Mareeba – Ravenswood (July 13 – July 20 2012)

Mareeba to Ravenswood

For the next week or so, we’ve been cruising around the Atherton Tableland and surrounds and then we will be heading south to Ravenswood to catch up with our mates, the “Gleeful Gleesons”…..

There has been 3 birthdays in the family this past week…..

Friday 13 July 2012 – Memorial Park south of Mareeba

Friday was my nephew Jack’s 18^th birthday – happy birthday my darling!!! 

Sorry we couldn’t be there to celebrate with you. Hope you lived up to the family reputation – and partied hard… You’ve probably got a few more hairs on your upper lip now too!!!! Hee hee

Little Jack is now a MAN!!!!

War Memorial Park

I woke up out of the blue at 2am this morning, with a TIC in my hair just above my forehead…  Thanks Jed!!!  It must have jumped onto me when I was cuddling him yesterday arvo.  I have to say that I didn’t feel a thing at the time.  But for 2 days after, it felt like someone had hit me with a rock….. (Now I’m in the Tic Club with you Michael) haha

Malanda

We did the waterfall route around Millaa Millaa, Malanda. the Dinner Falls and the Crater Lake.  They’re all very lovely and inviting to swim – but too cold for us oldies – lots of teenagers were in for a dip though. 

Malanda Falls

Millaa Millaa Falls

The Crater

 

Saturday 14 July - War Museum and Rodeo.  

Before going to the rodeo we went to the War Museum and had a look at their collection of war memorabilia.  It was awesome.  Heaps of old planes and tanks and all sorts of war things - well worth the visit.  

Then to the Rodeo - firstly, we had a browse down side-show alley, watched a few events (woodchop, electronic bull), then grabbed a bite to eat and headed off to the arena for the days’ events.  I got goose bumps watching the rodeo horses.  They are so well trained – they are awesome to watch. I enjoyed the horses more than the rodeo events.  I can’t believe they even had an event for the Under 8s in Poddy Calf riding.  You should have seen how cute and brave (but grownup) these kids were.  Can you imagine a City Kid doing this!!!!! I don’t think so….

Under 8s

Bucking Broncs

 

I hadn’t been to a rodeo since the one we had a the Point 16 or so years ago… It was a really fun day.

This bull had had enough!!!

Sunday 15 July 2012 – Chillagoe Caves

It was my darling Joe’s birthday.  Hope you had a great time at Surfers my beautiful boy… I luv you…………

Happy Birthday my darling

There are 3 tours of the caves each day, the first one being at 9am.  Where we were staying we were 2hrs away, so we had planned leaving around 9ish and catching the 11am and 1:30 tours.  Of course, the Storz were late as usual (Roy is worse than any woman I’ve ever met when it comes to talking).  He was so enthralled in a conversation with our Lotus neighbours that I had to hurry him up, needless to say we missed the 11am tour, but not to worry, it gave us more time to look around the little town. 

Balancing Rock 

Firstly, we went to the Balancing Rock and then to a privately owned collection of Fords (vehicles).  An old guy by the name of Tom Prior has the most amazing collection of every kind of Ford you can imagine and he took great pride in telling us all about them and how they all still run.  (He actually demonstrated on 3 of them, - starting them up - including an early T Model).  I’m sure he lives for his visitors, showing off his collection….

Tom Prior - T Model Ford

Then off to the local pub for lunch before meeting out at the Royal Arch Cave for a ranger guided tour.

The caves were fantastic, and the Ranger did a wonderful job considering what we had to deal with!!  (There should be a law introduced - that children under 6 should be banned from public tours…… )

Unfortunately we got stuck in a group with a BRAT of a kid that grizzled and winged and cried for the whole duration of the 1 ¾ hour tour.  If I could have walked out, I would have, it was so testing.  I’m sure that the parents of the Brat would have gone outside if they could have, but when you’re down in the bowles of the earth, unfortunately you can’t just go outside when you like and so we were all stuck with it. 

This kid would not be a candidate for the Poddy Calf event!!!

Can you believe that the mother gave the little so and so a lollypop afterwards – Unbelievable!!  rewarding the thing for its bad behaviour!!!!  Bloody hell!!!

I take my hat off to the poor Ranger – he was very patient!!

Monday 16 July 2012 - Archer Creek

The weather has turned cold – eeekkk I hate the cold  - Didn’t we came north to escape it!!!

Archer Creek

We said goodbye to our neighbours with the Lotus and headed off for Archer Ck just south of Ravenshoe. 

We travelled through the Misty Mountains (they really live up to their name) – the visability was down to only a few meters.  It was beautiful and surreal… We passed a Wind Farm and it was soooo eerie seeing these great structures looming out of the mist just meters away – but only just visible through the thick mist….

Wind Farm

Ravenshoe is the highest town in Queensland and what a lovely little town it is. 

Misty Mountain alright

 

Tuesday 17 July 2012 – Ravenshoe and the waterfalls

Today is Oki’s 2^nd birthday.  Happy birthday my darling little girl. (Oki is Joe’s beloved hound!!!)  July is the month for birthdays!!!!

Oki

Millstream Falls

Waterfalls, waterfalls, waterfalls…. We did the Millstream, Little Millstream and Tully Falls then Innott Hot Springs and had scones and jam at Herberton.  I think we’ve seen all the waterfalls we need to see for a while.  They are all very beautiful.

Tully Falls - vanished!!!

Pretty bazaar, when we arrived at the Tully Falls – it was so misty that all we could see from the lookout was mist.  Ha ha   Oh Well!! There’s plenty more to see…..

Wednesday – Friday  18^th July – 20^th July 2012 – Archer Ck – Fletcher Ck

We headed off from Archer Ck heading south again, stopping at Fletcher Ck on our way to Ravenswood by Friday.

Fletcher Creek

I can’t believe how Roy attracts people to talk to.  While I’m in the van typing this…. I look out the window and there’s 2 families talking to him.  One, in their van, obviously on their way out, but stopping for a talk…. What do they talk about!! Ha ha

Bloody hell!!!  Each morning I wake up and when I look in the mirror, I feel more and more like Morticia (Adams Family)!!  I don’t quite know how to deal with this little problem for the moment – ho hum what will I do ….  You’ll have to stay tuned to find out…..

But - then I have a real coffee with my new coffee machine and that puts the smile back on my dial…..  (I’m not allowed to have a cuppa until 8:30 though, so that we don’t upset any neighbours with the gennie noise) – worth waiting for.

Gleeful Gleesons – are you ready !!  Here we come…….  I hope you’re going to greet us with some nice sunny and warm weather – it was 11 degrees here this morning eeeeek…..

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To be continued....