First stop on todays journey was a lookout - rather 3 lookouts , just out toward the mountains behind Cardwell . The grass has all gone to seed and is an amazing sight and colour between what pine trees are still growing .
Cyclone Yasi damage was still evident where the pine plantations had been , with timber all wind rowed ready to be burnt .
Apparently the easiest way to clean up inaccessible areas after cyclones is to burn the bush to get rid of all the fallen branches , leaves & trees . Grass trees and ferns are coming back nicely , with the gum trees resprouting , but you can still see where they have been torn apart .
The lookouts were all at the same destination , some just further away than others . The walk took us up many steps , then down a few and around to the south side of the hill to views of Hinchinbrook Channel and Island .
Yes thats me spoiling a perfectly good photo - just so you know I am still here !!! You can see Port Hinchinbrook just to the right of me .
The transition from the dry tropics to the wet tropics is quite marked , as soon as we got to Ingham , everything was a lot greener than Townsville , where everything was much drier .
Going back to the north side of the hill , we had views over Rockingham Bay and Cardwell . Cardwell isn't a big town and it is pretty much right on the beach - not your average swimming beach- there are big biting things here !! so there's no swimming at the beach - after the short stretch of sand it is pretty much a muddy bottom below .
It has been a very humid day today and at 27 degrees , 85% humidity , it was a hot and draining walk luckily we had taken our drink bottles - they were half empty by the time we got back to the ute .
Next destination was along Forest Rd - Attie Creek Waterfall . We pulled into the carpark and looked toward the track - it was heading upwards again - fortunately the clouds have become full overcast , so it was a bit cooler . We took lunch with us , forcing us to stop and rest before coming back down - the track was 700m long and about 680m was uphill . It was a pleasant walk , you could hear the water falling in a few places so there was some anticipation of good things . Arriving at the top we had to drop down to the pool below the falls and the rocky area where the water drops down to the next pool 20m below . The water in the top pool was a lovely green colour .
The water was very clean and deep - you could see rocks 3 to 4 m below the surface , but it was still deeper , and had a resident turtle , about the size of an old squash racket head . We forced ourselves to sit on the rocks between this pool and the next little waterfall , and Lyn cooled her feet in the cool clear water . We watched fresh water crayfish and shrimps run around the rocks below the water as we ate lunch . This is where we had lunch .
This was our view at lunch .
Lunch completed , we reluctantly headed back down to the ute - but there was more to explore !!!
Next stop in the next valley around to the west was Dead Horse Gap - we didn't know quite what to expect !! It turned out to be another little creek flowing down over the rocks again , quite an attraction in the hot weather and with more water flowing of course . The water here was a darker green than the waterfall .
The clouds were trying hard to rain , but it was just nuisance value . They desperately need rain up here , not a badly as out west of course !!
We headed off again , this time to the Spa Pool - no , not quite what your'e thinking , this one has had a bit of help from Mr Concrete and some rocks . Unfortunately for us that part of this creek wasn't flowing - the spa pool is a pool in amongst the rocks just below where water would be flowing in , causing some turbulence . BUT , it wasn't disappointing at all , quite the opposite - the water was blue - yes blue and clear as - you could see the weeds and rocks in the bottom and also the 60 or 70 fish swimming around happily - anything from 10 mm to 250 mm long !!
The rock that surrounds this pool and further up the creek are volcanic , and must have been bubbling when they eventually cooled and formed this area . We sat and chatted to a gent who was swimming for a while , before he went and we watched the fish for a while .
The road took us around to another road that takes you back to the Bruce Hwy . About 5 mins later we were back in Cardwell , got the washing in and then went for a swim in the pool - not bad for the first day of winter - we also packed the donna away for the moment as its too warm at night - thought you'd love to hear that with the cold weather happening at your place !!
No , No , that's alright , you are welcome !!
Forest Rd doesn't show up on the maps as it is in State forestry ??? so you'll just have to take our word for it !!
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