Back on the backpackers route 🎒

We made it out of Croydon the next day! It was close however. The reported level of the river the next morning was 'Water 200mm below bridge and rising. Expected to be over soon'. With the river being about an hours drive away we set off with crossed fingers! When we reached the bridge the water was definitely over, thankfully not enough to stop us, but soon would have been. 

Back on the road we stopped for a bit of bird spotting at Cumberland Chimney, our only spots being a Australian Bustard and a Nankeen Night Heron, then later on we walked up Kalkani Crater Lookout. The latter is in the Undara Volcanic National Park, which is home to some cool lava tube formations but as it's the low season we couldn't visit these. It's good for us to keep moving anyway! 


After spending the night for free at a random little spot behind a petrol station in Mount Garnet, we made it into the Atherton Tablelands. There was a relieving drop in temperature and we'd managed to just miss lots of heavy rain. We visited three waterfalls - Millaa Millaa, Ellinjaa, and Zillie, having a welcome dip in the first one. We then stopped at the Malanda Visitors Centre where we learnt all about Tree Kangaroos, getting our hopes up that we'd see one as there had been sightings nearby that day. However none were viewed on our rainforest walk, but we did spot turtles and a friendly Pademelon which we observed for a little while, and it only ran away at the sound of my zip. 



We then carried on to Yungaburra, where we visited the Curtain Fig, an insane tree which has grown on a host tree, sent its roots down to the ground, then killed the host tree, and it remains standing at a wonky angle on all its roots (there is a better explanation below.) We had an early night in Yungaburra, a lovely little town where we hoped to spot Platapus... And we did, the early alarm paid off! It took us a while, and to begin with Matt thought it was a stick until it dived underwater, but we watched one from the bank dive and resurface several times in the pretty turbulent water. What crazy creatures they are! 


I know I've been pretty jubilant about all the wildlife we've been spotting but it's not all good. I've never been bitten so much in my life. I seemed to have always got off lightly, especially in my old job (apart from Ticks, I am somewhat of a Tick magnet), but here no matter how much insect repellant I use I've spent the last few weeks covered in itchy lumps. We have one horrendous night where we accidentally let loads of mosquitoes into the van, but we learned from that mistake. We have however enjoyed leaving a lamp out in the dark and watching all the weird a wonderful things that come swarming especially the huge grasshoppers. 

We hoped our wildlife luck would continue as we headed to Lake Eacham which is home to a freshwater crocodile but no sightings. You can swim however, which we were uneasy about but we spoke to a man who said he'd swam there everyday for 2 and a half years and never seen it whilst swimming, plus the freshwater crocs arent really a threat to humans, so in we jumped. We then made some egg sarnies for a late breakfast and found a double-yolker, which always puts you in a good mood. 


We then headed, finally back to the coast, to Cairns. We dropped my phone off at a repair shop, I brought an old phone with me which I've been using for photos etc. Apologies for any unreplied messages on WhatsApp, fingers crossed I'll have it back in a few days. We had walk along the waterfront where they have a nice boardwalk and looked at the lagoon where we decided we'd come back for a dip the next day and then headed to the caravan park for a chill. 


We both felt a bit strange being at a busy caravan park again, for about the last month or so we've often been alone or there's just been a few people dotted about, but being in Cairns meant lots of young backpackers in vans similar to ours as well as the older couple in the larger more RV type vans. A German couple next to us weirdly gave us a sweaty sheet, there was a bit of language barrier. We though they were offering us a mosquito net like thing but then appeared with a sheet and told us we should wash it. 

Anyway, this is getting a bit long so I'll leave it there for now. We've popped north, so are already up in Daintree Rainforest but I'll save it for the next post. 


Lots of love, 

Lisa and Matt 💕 







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