In August 2009, following the success of touring Kenya we decided to take it a little bit further, and this time taking a three week holiday in Australia. Everyone believes that the time to visit Australia is in our winter time, but it is also a very good destination for a holiday during our summer, and probably a little more accomodating. We did decide though to avoid the southern states and cities of Sydney and Melbourne, and concentrated on the Northern Territory in what is known locally as "The Dry", and then over to Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef. It is dry, and the temperatures and humidity much more comfortable
On our flight from London to Singapore we were fortunate to be upgraded, and enjoyed business class, then the last leg from Singapore to Darwin was more a tourist flight. We arrived in Darwin during the early hours local time, but in truth our bodies had no idea what time it was. We spent the first day in Darwin which we found to be a very cosmopolitan, youthful and vibrant city, and not just some outpost at the top of Australia as it can appear to be portrayed.
Overlooking the Timor Sea there was a harbour, excellent restaurants on the waterfront, history in the form of Darwin's place in World War II, and plenty of artisan shops and outlets to browse while we attempted to acclimatise to to the time difference.
The following morning we picked up our four wheel drive truck, and set off on our own adventure into the outback, and Kakadu National Park. We were heading for the town of Katherine, and the first interesting sight was crossing the Adelaide River where cruises take tourists on to the river and entice five metre Saltwater Crocodiles to jump out of the water for lumps of chicken and meat. We didn't stop, but as you crossed the bridge you could see the boast, and alongside a dark pencil shape in the water.
As we had the day and the journey was not too long we decided to spend time visiting a park of huge termite mounds, mini tower blocks scattered through the bush.
Towering twice as high as myself, difficult to believe these constructions were built by a termite
After the termites we then stopped for a walk and swim in a waterhole at Florence Falls in Litchfield National Park, this eased us into the driving, and exploring we would be experiencing over the course of the next five days.
We arrived in Katherine during the late afternoon and checked into the All Seasons, which turned out to be a lodge with individual cabins, and decks where you could watch the stars at night, next door was a amp and caravan park, and you shared the restaurant facilities with them. Rough and ready just as you would expect inthe outback
The following morning we were up before dawn and heading down to the Katherine River for a cruise through Nitmiluk, or Katherine Gorge, a series of thirteen deep sandstone gorges cut out by the river as it made its way from Arnheim Land to the Timor Sea. We arrived just before sunrise, the water still the sky that pink colour that indicates a lovely day ahead.
One of the attractions here beside the cruise is the kayak the river, and there was a collection of yellow kayaks tied to the jetty waiting.
We cruised gently down the river as the sun slowly rose with stunning views on either side of the gorge, as the light picked out the colours in the sandstone.
And the still water reflected the rocks and plants.
The steep sides of the gorge kept parts of the gorge in shadow early on in the morning. While the still water provided almost mirror like reflections
At the furthest point possible we were able to get out and walk alongside the water.
As the sun rose the colours changed.
We were on the first cruise in the morning, probably the best time to enjoy the scenery, it also meant we had breakfast on board and had plenty of time left in the day. We walked along the top of the gorge in places, encountering a tame Wallaby.
And these Fruit Bats hanging in the trees.
The views across the gorge were superb.
From the Katherine river dock we decided to set out and explore a little of the area on our own. There were several waterholes in the area, but with these came risk, the risk of crocodiles, we had to find somewhere that was safe. As a result we opted for Edith Falls, a series of three waterfalls that follow a small river. The falls are accessed off the Stuart Highway, north of Katherine, and then along a sealed road to the campground.
The first water fall was in a pool where the water was very deep and cold, and as a result it also felt quite imposing.
We walked on from here and found a series of pools and falls that were shallower, and the water was a more acceptable temperature.
We spent some time swimming here, then decided to walk the trail to the upper pool. Here there were views looking down the river.
Back at the car we followed the sealed road once again to the highway, and then back to hotel in Katherine. We spent sometime walking around the grounds. Magpie larks were picking up the left overs of the various picnics.
The Galah is one of the most widespread and common Cockatoo in Australia, being found in open country in almost all parts of the mainland. here you can see the rose-pink breast while the upper parts are a lovely silver grey.
