The Great Barrier Reef

We booked our trip to the Great Barrier Reef a few days ago and Sunday was the day!

Justin gave the boys a quick snorkelling lesson in Andrea's pool the day before we went:

So on Sunday we were ready for the real thing.  Given that it was all on a beach, we left all electronics (including cameras) at home so there aren't any photos - sorry!

We jumped on the Quicksliver tour 'Wavedancer', and headed off on the 1.5hr cruise out to Low Isle, an island with a coral bay right off the beach.  With no wind, there were no waves and we had a great time on the boat.

When we got there, the boys and Justin took the glass bottomed boat tour which included a Giant Trevally fish using their boat for cover, while I had a snorkelling tour around the reef.  It was absolutely incredible.  I finally have worked out why everyone raves about snorkelling - I had my wetsuit (so not cold), and a noodle (so not sinking), and only used my fins (so not gasping for air), and I had goggles that fit me (so no water in my eyes).  It was EXCELLENT!!  There were loads of fish, beautiful coral and perfect conditions.

We then went to the boat for lunch, and then back to the beach for some more snorkelling with the kids.  The younger two did see some fish from the beach, and Jack did proper snorkelling all the way out and was the last one to come in at the end of the day.  He loved it.

As the day went on, the wind picked up so we were warned that if we get sea sick to take some tablets before we headed off back to Port Douglas. 

I want to thank all those people who have recommended those ginger tablets for settling your stomach.  They were incredible.,. they gave a really interesting texture to my vomit when I threw them up 30 minutes later....

Jack was a bit queasy too so we were both glad to get back on land, and then we were surprised by Nicola and Glenn and the kids who met us on the deck and shouted us drinks and chippies on the wharf.  It was fantastic.  To sit and watch the boats while having a G&T after snorkelling on the reef all day was one of those idyllic moments on a holiday.

28th - Meeting our relatives!

Today we went to the park and had a play with Nicola and Glenn's children - Nikita, Alex and Matilda, who are one year below all of my kids.  You have to love Queensland's trees for a playground.  This fig tree was a house, complete with lounge rooms, bedrooms and a view:

 We then headed home for a dinner of barramundi with Andrea and Nicola:

While the kids relaxed and bonded in front of the TV.

27th - Mossman Gorge

Today we daytripped to Mossman Gorge.  IT IS BRILLIANT!!  We drove to the information centre, and then took a bus up the mountain.  After a short walk, we were at a mountain stream with rocks and waterfalls and fish, perfect for a swim... (if you are a child with no fear of hypothermia)

And while we were there, a small red bellied black snake came cruising along the beach.  Very exciting!

The kids had a front row view, and were fantastic in protecting each other from getting too close:

We then went on the 2km bushwalk through the gorge.  It was beautiful with some fascinating buttressed tree trunks - something the trees do to anchor themselves to the waterlogged soil.

There were also the rock formations...

 ... and the rivers running through the gorge:

Which leave beautiful waterholes perfect for sitting for a snack.

A beautiful place to visit.

26th - Travel to Port Douglas

On the 26th we headed to Port Douglas to stay with Justin's Aunty Andrea who has kindly opened her house, spare rooms, swimming pool, kitchen and washing machine to her homeless relatives from Victoria. 

It is lovely here, close to the beach, palms everywhere, it even has unexploded mines for kids to play with!

25th - Last day at Lake Tinaroo

For our last day at Lake Tinaroo we just relaxed and enjoyed the lovely weather. 

Kuranda

We had the BEST day today!!  The weather cleared up so we drove to Kuranda, a small town on top of a rainforest covered mountain.  Absolutely gorgeous.

While there we visited their Butterfly Sanctuary which was great.  It included a tour of the facility, showing butterflies in all their stages from egg to caterpillar to butterflies newly emerged from their chrysalis.  Fantastic.  There were loads of butterflies flitting around.  Absolutely beautiful.

From there we had a picnic in the park and then headed to the Kuranda markets for a short visit.  They even have dinosaurs there!

Then it was off to the Scenic Railway down the mountain.  What a ride!  Beautiful views from a railway cut into the edge of an extraordinarily steep mountain by men with hand picks and shovels.  This included 15 tunnels, one of them over 400m long.  An incredible feat of engineering and some spectacular views.

The railway also stops at Barron Falls which are beautiful.

Once at the bottom of the mountain, a shuttle bus took us to the start of the Skyrail.  We were a bit nervous at the start...

Especially when it headed out over the canopy of the rainforest...

But we then relaxed into it and enjoyed the ride and the views from the rainforest canopy to Cairns.  It was quite spectacular.

It was a big day...

Atherton Crystal Caves

We woke to a fairly gloomy looking day this morning so we quickly sent the boys outside while it wasn't raining.

Fairly soon after, the misty rain settled in for what was a wet and mucky day.  With such poor weather we headed for the Atherton 'Crystal Caves', the only indoor activity we know of in the area.  The caves are advertised EVERYWHERE, hats off to their marketing and their shop is no different.  Parked outside is a very tastefully decorated car...

Once inside there is a huge array of crystal ornaments, jewellery, furniture etc which are quite fascinating.  The boys all purchased a part of an amethyst geode:

And then we purchased our tickets and headed in to the 'caves' which are made of paper mache / polystyrene style 'rocks' with crystals displayed throughout.  It was good fun, and there were a huge array of different crystal formations to have a look at, some in their natural state, some polished, and also some sculptures.

We were encouraged to touch the exhibits so it was a good outing for the kids.  The big drawcard in the caves was the 'Empress of Uruguay', the worlds biggest amethyst geode.  It was quite spectacular.

There were also several fossils on display including a mammoths lower jaw, and loads of ammonites, fish, etc.

And, of course, we all had a go at crystal ball gazing...

... I don't know where he gets it from....

Around Lake Tinaroo

We have been taking it pretty easy for the last few days.  It is quite lovely to have a few things to see in the local area which give us quick day trips without hours of driving.

The Curtain Fig Tree was a good one, only 20 minutes away and it is really quite enormous.

We were all very interested in the tree, but were more excited to see our first wild tree kangaroo hopping up the trunk of a nearby tree!  Unfortunately Justin had just changed to the wide angle lens when we saw it so by the time we had a camera available the animal was hidden by the canopy, showing exactly why they are so elusive.  There are two tree kangaroos in the picture below.  Can you see them??

Another trip was to Lake Eacham a lake inside a volcanic crater.  It was quite beautiful and it was easy to see how lovely it would be to swim in during hotter weather.

We did the 3km walk around the lake which was more of a rainforest bushwalk than a riverside walk due to the density of the forest.  It is incredible how much the vegetation has changed since our last stop.

Another visit was to Yarramulla, a gorgeous little town which has a stream with platypus living in it.  In order to have a look at the stream, they have a very narrow, wobbly suspension bridge...

We didn't see any see any platypus, but the kids did give me a heart attack jumping on the bridge!

On another day we went to the Malanda Markets:

And the Malanda falls:

Which had aboriginal art out the front:

And the best interactively educational tourism information centre we have seen anywhere in Australia.

We have also done the usual holiday stuff of going to the local strawberry farm and buying their homemade icecreams:

And swimming in the pool at the caravan park:

And hiring pedal powered go carts!

Yep, this life is hard to take...