Walking About Walkamin

After spending last weekend very quietly on the banks of Lake Tinaroo (so that The Deckie could recover from her recent ailments) Team Turtle took to the roads, once more, early in the week.

The plan was to spend a few days with some people that we had met last Christmas/New Year down at Coffs Harbour.  One of the couples nearly always spends the winter at a little place called Walkamin - halfway between Atherton and Mareeba while  the other couple had never been in this area before, but have become quite ensconced in the laid-back lifestyle!  We were fortunate enough to find a small window of opportunity (and a vacant site) at the Caravan Park so after morning tea on Tuesday we hauled ourselves all the way from Tinaroo to Walkamin and were set up by lunchtime!  Negatives - there was no water (river or lake) and heaps of caravans and motor homes.  Positives - the ground is nice and flat so that there isn't that very big first step as we climb into The Turtle!

Our first touristy day was Wednesday.  Just a few k's up the road towards Mareeba is The Granite Gorge so, as ones who enjoy rocks and the like, that was where we headed to.

Feeling very energetic, The Captain and The Deckie donned their walking boots and hats and headed into the wilds.  Well, it was along a very well marked trail and we had a map so it wasn't too bad for a two klm walk.

The Smooth Start

The locals were very cute but woe betide if you didn't have any food for them - they will turn their backs on you!

Ignoring The Captain

After a nice smooth start to the walk and finding some interesting rock formations, our pleasant day disintegrated into a scramble under and over boulders and even negotiating a very narrow path at the side of a large boulder.  If you missed your footing you would end up falling into a stagnant pool of water or even worse - breaking bones!!  Fortunately, at that point, there were some very well placed hand holds - like the ones you find at those indoor climbing places.

The Squatting Chipmunk

Part Of Our Path

We eventually made it to the halfway point, stopped for some well deserved refreshments and then made our way back.  Would have been better if they could have organised for it to be a circuit walk - the thoughts of what we had climbed over on the way there made us want to get the chopper in for a lift home!

The Balancing Rocks

The Way Home

And we took notice of the signs that say - "Take nothing nothing but photos and leave nothing but footprints" and left our footprints!

Our Footprints - Set In Stone

The hot showers that night were very welcome!

Our next touristy day did not dawn clear and bright and sunny but we still headed out for some more sightseeing and the rule was that there was not going to be any mountain climbing!

Our main area for the day was Yungaburra - just to the east of Atherton and around the other side of Lake Tinaroo.  First stop was the Curtain Fig Tree - well, it was, originally, two trees as well as the strangler fig, but through time it has become entwined as one.

The Deckie At The Curtain Fig Tree

The next stop was the Avenue of Honour at Tinaburra.   This was an initiative of a local couple who felt that the fallen members of our Defence Forces from the fighting in Afghanistan should have their own memorial.  Only recently dedicated and opened, it is a beautiful place.  There was even a memorial for the Explosive Detector Dogs.  The sculptures were also very befitting the Avenue and were depictions of seagulls flying high.

The Avenue of Honour

The Main Memorial Area

The Explosive Detector Dogs Memorial

Flame trees have been planted on either side of the Avenue and even though they are still very small, they will be magnificent in a few years time.

At this stage it started raining (again) so it was back into The Rav and we headed off to Lake Barrine.  Lake Barrine and the nearby Lake Eacham are classed as crater lakes - not old volcanoes but were formed from volcanic activity.  We had heard good things about the Tea Rooms at Lake Barrine so thought that they would be an adequate place for lunch.  Hmmm, well, the best part of what we were able to see were the magnificent twin Kauri Pines on the foreshore of the Lake.  These trees are estimated to be over 1,000 years old, they are 45metres tall and have a girth of 6 metres.

The Lower Trunks

Looking Into The Light

Back into The Rav and onto Lake Eacham.  This lake has been developed quite nicely by National Parks and has picnic areas, proper boardwalks around the perimeter of the lake as well as defined swimming areas.  Such a bonus for the locals as a swimming hole - crystal clear water and no big bities!

Lake Eacham

Time to go home.  Unfortunately, when we eventually got to an important intersection The Deckie/Navigator made the wrong decisions.  Well, she did have a choice of two - right or left - and made The Captain/Driver turn left instead of right.  Oh well!  As it happened, it was a reasonably good decision as we were a) on a new road and b) we drove through Malanda which has a rather impressive waterfall flowing under the main street just near the township.  The local council has made this little waterway into a well formed swimming pool with just a little bit of foresight!

Malanda Falls -Towards The Road Bridge

Malanda Falls - From The Road Bridge

After Malanda, we eventually made it home without too many more decisions to be made.

The last few days have been quiet - catching up with neighbours and happy hours - those sort of demanding things.  Its just a lifestyle that takes ages to get used to!