The next day we were moving on to Cooinda, but planned to visit another water hole on the way. This time we picked one just of the Kakadu Highway, the water hole was called Maguk, accessed again by only a four wheel drive vehicle.
From the car park there was a one and a half kilometre walk along paths and across streams and in places through quite thick vegetation, through the Barrmundi Gorge
The trail then opened out into a large water hole with another waterfall in the far corner
Here another waterfall feeds crystal clear water, and once again we swam, crossing the pool to the waterfall
The walk there, and back took us along a trail that at times had vegetation hanging high in the trees showing how high the water can get here in the wet season.
Alongside the path pools and small lakes of water.
Movement on the ground under the bushes revealed a Rainbow Pitta. A secretive and shy bird it has a superb plumage, that stands out in its preferred gloomy habitat. The Rainbow Pitta is endemic to the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
From the waterhole we carried on to Cooinda where we checked into the Gagudju Lodge. Similar to the property in Katherine we were there for two nights. It was here where we learned of a four meter Saltwater Crocodile that had been paraded through Katherine after being caught in Edith Falls a couple of days ago.
The following morning we were up once again before sunrise, today we were taking the Yellow Water Cruise, and we had managed to get the first boat out, the best time to go.
On the dock at first light the skies were just beginning show some light.
Out on the water a shape appeared from out of the vegetation.
As it came closer it became clear this was a Saltwater Crocodile, apparently a 4.5 metre male.
The sun was still not up, but the light across the wetlands was improving.
And as the temperature rose a mist appeared over the water, and the birds started to come out of their roosts, a Great Egret in the foreground
With colour in the sky the still water provided more reflections
A Great Egret perched in the overhanging branches.
Finally the sun came up as we drifted slowly through the still waters.
Ahead of us a dark shape appeared from the water and as the sun caught the top it was clear it was that of another Saltwater Crocodile.
Along the banks of the water Whistling Ducks gathered as the sun started to stream through the surrounding trees
Gradually the light improved and conditions for photography became much better. A White-bellied Sea Eagle perched in the distant tree
We approached slowly and we able to get some close shots.
Green Pygmy Geese would take up out of the vegetation as we approached but a pair were more confiding than others as we passed them.
As well as Crocodiles in the water, there were some also on the banks, this one the largest.
A pair of sea eagles then appeared in an overhanging branch above us, announcing their arrival by calling.
A flash of blue and an Azure Kingfisher perched in the bushes.
As well as the egrets there were Ibises, this a Glossy Ibis
And on more dead branches the only Bee-Eater to be found in Australia the Rainbow Bee-Eater
As we approached the dock at the end of the cruise we encountered the large Saltwater Crocodile approached the boat. It was almost the length of the boat, huge and menacing as it hung still in the water.
Close in you can see a blood stained tooth.
Another early morning start meant that we still had plenty of the day left, so we decided to explore some more. This time taking the adventure a little further and experiencing some off road driving. We decided to visit Twin Falls and Jim Jim Falls which involved negotiating a 57km track that is only open in the dry season, in places we were driving though sand drifts, and tall grasses.
But the biggest challenge came when we reached JIm Jim Creek. In the wet season this is impassable. Markers indicate the depth in the middle of the creek, and everything appeared OK.
But as you approach the creek you are met with the following sign.
We sat looking at the water but decided to go for it.
Fortunately all worked out well we crossed safely and made our way onwards to the Mardugal campsite where we purchased ticket for a ferry that took us up river through a forested gorge. The ferry was installed due to the risk posed by crocodiles, but all we saw on the trip were a couple of small Freshwater Crocodiles
The gorge opened out and a small beach led to an impressive cliff face where there was a trickle of water falling. You could see where the two falls would be, but the amount of water was a little disappointing after the challenge of the journey.
We returned to the campground, again on the ferry, and then headed on to the Jim Jim Falls, parking at the Jim Jim campsite. We then had to scramble and climb over boulders and rocks for a kilometre to reach the swimming hole.
The falls were not flowing, and due to the sheer vertical height of the cliffs the water was very cold. We were told it was croc free and there were others in the water, so we did swim (safety in numbers?), but it wasn't that enjoyable, as the depth and inky black water plays with your mind.
