand Balls

Giant Fig Tree at Airlie Beach

1770
The first night we were in 1770 we had to stay in a motel because we got there late. The next day we set up and then explored the area. We hung out at the beaches, did a bush walk and had lunch at a cool cafe overlooking the water.

The View From The Cafe

Far North Queensland - Cairns, Port Douglas and Cape Tribulation

CAIRNS

Our campground in Cairns has the best activities for kids. We played mini golf, watched outdoor movies, jumped on the biggest jumping pillow in the world, swam in the pool and spa and played at the splash waterpark.

The Splash Waterpark

 It was great! In Cairns we walked down the Esplanarde. At the end there was playground called Muddy's Playground. It was great but probably more for kids under 10. So Callam and Finn loved it. At the other end there was a lagoon pool with salt water because you can't swim in the sea unless your swimming in a stinger net. But the lagoon was lovely. There were also lots of people running up and down the path with there dogs. 

Cool fish at Muddy's playground

Unfortunately we didn't have the best weather while we were in Cairns so we decided to go to the movies. We saw "The Odd Life Of Timothy Green." 

The next day we went to the Botanical Gardens. It had a tropical theme because we were in tropics FNQ. (Far North Queensland). There were so many amazing plants that I can't explain what they looked like.  I had never seen anything like it. It looked like the scene when Alice first entered Wonderland. Nothing like what you would see in freezing cold Canberra. Here are some snaps of my favourite flowers.

The day after that my Uncle and Aunty came to visit us for 10 days. We went on the scenic railway with them up the side of the mountain to a place called Kuranda. We had loads of fun there. First we walked down the Main Street and looked at all the shops and even bought a thing or two. Then we went to the Butterfly House. There were so many. My favourite was the bright blue Ulysses. We looked at the caterpillars as well. Afterwards we went on the sky rail back down to Cairns. We went over a river and we were up very high. It also went over the tree tops.

the train ride up the mountain

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Ulysses

It was great when they landed on you.

Skyrail ride back down the mountain.

The day we were leaving we stopped off at an aboriginal cultural centre. First we got our face painted as an aboriginal person. Then we went and watched an interesting video about the history of their culture. Then we watched a dance performance. I even got to join in. Then we had some delicious lunch and went to do spear and boomerang throwing. I didn't do a very good job.

Fire Lighting

Joining in the dance.

PORT DOUGLAS

In Port Douglas we went snorkeling out to the Great Barrier Reef. We went on a boat called the Posiedon. It was a big boat that could fit up to 80 people. There were divers and snorkellers on board. Our first stop was on the outer reef. I saw lots of different fish and coral. The coral was beautiful and had lots of colours and shapes. There were many kinds of fish like clown fish and parrot fish and angel fish to name a few. My snorkel partner was Aunty Karyn. At the second site we saw giant clams. They were patterned with colours on the inside. I skipped the last site because I was felling very tired and a little unwell. The trip was interesting and I learnt that coral is an animal and gives birth once a year. (Pulips)This is called spawning.

CAPE TRIBULATION 

On our way to Cape Tribulation we stopped at the Daintree Discovery Centre. we did a variety of boardwalks across the forest. We also climbed up a viewing tower. We had an audio tour that gave us information at special places. We had the device around our necks. I learnt that male Cassowary looks after the baby chicks and the female cassowary is the largest. I also learnt that in 1 square metre of rainforest there can be up to 15 different species of plant. The twisted vines were amazing as they wrapped around each other and larger tree trunks.

Our camping site was right behind the beach. It was like having a beach for a backyard. We explored the area and walked along the beach. We went walking on the boardwalks over the mangroves and into the Daintree Rainforest. Did you know that the Daintree is the oldest rainforest in the world! And it's right here in Australia. There was lots on little creeks and rapids and we even saw a snake lying in the sun. I fell in the water and got my clothes all wet.

Our exciting activity was jungle surfing. This is were you get put in a harness and then you have to walk up to the exit platform. Then you get pulled up to platform 1. After that the instructor clips you to the tree a gets everyone else on the platform. Then you swing down to the next platform. You do that till you get to the ground. On the last one you go upside down. My favourite was the super fast one.  

At the Discovery Centre with Uncle Gareth and Aunty Karyn

Listening to the audio with Finny

Three ways to Townville

Drive, drive, drive. Three ways camp up, camp down. Drive, drive, drive. Mount Isa camp up, camp down. Drive, drive, drive. Charters Towers.

On the border of NT and QLD

 YES we stopped. 3 nights. Also known as Charlie's Trousers. While we were there we looked at gold mining. At one point it was the richest town in Australia. We went panning for gold and got some of our own. Although we also got some fools gold:(. We also went to the Venus Battery. This is where all the lazy people go to get there rocks crushed and make the people that work there find the gold for them. Did you know that the factory workers used to hide the gold so they could keep it for themselves? But they had to be very secretive so they hid it in places like armpits, mouth, in there ears, in between there toes and even in the backside. YUCK!!!!!!!!!!!! The Venus Battery is just on display for tours now but ran for a long time before I was born. 

Me panning for gold

Our next stop was Townville. The first thing we did there was walk along the strand. The strand is like an esplanade. On the strand there was a water park. It was great for kids and super fun. we also went in the zorb which is like a hamster wheel. The strand also had a salt water pool that was free to use. That particular day there was the million paws walk on so there were dogs all along the strand.

Me in the Zorb

In Townsville we also went to the museum and Reef HQ. At the museum we learnt about loads of things. We learnt about the pandora ship. The prisoners were put in a box 'called Pandoras Box'. Here they had to stay without any food or water. The ship Pandora sank.  We also looked at how green house gases kill coral and are extremely bad for the environment.

Me in Pandoras Box

Me as a butterfly. hehe!

After that we went to Reef HQ.  At Reef HQ  we looked at lots of fish, sharks and starfish. In the big tank there was even a turtle. We got invited to go to the turtle hospital and look at the sick turtles. When we got the we read a sign that told us of all the sicknesses that turtles can get. There were things like floating syndrome and lung disease. Which is when the turtle eats something like a plastic bag because it looks like a jelly fish. it gets stuck in their stomach which makes them start floating and then they can't dive down deep for things like food. They can also be hit by a boat or have to many barnacles. There was a tiny little turtle call Leroy.  

Finding Marley

At the turtle hospital

Cute little Leroy