Slowly upwardly mobile

Since leaving Townsville Thursday (it’s now Monday) we’ve travelled northward by about 150km. Actual distance covered has been a bit more as we zagged inland and uphill to see a few points of interest. When the truck was serviced the trip odometer was zeroed wiping out both the trip distance so far and the trip fuel consumption. They were at that point respectively 7700km and 22.3l/100km. After climbing the hill to Paluma a distance of just 18km and just 50km from Townsville the fuel readout was over 35l/100 km. This was a climb. Not only that it had sharp bends and was very narrow and very exciting when a car approached from the other direction. The return downhill journey was even more exciting, particularly after blowing an offside tyre on the new trailer. Tyre replaced in Ingham, fuel consumption coming down. Now in Mission Beach

Along the way we found some of the most astonishing and beautiful sights. First was Little Crystal Creek Falls on the road to Paluma……

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The road up the hill and the bridge were a 1930’s depression employment project and it still reflects the volume and size of traffic of the era. It definitely was not anticipated that a 10 tonne 16m Winnebago would attempt the journey. We made it but I think Jude was a little apprehensive, particularly on the downhill run when she was sitting over the road edge.

Paluma is a little village at the top of the Paluma Range National Park. I’m guessing nothing much happens here these days but the view from the old American observation post was spectacular…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

parking up for lunch was a bit of a challenge too, as was reversing out of this spot afterwards. Ah well the soup for lunch was almost worth it. All through lunch we could hear distant and repetitive explosions. Questioning the locals elicited the response that the army was conducting exercises on the other side of the mountain. At Jourama Falls the next day an ex serviceman confirmed the fact and told us that all of the FA-18 flights we witnessed out of Townsville were also participating in these war games – strafing practice and mission photography. What fun!

We made overnight at Big Crystal Creek National Park camping ground along with quite a few others including Danny and Freda from Toronto (NSW)…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

and they’re not looking at the camera but eyeing off the dinner……

 

 

 

 

 

 

which unfortunately wouldn’t lay down and die and pluck itself (that’s a bush turkey for those of you who can’t recognize food afoot). So we just had baked beans again.

Friday twas on to Jourama Falls, a site we were told not to miss. Down a dirt road to find a water crossing into the national park. OK, offload Suzi, simple. Did, drove through water crossing to find another Winnebago on the other side. Oh well! didn’t really want to get the tyres wet. As it turned out we would have had some difficulty turning around in the park anyway. A kilometre drive further on to find a 3 km walk to the falls viewing platform – in for a penny…….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The path is a roughy alright, but through some really picturesque bush. Eventually, after some serious uphill work we got there…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

see!

Next stop Ingham but not a chicken to be had. On the way in found the Tyto Wetlands Information Centre and lo & behold they’ve just opened an RV free camp at the back of the store. And what a setting…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two very pleasant nights at no cost allowing for two nights out for din-dins – top shelf too – the RSL and the local chinese. Well we are only pensioners.

Ingham is not about chickens anyway – its all about sugar. Some 4.5 million tonnes of sugar cane equating to over 600,000 tonnes of raw sugar all processed at the local Victoria Mill. An amazing 60,000 hectares of cane..

 

 

 

 

 

 

as far as the eye can see. Difficult to get a meaningful photo so we went up hill to see if we could get an overview but it was just too misty…

 

 

 

 

 

 

so on we went to Wallerman Falls…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spectacular and World Heritage standard. These are apparently the highest continuous falls in Australia. Another testing hill climb but we left the Winnie back on site so it was a little easier on Jude.

We walked the wetlands later and they are, Tyto that is. Didn’t see a single croc though.