We had to scramble back across the boulders, and as the track came close to the creek we were reminded of the threat posed by the Saltwater Crocodile, as on the far shore was a trap, empty fortunately.
From the car park we undertook the drive back along the track, although like all return journeys it just didn't seem the same on the return leg. We spent the evening and night in Cooinda.
In the morning we set off on our journey back to Darwin. We were going to follow the highway to Jabiru, where would spend time in the visitor centre, then from there we took the Arnheim Highway, and stopped at the Mamukala Wetlands. There was a viewpoint across the marshes, where from September to October huge flocks of Magpie Geese gather, but today all we could see was a Great Egret.
And a white-necked or Pacific Heron and lots of Swamphens.
A view across the marshes, imagine hordes of Magpie Geese and herons and Egrets
Back in the car we headed towards Darwin, as we approached the city we crossed once again the Adelaide River where another crocodile was following a boat on the water. Back in Darwin we checked into the hotel we had left six days earlier, and the returned the truck. Tomorrow we were being picked up and taken to the airport for the next stage of the adventure
We had an early morning flight from Darwin to Alice Springs, arrived and transferred to our hotel, a little more upmarket than the two we had stayed in while touring Kakadu. You realise that Australia is a huge country when it is a two hour flight and you remain in the same state. You also got to appreciate how dry and uninhabited the land is when looking out the window and seeing just red sand and pin pricks of vegetation spread for miles.
Alice Springs is situated in a region known as the Red Centre, and consists of several different deserts, looking out from the hotel, you could see the contrast between the irrigated and cultivated gardens of the modern city and the desert.
In 1861–62, John McDouall Stuart led an expedition through Central Australia, to the west of what later became Alice Springs, thereby establishing a route from the south of the continent to the north.
A white settlement was started ten years later with the construction of a repeater station on the Overland Telegraph Line (OTL), which linked Adelaide to Darwin and the UK. The OTL was completed in 1872. It traced Stuart's route and opened up the interior for permanent settlement. The Alice Springs Telegraph Station was sited near what was thought to be a permanent waterhole in the normally dry Todd River. The settlement was optimistically named Alice Springs after the wife of the former Postmaster General of South Australia, Sir Charles Todd. The Todd River was named after Sir Charles.
In the afternoon we were taken on a tour of the city, and the old telegraph station outside the city. We walked around the old wooden buildings, and you could imagine the colonial atmosphere.
Bizarrely the only Kangaroo I was able to photograph on the trip was this one hopping around the telegraph station.
Bizarrely the only Kangaroo I was able to photograph on the trip was this one hopping around the telegraph station.
Here the site of the water hole and the optimistic Alice Spring.
Around the trees and on the grass were Port Lincoln Parrots.
Another huge coincidence was that while on the bus we started talking to some other British people, and it turned out that one used to be the secretary at Four Marks golf course, living between Four Marks and Farnham, and still had friends in the village.
Alice Springs today is the third largest city in the Northern Territory with a population of 20,000 so that says a lot about how many person live in the territory. The town centre is laid out as a grid, and has a mall at its centre. From the World War two memorial overlooking the town you could get a view of the place.
Today Alice is the gateway for tourists to the major sites of the Red Centre, namely Uluru, or as it was named by the British, Ayres Rock. However before we visited there we were off to explore the desert, and the area around Kings Canyon. We were staying in the Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge, a retreat of 10 tented cabins set amongst Desert Oaks. We were only staying for one night, so in the afternoon we were going to walk around the Kings Canyon.
We were picked up in the morning by coach, this seems to be the means of transport for tourists around Alice Springs. As we headed west into the desert the skies clouded over and we were afforded a strange site, a desert rainbow.
The area is the western half of the George Gill range, a huge escarpment that runs across the area. The western half is the Watarrka national Park, and within the park Kings Canyon. We were going to walk the canyon rim, and drop down into the gorge
We settled into the Wilderness lodge, and then in the afternoon, in scorching sunshine we were taken to the canyon car park, where we climbed up a rocky slope. Eucalyptus trees were dotted about a sure sign that there is water here, albeit very deep down below the rocks.
The white bark of the Eucalyptus, stands out against the red of the surrounding sandstone rocks. These trees are known as "ghost gums".
