Australia 2004, Part 3: Daintree
I was so looking forward to our four nights on Cape Tribulation in Daintree National Park, Queensland, where the rainforest comes right down to the sea. It was indeed beautiful, but our nights were reduced to three after the unscheduled stop in Cairns to patch me up after breaking two metatarsals. We managed a trip on the Daintree River Train to see crocodiles, but otherwise our time in Cape Trib consisted largely of driving around looking for places where the road was near enough to the sea for me to glimpse it. There was nearly always a strip of forest between them, and we only found one place where the path was short enough, and smooth enough, for me to make it onto the beach. I did insist, however, that John had time each day to do something without having to look after me, hence the horse-riding picture. Meanwhile, I relaxed on our veranda.
We left Cape Trib via the coast road – the 4WD-only Bloomfield Track – on our way north to Cooktown. In the pictures below, the “road” disappears into the river. It was a very bumpy ride!
About 28km from Cooktown, the track links with the “inland route” by which we would travel back a few days later. On this section, we stopped at Black Mountain National Park with its thousands of precarious looking square, black granite boulders. The mountain is known to Aboriginal people as Kalcajagga, or Place of the Spears. As with most sights, I enjoyed it from the front seat of the car.
Shortly after this, we arrived in Cooktown for a three night stay.
The Glasgow Gallivanter 
Anabel – Maybe because of the isolation of coronavirus, I’ve gone back to take a look at some of our past travel photos. Fun, isn’t it? Cheers- Susan
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It is fun! Though all the extra time seems to have disappeared now.
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What a shame you weren’t able to fully enjoy your stay here. It’s such a beautiful area.
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I still haven’t given up hope of seeing it properly some day.
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If you do return to Queensland, you will have to come and visit us. 🙂
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That would be lovely! I had this fantasy that when John retired we would do a grand tour of the U.K. visiting everyone we knew, then, with blogging, we could go to so many places in the world and know someone there to met up with. Who knows if that would all be possible?
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I hope so again one day. We’ve had some amazing meet ups with fellow bloggers, including Jo and Elaine. She’s even been to visit us with her husband here. So much fun.
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We never made it to the north as we weren’t in Australia at the right time to visit that area. Now I regret it as I don’t know when we will be able to get back to Australia (they seem to want to close their borders for a very long time). So thanks for taking me to this area; at least I will have visited virtually. (Suzanne)
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I know, I would love to go back to see the things I missed properly, but I think that is a long time away.
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Must have been so frustrating, and how annoying they didn’t give you one of those amazing casts that you can walk on. I never got this far north when I was in Australia, I would so love to return and explore
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I remember when we got back Wayne Rooney had broken his foot and had one of those boots that you can walk on. I’d never seen one before so I think they were quite new-fangled.
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Things change so fast!
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Love the blue sky views of the Cape Trib beach, it looks like my kind of place 🙂
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It was wonderful and would have been even better if I’d been able to walk on it more. Nearly everywhere there was a long, rough path to get to the beach.
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You are a true trooper, Anabel. I am very impressed by your ‘onwards’ spirit!
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Thanks Donna! There seemed little point doing anything other than getting on with it, and we still had a good time. Just not as great as it could have been, but c’est la vie!
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This looks really pretty and it’s a shame you could not enjoy it as you would have normally done. I can’t hwlp but think of all the poisonous insects, reptiles and animals around never mind the crocs
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We managed to avoid encounters with anything too dangerous!
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You may be pleased to hear the horse treks are still going on, though not sure if it is the same company?. In plaster during hot weather, challenging!
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Did you post about this recently? Somebody did and I remember comparing photos and deciding we had pictures of the same beach. The plaster was a challenge in many ways, but yes – the heat! And the itching, which might be connected, and the sheer weight making my leg ache all the time.
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Around this time last year is when we were in FNQ. Time is flying by so fast!
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I know! Lockdown does not seem to have slowed it down any.
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A fascinating area, Anabel and it looks interesting even from the seat/window of your vehicle. Like you mentioned in the comments, you still enjoyed yourselves. It is fun to ride along with you and enjoy the scenery.🙂
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Yes, it was still interesting from the car – but I was so happy to get onto that one beach!
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Controversial I suppose mentioning it but one thing I found out about travelling in Australia is that it made me appreciate the UK and Europe much more. For the same distance covered, mile for mile, in the UK or Europe you pass through dozens of different local cultures, very varied scenery, different countries and languages, very different cities and historical growth,often 30 miles apart, and a history often going back to 10,000 years of settlement and building development. By comparison ( not counting aboriginal input which dates back 60,000 years but left few large structures behind) Australia was settled yesterday. Same accent and general outlook coast to coast so I found I missed the variety of Europe where you can sample 4 different countries, different languages, different mountain landscapes in one day. Having said that Queensland is very different from the rest of Australia and I loved the cities and wildlife there but if I’m honest I also enjoyed being back home as it made me really appreciate what we have here, even more.
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I agree, they are very, very different experiences, though I didn’t travel enough to work out if accents and outlook were the same from coast to coast. The landscape is what I would go back for (if I ever do): I would still like to visit Uluru. But therein lies the rub (and a consequence of what you are saying about distances) it’s so far away. It’s not just the pandemic that’s making me wary, but a growing consciousness of my carbon footprint. The flight there, internal flights because everything i want to see is so far apart – I’m truly torn!
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Hi Anabel – sad about the foot – but you did select the right place for the recovery – Cape Tribulation was what it had been … so glad John was able to take off – but equally such is life – one just needs to slow down with the leg in plaster. I hope you can get back … take care – Hilary
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Yes, our activities slowed down a lot – but we still enjoyed ourselves.
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I have not been to Australia so I am enjoying coming along with you.
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I’m enjoying reliving it, and dreaming about going back!
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Me too, Andrew!
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Glad to hear it!
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😊😊
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Great memories of a trip to a wonderful place. Shame about the foot injury which restricted you to the car and sitting but still a lovely trip.
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It was a lovely trip. I think we managed it very well under the circumstances!
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Oh, I’m glad you got to Cape Tribulation Beach – isn’t it fabulous!? I think that’s the lodge we stayed at too, but we then went back, after a fairly mountainous loop in the forest – maybe it was part of your journey.
But even with the foot I bet it brings back memories. Are you going to try it again, and keep your foot in one piece this time?.
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It was fabulous! I think if we go back I’d definitely like to redo some of the things I couldn’t do properly the first time. Not looking hopeful at the moment though.
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