As the State of Queensland (QLD) remained closed to the rest of Australia, Covid-19 relaxations eventually allowed QLD residents to travel anywhere within our own state.
So with overseas travel still off the possibilities, ROAD TRIP !! (again)
To escape the cabin, and help inject money into our local tourism economy, I quickly plotted a road trip from the Gold Coast to Cape Tribulation and back, with an overly ambitious round of stops along the way.
So to keep this Trip Blog more concise, I will break it up into the broad categories of Beaches, Lookouts, Tours, Walks & Waterfalls and make this 5 posts over the next few days as I sort though way too many photos 🙂
So for today, lets start with Walks.
Expecting over 5,000km of solo driving, at least 80hrs behind the wheel over 18 days, the smart & fun thing to do was plan frequent stops to stretch and take in the natural beauty of QLD, especially Tropical Far North QLD (FNQ).
The highlight from these walks for me, was a chance encounter with a Cassowary in the wild. A beautiful very large flightless bird, that earns its reputation as the worlds most dangerous. (back to the theme that most things in Australia will try to kill you – LOL)
I came across this Cassowary mother, who was watching out for her partner and baby on the other side of the Dubuji Boardwalk at Cape Tribulation, one of a few stunning ventures into the Cape Tribulation rainforests (below)
A trip to FNQ has to involve visiting the famous Mossman Gorge, & I had the fortune to be the 1st visitor as Mossan Gorge re-opened from the months of Covid-19 closure, witnessing some significant upgrades and enjoying the main 2.4km Rainforest Circuit track in peace to the soundtrack of the forest.
Mossman Gorge 20200720_081530
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Amongst the forestry, FNQ has many striking trees, these Figs amongst them, providing that WOW moment as you approach.
Danbulla Cathederal Fig 20200718_154704
Danbulla Cathederal Fig 20200718_155212
East Barron Curtain Fig 20200718_162839
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Mt Hypipamee Crater 20200722_151357
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Equally famous is the stunningly beautiful Babinda Boulders just south of Cairns
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From a more structured experience, the Manu Tropical Skywalk outside of Innisfail was worth the detour.
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Further south of FNQ, just outside of Rockhampton, the Capricorn Caves was a fun explore, especially the alternative very cramped zigzag exit leading to suspension bridges.