The trees grow in the most unlikely of places.
This pass through the rocks was used in, and made famous in the movie "Pricscilla, Queen of the Desert".
Everywhere there were weathered sandstone rocks sitting on top of domes, their creation being mostly due to the effects of wind and water erosion.
But on the eastern rim there are some stunning views of the sheer cliff faces, where despite the dry conditions and the lack of any nutrition, gum trees still grow.
Here you can see the sheer cliff faces,a nd appreciate how they have formed as the rock layers have just fallen away.
The trail descended down into the canyon, by a set of wooden steps, and we walked along the bottom past pools where mallard ducks could be seen! This was not something I expected. Here there was a lush oasis of ferns, and cycads.
Coming out of the canyon we walked past more of the sandstone domes, then dropped down a series of steps back to the car park. A lot of the aboriginal art features red background and dotd and it is believed this comes from the views of the landscape, with the red sand and soil and the dots created by the clumps of spinifex grass.
Back at the lodge we prepared for dinner.Outside the landscape consisted of spinifex grasses and desert oaks. There were a few Galah around but very little other wildlife.
The dots of the spinfex grass everywhere.
Unfortunately due to the high winds the plans for an outside barbecue were cancelled and we ate in the main tented area
The sunset though was beautiful, the night under canvas in the desert quite cold
The next day after breakfast, we were taken around the ranch. This is a working ranch, and the due to the size of the area and the amount of cattle, a lot of the mustering is done by helicopter. Once again we saw very little wildlife, mostly domesticated camels and cattle, there was though a brief sighting of a lone Red Kangaroo in the distance.
late morning we were picked up by coach once again and transported to the Ayres Rock Resort, where there is a selection of properties depending on how much you were prepared to pay, although all in the same compound. We were staying in the Desert Gardens, checked in and settled in before our tour starting in the afternoon around Uluru.
Uluru is Australia's most recognisable natural wonder, and tourists come from around the world like a moth to the flame, and didn't we know it!
Archaeological evidence suggests that Aboriginal people have lived this part of Australia for at least 10,000 years. According to Aboriginal lore all landscape fatures were made by ancestral beings, and the Yankunytatjara Aboriginal Peoples (who refer to themselves as the Anangu) are the descendants of the ancestral beings and custodians of the land.
According to the legend, Uluru was built by two boys who played in the mud after rain, it is at the centre of a series of "dreaming"tracks that criss cross Australia. The Anangu officially own the national park, and they receive a rent from Parks Australia, and apercentage of the park entrance fee. Today they were doing very well by the number of coaches about.
As the coach drove into the park we had our first glimpse of the rock, surrounded by desert oaks and eucalyptus trees, and above fluffy white clouds, the characteristic postcadr profile, that were probably sold when we were there, but not today!
We stopped a rest area where we could glimpse the rock again through the trees. We were going to tour around the area, and in places walk at the base of the rock, along with thousands of others!
There is a trail that goes around the whole 9.4 kilometres of the base of the rock. We did not walk the whole circumference but were dropped at various places where we could walk and take in the enormity of the rock from ground level.
The rock is a coarse grained sandstone known as arkose, that was formed from sediment that eroded from granite mountains. These sedimentary beds were laid down over 600 million years ago in a shallow sea. Various periods of uplift caused the beds to fold and buckle above sea level, and the beds that form Uluru were turned almost vertical, so Uluru represents a form similar to an iceberg, with much, much more below the surface, that is known to extend over five kilometres.
Over the last 300 million years the wind, sand and water have sculpted the surface of the rock, and as we walked close to the base you could see quite clearly the effects of this.
Here ripple effects on the surface of the rock from water
Again water cutting out valleys, and the remains providing sustenance for the many small trees and bushes.
The water would have cut the valleys across the rock, and the wind and sand would then round of the peaks and edges. There is one permanent water hole, Mutitjulu, which has a boardwalk overlooking it
There are many caves created through wind and sand erosion and in these are lots of images drawn on the wall by the Aboriginal people. much of the art depicting the surrounding landscape
Driving and walking around the rock we saw waves of smooth stone, areas of honeycomb shaped rock, many ridges and spill ways that link lots of small rock pools. It made you wonder what it would be like to experience the rock in a torrential storm wwith water rushing off the rock.
