Week 436 - Innisfail, Queensland

Our base camp for the week has been the Garradunga Pub deep in the heart of sugar cane country. Our companions for the week were Bill and Lesley and we shared many a happy hour.

Miss Innocence - Her lack of training is beginning to
show, not her fault I know. I'll have to knuckle
down and re-train her. 

The Spirit of Queensland - Previously known as the 
Sunlander, this passenger train winds its way 
through the sugar cane fields. 

The area we were camping in had suffered heavy rains from the previous week, so we were given a temporary camp spot in front of the pub, right along side the railway line, where we witnessed cane trains, the Spirit of Queensland and a couple of daily freight trains.

Bartle Frere - Mount Bartle Frere is the highest 
mountain in Queensland at 5, 285 ft. Nearly 
always covered in cloud. 

In the distance was Mount Bartle Frere, the highest mountain in Queensland at 5,285 feet. It was nearly always covered in cloud and surrounded by rain.

Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church - 
Rebuilt in 1928 after a cyclone in 1918 destroyed the original. 

White breasted wood swallow - This bird could 
easily be mistaken for a wagtail 

The moss is in the hills - An unusual aspect 
of Bramston Beach 

This base camp gave us a chance to do some exploring in our Suzuki. We took in Flying Fish Point, Innisfail and lunched at Bramston Beach.

Innisfail has some great historic buildings, many Art Deco and others steeped in history. A quaint little township on the Johnson River. Very picturesque.

Milla Milla Falls - The falls haven't changed 
but the maintenance of the area is in neglect 

From the Garradunga Pub we continued heading north, this time to Mareeba via the Milla Milla Falls and Atherton. In contrast, Mareeba is parched dry and hasn't seen rain for weeks.

Here we will set up another base camp to explore the local area, replenish stocks and finally relax for a while.

Week 434-435 - Tully, Queensland

Our week started off at 250 miles an hour. A gratuitous ticket gave me entrance to the V8's motor racing at Townsville. It was the first time I have ever been at a race track close up. The noise, the smell and the excitement of the rev heads was enthralling. The atmosphere in the pits was underage glamour girls that flaunted around the stacks of racing tyres. The money the owners pump into this sport is huge. The trucks are enormous and the cars are in magnificent racing condition. The engines were spotless. However, after 20 or so laps, it was difficult to fathom out who was in front or who was behind, so thank god for the technology of huge TV screens and the commentary from an excited motorhead junkie.

Whoosh - The V8's roared past at a maximum 
speed of 250 kmh. The noise was deafening. 

Robinson R44 II - This helicopter was flown into
Townsville from Ingham to do the aerial shots of the
V8 racing.

ET calls home. This guy was in charge of 
television communications at the Townsville V8's. 

With the Dam Fine Rally packed up and gone, we spent a quiet night behind the RSL club before moving onto a steamy Ingham. We caught up with a few more motohoming friends there and witnessed the thrashing of NSW by the mighty Queenslanders.

725 Motorhomes of all shapes and sizes 
including caravans and a couple of 
crafty tents all camped at the Ross River dam 

Dump point with a view Picturesque Hervey Range 
overshadows this dump point. 

We pushed on further north, only getting as far as Tully. A picturesque sugar mill town, nestled up against the ever increasing rainforest. There, we took stock and managed to unwind from the previous couple of weeks' hectic activity.

Ingham - A quick stopover at the Koch's 
at Ingham on our way north. 

We coffeed and tea'd at Wongaling Beach and had lunch with Lesley and Bill at Mission Beach.