Caravanning Diary

Crystal Cascades & Skyrail to Kuranda

31 Jul 08 Day 61

Yesterday we thought we would go check out 'The Crystal Cascades' some rockpools up in the hills above Cairns. The road up was very scenic and wound up from the western suburbs through green country side. The Crystal Cascades are actually the overflow from the Copperlode Dam and Morris Lake further up in the hills. When we got to the carpark we found a short walking track into the rainforest that we followed for a while until it stopped dead in the middle of nowhere. We then backtracked and looked for another path that would lead to the pools. We found the correct path, paved and with bbqs and picnic grounds included. The walk to the highest point was 1.2kms but the path was wide and easy to walk. After about an hour of looking around we headed back into town.

Today we were booked on the Skyrail to Kuranda. We were supposed to be at the Terminal for a 11am departure. They recommend that you book times for going and return, but we found that no matter what time you front up you get on. Just join the queu. The Skyrail is 7.5 kms long and is divided into three sections, Caravonica terminal to Red Peak Station, Red Peak to Barron Falls Station and Barron Falls to Kuranda. You get off at each station and there you can go for a walk in the rainforest, join a guided tour or go look at lookouts before rejoining the cableway. At the Barron Falls station there is a Rainforest Interpretive Centre with hi-tech interactive computer displays,videos and rainforest information. The tallest tower is 40.5m high, there are 114 gondola cabins and Red Peak station is the highest point at 545m. The one way trip can take up to 1.5 hours.

When we got to Kuranda we spent a couple of hours looking around the tourist shops, market and had some lunch in the park. Geraldine bought some 'T' shirts for us both. About 3pm we headed back to the Cableway for the return journey. We stopped again at Barron Falls so that I could take photos of the Kuranda train heading back to Cairns. By the time we got back to the CP it was 4:30pm, Happy Hour... break out the 'Red'

Geraldine has a rest in the rainforest.

Waterfall at Crystal Cascades.

Looking back towards Caravonica
Terminal of the Skyrail.

Outside the Skyrail Terminal in Kuranda.

Geraldine at the Barron Falls Lookout.

Barron Falls with the weir in the background.

Geraldine outside Kuranda Railway Station.

Platform 1&2 Kuranda Station with the
return trains waiting for passengers.

Barron Falls near Kuranda.

Barron Gorge & Lake Placid

01 Aug 08 Day 62

This morning we headed off to the Stockland Shopping Centre for some groceries that we had run out of. Also filled up with LPG at the local Mobil as they were advertising it for $0.789 which was about 15c cheaper then yesterday. This is in line with the the story that the price of LPG is set at the start of each month by what the Saudis are selling it for.

After lunch we had a rest till about 4pm then I decided we should go and have a look at Lake Placid which was only a few kms from the CP. We drove there following the directions of 'Mags' the GPS chick and ended up in the Barron Gorge National Park and the bridge that crosses the Barron River and goes to the Hydro Facility. We were too late for a tour so we took a few photos and then drove back towards the Lake Placid CP and rec. area. It wasn't far and Mag's finally woke up and took us right in.

Lake Placid is part of the Barron River where an island blocks the flow of water and hence it builds up behind it forming a lake. The area is used by kayakers, rafters and also for swimming, but as it is winter not too many people in the water!! The area is very picturescue? with rainforests all the way down to the waterline.

We had a fish & chips dinner at the local cafe next to the Lake Placid CP. The CP seemed full with vans parked very close to each other like sardines in a tin. Geraldine wants to try this CP next time we are here!!.......next time??? Might be a while before we return.

Fuel Prices: LPG = $0.789 ULP = $1.539

Love the T-shirt Geraldine bought for me!

Barron River as it passes through the
Barron Gorge.

The Barron Gorge Hydro Electricity
Generation Facility.

Geraldine rests at Lake Placid.

Extreme Rafters returning to shore on
Lake Placid.

Water flows past the island in the
middle of the Barron River.

The Daintree & Cape Tribulation.

02 Aug 08 Day 63

Today was a busy day for us. We planned to drive to Port Douglas for a quick look around and then continue on to Mossman and the Daintree River where we will cross over on the ferry and drive on the bitumen as far as we could to Cape Tribulation.
We left the CP around 9:30am and took the western arterial road to the Captain Cook Highway where we joined it and negotiated all those roundabouts as you head north past Palm Cove.

Some sections of the Captain Cook Highway (CCH) have been protected under the World Heritage provisions because of its picturescue scenery as it follows the coast north to Port Douglas. At the Rex Lookout you can see the whole coastline back towards Cairns. We enjoyed some fine scenery as we made our way through rainforest and past tropical beaches.

Port Douglas is very much the Tourist Town catering mainly for the international visitor and the resort crowd. The main street has shops, boutiques, restaraunts, coffee shops, cafes and souvenier shops that beckened the visitors through their doors. There are a number of CPs there and they appear worthy of a look see if we ever come back this way. Probably the ideal location if you are coming up from the south each winter looking for warm weather, like some greynomads do. We drove to the lookout overlooking the beach and took a photo or two. Then we continued on to Mossman and the Daintree ferry crossing. Cost $19.

The drive to Cape Tribulation was magnificent, rainforest foliage, steep winding narrow road cut through the landscape. Our first port-of-call was the Daintree Discovery Centre with its aerial walkway and canopy tower that enables you to see the rainforest close up. We spent about 1.5 hours here before moving on to Cape Tribulation. The Cape was named by Captain Cook in 1770 when his ship the 'Endeavour' struck a reef off the Daintree coast. He named it such because,"here began all our troubles". The ship managed to limp into an inlet now known as Cooktown where it was repaired. We drove as far as PK's Camp because that is where the bitumen ended. The drive home was uneventful and we arrived back at the CP at 6pm. A very full day.

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