Looking up some of the sides of the rock are steep and the red in the sandstone contrasts with the deep blue of the sky.
Still today water is playing a part in the sculpture of the rock, here deposits laid down on the rock as it finds its way down the side.
After our tour around the rock, the coach pulled into a large car park, that was position between the setting sun and the rock. This is the sunset viewing area, like everything here it was geared up for the many tourists that visit here everyday. As is always the case where human beings congregate, there is opportunity for the wildlife, and we were joined by Crested pigeons that showed no fear, and came very close.
As the sun set the colour on the rock changed considerably, at one point I feared that the cloud would come in and obscure the sun, fortunately it didn't and this is the best picture of quite a few that I took. It was very impressive, but we both had wished we that we didn't have to share it with so many, it sort of took from the experience.
We celebrated with a glass of red wine provided by the tour company, then boarded the coach and returned to the resort for dinner.
The next morning we were up before dawn to witness the sun rising on Uluru. This of course meant a trip to a different car park where we joined more tourists all brought in by coach. We bundled out were given coffee and stood staring at the big red rock. Unfortunately the eastern sky was shrouded in cloud, and the sun never actually lit up the rock as it rose in the sky, and the best view we obtained was this.
So from Uluru, we were now going to explore another clutch of rocks, the Kata Tjuta, or the Olgas. This consists of 36 textured pink red domes that as the sun shines reflect different curves across the landscape.
Again as we approached in the obligatory coach we were afforded a distant view
Looking back there was also a spectactular view of Uluru.
While Uluru was formed as the bed of sedimentary rock was tilted almost vertically, Kata Tjuta were only tilted by about 20 degrees. The wind, sand and water erosion though has once again left them rounded, but with deeply cleaved and narrow gorges that are decorated with tufts of vegetation and surrounded by the spinifex grass.
Close up you can see the clumps of grass.
Kata Tjuta was discovered first by white man, Ernest Giles sighting the rocks as he attempted his crossing from the Overland Telegraph line in 1872. It was another year later when a party led by William Gosse set out to cross to the west that they came across Uluru. At that time he named the rock after Sir Henry Ayres, the then premier of South Australia.
Kata Tjuta means many heads, and there are 36 domed rocks shoulder to shoulder forming valleys and steep-sided gorges. The tallest rock, mount Olga is nearly 200 metres taller than Uluru.
We arrived at the main car park, and embarked on a walk through one of the many valleys. Rain from a recent storm was still visible in many of the potholes in the rocks.
Further on many more pools that reflected the steep sides of the valley.
The sun was now high in the sky, and it was warm, but the steep sides of the gorge and valley shaded us from the heat of the sun.
Once again the evidence of the wind and sand erosion following the deep valleys cut by water.
The red sandstone and the accompanying scree makes the whole area take on an unworldly presence, and in fact areas in the Red Centre were used to train astronauts for excursions on the moon. With the red colour it was more like Mars.
We returned to the resort around mid-day, our next rip was to be just before dusk, we were to have dinner in the desert at the celebrated Sounds of Silence dinner. We were taken to a site central to views of both Uluru and Kata Tjuta, where tables were set out in the sand. As the sun set we were treated to fantastic views of the both rocks.
Kata Tjuta
We were served by smartly dressed waiters, but the real show was going on around us, and also yet to come.
As the sun finally set we were surrounded by darkness, and above us gradually the stars appeared. With no light pollution it was an incredible show, clearly being able to see whay the Milky Way is so called. I can't ever recall seeing stars so clearly.
part of the show was pointing out the key stars and formations with a laser, and the telling of Aboriginal stories. It was quite frankly an unforgettable experience.
The following morning we were transported back to Ayres Rock airport by coach, and deposited at the terminal, the coaches went off to pick up more tourists and we checked in for our flight to Cairns in Queensland for the final leg of our trip.
As the plane headed away from airport we had one more chance to gaze upon Uluru, this time without the crowds.
The last leg of our trip to Australia in 2009 took us east to Queensland.
