Koah -New Camp, Slash & burn

Slash & burn. 

Still in Cairns-After a few weeks in our rain forest hut, we managed to make a few new friends, one of them Daniel, offered his place for us to camp, he said there's nothing there and we can build what ever we want.

Just across the highway at Koah, is Daniels block. He is just finishing a little batch for the owners so they can rent it out, now our job in exchange for a free place to stay is to help him finish off the batch, and move to his block right next door, with nothing there except trees, scrub, lantana, Bandicoots and a nice river front.

There is no power, but we do have a water tank which we fill from the creek  with a generator.
Also a thing called a donkey, it heats water on the fire, and does a very good job of it, all stainless steel, you can make a cuppa straight out of the tap.

My new bath tub 

First day at the new camp we cleared a space to put a tent and park the truck, then selected a nice gum log, jammed it up in a tree fork and tied the other end with tire wire with a forked gum log to support it, that was our ridge line. Strung a tarp over the top of the log to protect the new camp from sun & rain. Heaps cooler underneath already. Cut a few more trees down, dug out the stumps and raked up the leaves. That's enough for one day I think.

Now when ever we feel like it and weather permitting, we clear a bit more scrub, leaving the nicer trees for shade, and in the evening set fire to the piles of sticks and Guinea grass, which occasionally gets out of hand. That's OK, more burnt means less to clear.

We cut a new track down to the bottom corner of the block, where there is a deep bend in the river and a beach, it's only waist deep but it's the deepest spot on the property, and it gets sun, the river is still icy cold so it's only good at midday wen the sun is in it.

Helping Daniel tidy up, cleared some more scrub to make space, moved 2 caravans and a lot of building materials, timber, sheets of iron and gum poles. between the swimming down at our new beach of course.

Went to visit Simon, across the rd from Dans, up a long rough narrow track, makes you feel like you are way out in the bush. Simon's camp is a shipping container with a big tarp, kitchen & everything at the side of the container under the tarp, a bunch of caravans and a giant Volvo bus, with queen sized bed, couch, TV, computer and air con!, and a nice big fire in the middle, all running off a generator.  Helped him tidy up a but, planted out some gardens, exchange for dinner and s few beers. We can also camp there. Two new good friends willing to help us out wherever they can.

I have found a local market, at Speewah Tavern,  which has everything I need except meat, all local produce, eggs, dried fruit, a lot is spray free or organic. Very low food miles,
And very friendly people.

I'm starting to like this spot, apart from the lack of fish. Oh and I found a chocolate pudding tree ( black saporte ) at Dan's. If you haven't tried them they are amazing, even though they look rotten when ripe, if I can beat the bandicoots.

6' Guinea grass 

Clohsey River, our drinking water source. 

Bush camp. 

Collected some fire wood with Dans chainsaw & bush basher car. 

The Donkey. Endless Hot water. 

Private beach. 

Friendly Bandicoot about the size of a cat, looks like a giant rat. 

Fixed my bottle jack. 

300mm Skink escaped our clean ups.