From Fishery Falls to Wallaman Falls via the Banana Races at Innisfail

After a wet, sleepless night at Goldsborough Valley we had an early morning call from the friendly Park Ranger to tell us that it had been raining heavily overnight (as if we needed to be told!) and he advised us to have made the two rivers crossings and be out of the park by midday. We didn't need a second telling, particularly when he told us that he himself was already packed ready for a quick exit. Taking advantage of a lull in the rain we loaded everything into the car and left – even though we had already paid for another night we decided that the principle wasn't worth fighting for.

Thinking that we might dodge further rain if we headed inland we made the tortuous, hairpin bended ascent up to the Atherton Tablelands stopping for brunch in the neat little town of Yungaburra then heading on to Atherton itself. On the way we stopped at two of the areas “must see” tourist sites – the Cathedral Fig and the Curtain Fig.

The Cathedral Fig

Sandra inside the Cathedral Fig

We had visited the former about 15 years ago and it hadn't changed much although, as it is about 500 years old, that perhaps wasn't too surprising. Both are “stranglers” which latch on to a host tree gradually strangling it until it dies, by which time the fig is self supporting.

The Curtain Fig

A quick look at the weather forecast and we realised that we were unlikely to outrun the rain by going further west so it was back down the hairpins to the coast again to look for a berth for the night – and thus we ended up at Fishery Falls. This was a very neat, clean, well set out campsite which just happened to be at the back of the Fishery Falls pub. Arriving late on the Friday afternoon we were told by the camp hosts that Happy Hour was at five o'clock and we were invited to have a drink and nibbles with fellow campers. This sort of campsite, or to be exact caravan park, was not the type of place we would normally gravitate towards. Happy Hour was held in the camp kitchen and our attendance must have taken the average age down by quite a bit – and we're no spring chickens. The average age of our companions was probably between 70 and 80 - Sandra said it reminded her of the meetings she used to have with tenants in the sheltered housing and care homes she managed back in Scotland. Still it was quite a good base from which to explore the area for a few days and, low and behold, the sun came out.

First up was a trip to the races at Innisfail for which we were given free tickets by Di, our campsite hostess. The tickets were dated 2013 but they seemed to pass muster at the gate and we got in – saving ourselves $30.

The Banana Race Meeting at Innisfail

This is banana growing country and these were the Banana Races sponsored by the local banana industry. After studying form for the “Lamanna Group Benchmark Handicap”, Sandra selected Dazzle On but was too late to get a bet on – and it romped home. The next race was the “JE Tipper, Costa Bananas, Orora Fibre Packaging Handicap” and Sandra, feeling she was on a roll, fancied Skitter and managed to get a bet on – it came home 2^nd. Unfortunately she had backed it to win – and that was our last bet.

Sandra's nag coming second

I am not really one for the horses and am not a gambler but, as I heard Sandra telling someone later, I was more interested in the other “fillies” that were on the course. The was a $3000 prize for the best dressed woman and, as it was a hot day, some of the outfits were …. well enough of that!


We did a range of local local trips including the famous Babinda Boulders (no I hadn't heard of them either) Josephine Falls and Bramston Beach.

Sandra at Babinda Boulders

The beautiful Josephine Falls

On the Saturday night I entered the pub just as the Australia / New Zealand Rugby Union test was kicking off in a very wet Sydney and I sat drinking VB with the locals – all two of them. We had booked in to the campsite for one day and stayed for four – Sandra is getting a bit fed up of travelling and wants to have longer stops between putting up the tent and taking it down again.

Bramston Beach

A last lazy day camping at Fishery Falls

We are heading to Townsville where we plan to see old friends Kevin and Helen and hopefully take in a game of rugby watching nephew Calum (Gill's younger son) playing We travelled south through Tully (allegedly the wettest town in Australia) then Cardwell and Ingham on our way to Girringun National Park as we decided to give the national parks another go – we needed a change of environment after four days in an old folks home! Arriving at the campsite as the sun was setting we managed to get the tent up as darkness fell and then noticed a number of dark shapes scurrying around and breathed a sigh of relief to discover they were only harmless brush turkeys. Our encounter with the rat was still fresh in our minds – and then a dark, four-legged animal made its way towards us. We immediately thought “Rat” - but it was far too large and not in the least bit timid as it made directly for the door of the tent – a Bandicoot! Zipping up before it could get in and find the food we chased it away – but I didn't think we'd seen the last of him. We hadn't – during the second night he gnawed through a fresh plastic container of orange juice we had left under the awning of the tent and we lost the lot.

One of our neighbours at Wallaman Falls

Wallaman Falls, where we are camping, is quite genuinely famous – the falls are the longest, single drop falls in Australia and are mightily impressive. The total height of the falls is, in old money as it sounds even more impressive, over 1100 feet (338m) - the Stoney Creek cascades initially over 200 feet, then, in the single longest drop in the country, plunges a further 900 feet. As I said – impressive.

Wallaman Falls - 1100 ft from top to bottom - Impressive

Tomorrow we leave with a mission – the plug for the fridge has broken - this is disastrous. No cold beer! ... not to mention problems with inconsequentials such as meat and veggies.