Our flight from Ayres Rock took two and half hours, but with a one hour time difference, and we arrived in Cairns at just after five in the afternoon. We picked up the rental car and drove north for about an hour to Port Douglas. This town is known as the flashy relative of Cairns, to who it appears more sophisticated , intimate and with a wonderful sandy beach. The town centre is built on a spit of land jutting out into the Coral Sea. We were staying at the Peppers Beach Club, and arrived just as it was getting dark. We were here in Queensland for eight nights and we were planning on making the most of the time travelling around the northern area of the state, and a trip out to the Great Barrier Reef.
In the morning we were able to take in our surroundings, first the Beach Club where we were staying.
Then a walk around this small town, that just seemed to exude chilled sophistication. Palm trees, blue skies with distant clouds.
Our first excursion was to head north from Port Douglas to Mossman, a small town that brings you back to the reality of the area. Mossman is a cane town, with working sugar mill, and cane train.
The major attraction around Mossman is the Mossman Gorge. This is situated in the southeast corner of the Daintree National Park, and is part of the traditional land of the Kuku Yalanji indigenous people.
Carved by the Mossman river, the gorge is a boulder strewn valley where water washes over ancient rocks.
We walked a short trail alongside the river from the car park.
Driving around the area we passed through villages, where the trees were full of Galah, and air plants or epiphytes, making them appear strange.
The whole surrounding area is given over to sugar cane, the perfect time to play "Cattle and Cane" by the Australian band, the Go Betweens.
Back in Port Douglas we walked down to Four Mile beach, a broad band of white sand backed by palm trees. As we approached we were faced with more warning signs, this time to advise of the presence of the Box Jellyfish, and other marine stingers some of which can kill. We were not intending to go in the water.
The beach though was beautiful
Odd coconuts washed up in the surf.
As we walked the beach White-bellied Sea Eagles, Brahminy Kites and Ospreys cruised the beach as well, preferring though to keep above the palm trees before heading ourt across the water to look for fish.
On the beach itself there were millions of different sized sand balls scattered everywhere, and if you stood and watched you could see who created them, as crabs would appear out of holes rolling the sand from the hole.
The following morning we walked down to the harbour to board our boat to take us out for a day on the Great Barrier Reef.
Port Douglas is the main location for trips out to the Barrier Reef, there are lots of companies offering trips, from basic boat trips and snorkeling, to stops on permanent docking stations on the reef, to Scuba diving. We were on a boat that would take us to three snorkeling stops. They were also offering the rental of waterproof cameras, and then the purchase of the SD card..
At the first stop the first sight of the reef, a lone wave breaking over the shallow water above the coral.
This being about nine years ago I can't actually recall what images came from which stop, so they will all merge into one
A Parrot Wrasse
Plenty of the coral that forms the reef, in beautiful colours.
A Giant Clam, just open, showing a beautiful electric blue lining.
Some of the coral was dead, water temperature can have an influence on the coral.
One of the commonest fish around the reef are the yellow and black Sergeant Majors
The convolutions, and folds of the aptly named Brain coral.
It wasn't clear blue skies above and the visibility was not brilliant in places, but it didn't take from the amazing fish.
Many types of Wrasse, that for once I couldn't identify
Another Giant Clam, showing the electric blue lining once again.
Another large Parrot Fish grazing on the rock and coral with its sharp beak for a mouth. You could see the bits of coral dropping from its mouth
Incredible colours
At one point Helen was signally to me in a panic, and came up and asked if we should be concerned, she had found a sleeping shark. All I could see was the tail and the dorsal fin that was tipped black and I assumed this was possibly a small Black-tipped Reef Shark, we moved away, leaving it be!
Angel Fish
And a Clown Fish, this one being the Orange-Fin Anemonefish.
Another stunning Parrot Fish
And then an animal I hoped we would see, but never dreamed it would be so close, a sea turtle, and this one is a Hawksbill Turtle.
Considered to be the most beautiful of sea turtles for their colourful shells, the Hawksbill is found in tropical waters around the world. They spend their time in coral reefs, rocky areas, lagoons, mangroves, oceanic islands, and shallow coastal areas.
It gets it's name for its narrow head and sharp, bird-like beak, Hawksbills can reach into cracks and crevices of coral reefs looking for food. Their diet is very specialized, feeding almost exclusively on sponges.
