Cairns -Touring 1 week at a time.

Atherton Tablelands- Looks alot like NZ

Been working 3weeks on 1week off for a while now. To ensure that I'm ready to go back to work I try to get out away from the city ( Cairns) and explore. Since I live in my truck already it's easy, quick top up of food from butcher & farmers market and I'm ready. Doing  Lots of short trips every time I'm back for my week off from Weipa. Have to do something to be ready to go back to 3weeks of boring work, did I say that twice. 

The travel  to work is good, plane ride, ferry ride 4x4 bus ride, but the work is boaring and stuck within the camp boarders gets a bit much, also we are not allowed to take photos and post stuff on social media so it's just work anyway. 

Week 1-

Looking south east towards cairns city and Yarraba peninsula from the lookout on kuranda range.

So all packed up, wasn't sure where to go so headed south to Babinda Boulders, where there is a free camp, it's a great spot I stopped at on the way north last year. Perfect day for swimming, then it rained which made it even better, a warm tropical down pour while I was in the big deep pool. A great spot to unwind from 3weeks of boring work. 

                                   Cool waters of the Chlosey,  surrounded by rainforest.

The next day I headed north back through Cairns and up onto the tablelands to Kuranda, checked out the Barron falls and a few of my old camp sites from when I wasn't working away. One of them is close to the Clohsey River,  Curtain fig tree, another was right under another curtain fig,  an enormous dinosaur tree the photos don't do it justice.

Curtain fig, the dinosaur tree time forgot

A rare sight, spotted quol only found in FNQ and very rare. they belong to the tassie devil family. 

Droped in at an old friends camp,  Daniel to get kayak back,  finally. Afew things missing but it's been awhile.  On through the tablelands through Mareeba down to Atherton & Crystal Caves, an amazing collection of crystals set up on display in a man made cave. Further down the tablelands to Malanda & dairy factory where I used to work and Lake Echam, a beautiful blue volcanic crater lake,  where I also camped while I was working at the dairy factory. Nice walk around the lake past another curtain fig tree that I actually climbed up last time I was here.
Took canoe out for a test run ,cant remeber how to paddle LOL been that long since I had it. 

Got to Yungaburra on the right day for the biggest of many tablelands market, stocked up on nice fresh food,  including some to take back to work,  hope it's not too heavy. Oh and some amazing  local tablelands grass-fed wagyu beef, direct off the farmer at a ridiculously cheap price. I lived of this meat when I was up this way. 

Just out of Yungaburra is a creek,  with Platypus and a maimai (viewing hide), this isn't the first platypus I've seen but cirtainly the least shy,  he must get alot if visitor's. Back down the Gillies range to get ready to go back to work. Can't believe I drove this road twice a day while half asleep working 2 jobs. Seems like just a dream now but I know every corner and every rockface.

                                                 Nice spot for lunch,  or camp,  Chlosey River.
                                       

                                     We are here!

                                         One of the sunniest places in the world.-Mareeba
                                             

                                                                      Platypus.

                                                      One of many amazing Amethyst crystals.

                                                           Old cow shed at museum

                                                             Old map of tablelands
                                                           

                                Got my kayak back a year later. Take it for a spin on Lake Eacham

Twin Queensland Kauri trees, the Ozzie's call them Kauri too. 

Curtain fig Tree

                                        Crocodile fossil, haven't changed much since then.

            Malinda Falls,  & public swimming pool. The dairy factory used to be run off these falls.

             LakeBbarine, another crater lake said to be connected to eacham via underground stream.