It continued its journey from the coral bed out into the open water, a real treat.
As the turtle swam off it was back to the Parrot Fish.
A type of Sea Slug
More parrot Fish
The shoals of fish producing wonderful patterns as they wrap around the rocks and coral.
back above water the thin cloud that had been with us all day was starting to break up as we made our way back to Port Douglas.
At one point the crew pointed out in the distance that another boat had stopped for a passing Humpback Whale, unfortunately we didn't.
While in the desert we had seen a rainbow across the scrub, and as we cruised back one stood out to the north over the sea.
As we arrived back in Port Douglas harbour it looked the picture of a tropical south sea setting
Our next trip was to travel north along the coast to the Daintree National Park. We were joining a tour that went out on the Daintree River, that flows through the rainforest that is found right up to the coast.
We set off an hour before sun rise, driving through Cane Sugar plantations and we ran over a few Cane Toads that were crossing the road in the cool of the early morning. As we arrived at the dock on the river mist was crawling around the valley
As we waited there were streams of intermediate Egrets flying out of the roost.
Beautiful scenes along the river valley.
And the still water providing mirror like reflections of the surrounding hills.
Barn Swallows used the boats as perches as they hawked insects over the still water of the river.
Our guide pointed out what must be a regular roosting site for a pair of Papuan Frogmouths. these are nocturnal birds related to the Nightjars. The Papuan is the largest within the family. It hunts for insects on the ground and can sometimes take small reptiles. You can just make out the large bill, but can't see the red eye. The female is more rufous in colour and probably the front bird here
Another find was a tree snake, how he found this I don't know, as it was quite small and took a time to get onto when pointed out. It is in fact a Common Tree Snake, or Yellow-bellied Black Snake. It can grow to just over a metre long and feeds on frogs and skinks.
In the scrub alongside the river, a Shining Flycatcher
And a couple of acceptable pictures of the an Azure Flycatcher.
An Australian Darter drying off in the branches hanging over the river.
And on a sand bank a Black-fronted Dotterel
Finally a Pied Cormorant.
There were plenty of other birds seen such as Honey Eaters, Brahminy Kite, Jacanas and a Channel-billed Cuckoo, my camera equipment was then nothing like that I have today, and I missed an awful lot that today I would be recording.
As the sun warmed the morning the birds became harder to see, and we returned to the dock. There was still a few wisps of mist coating the sides of the river valley.
We decided to head further north into the national park. We crossed the river on a ferry, heading towards Cape Tribulation, but our vehicle was not going to get us there so we stopped at one of the centres, and first walked to the beach.
The clear skies of the early morning had now clouded over, but it was still very warm, not surprising as we were well into the tropics now.
The rainforest extended right to the beach and sand, and reminded me of some of the locations for Jurrasic Park or Lost
Clouds were bubbling up over the distant mountains
A beautiful beach but you never felt safe, everywhere there were warnings about crocodiles, stingers and the Cassowary, the latter being considered the most dangerous. This flightless bird that stands about as high as a man could rip you apart with its clawed feet.
I would have loved to have seen one from a distance, but they are very secretive, and best seen just before and after dawn and dusk. We were left with a search for shells.
At one of the information centres we were shown sleeping tree frogs.
There were also some wonderful views out across the park, here the mouth of the River Daintree flowing into the Pacific Ocean.
We made our way back down south, crossing the river once again, and driving through the Sugar Cane Fields where kookaburas could be seen perched above the cane on the overhead wires.
We decided to stop once again in Mossman Gorge, and explored around the boulders in the river.
Back in Port Douglas the clouds had broken up , and it was a lovely afternoon
More scenes from South Pacific.
At Five Mile Beach there were a few people braving the stingers in the ocean. We walked the beach watching the Osprey and Brahminy Kites again.
We spent the rest of our time in Port Douglas relaxing by the pool. The journey home came upon us very quick and was quite horrendous. From Cairns to Darwin three hours, and from Darwin to Singapore, nine hours and then Singapore to London, twelve hours. All in economy, it was exhausting and does put you off visiting Australia, coming you have the excitement of the trip, going home you just want it over!
So that was Australia in 2009
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