1 August 2012

---

Awaking and starting the day in fresh surroundings never gets old and today was no exception. After breakfast we took a walk up to the Murray Falls lookout which was fabulous. The morning sun made the option of a swim in the fresh water pools downstream from the Falls an enticing one, so off we went.

When we finally stepped into the water we started to second guess ourselves as the temperature would have been suitable for someone to ice a sprained ankle after a sporting mishap. It was so cold the water almost felt like it was stinging the skin as we tried to go in a bit deeper. I finally took the plunge and dove in and the line between pleasure and pain was minimal but as they say once you are in it’s never that bad. Refreshing was an understatement and it certainly put a pep in my step.

Cardwell was just down the road and we stopped at this gem of a place just before lunch. Set right on the coast this was a vibrant spot with a couple of bakeries as well as cafes and it held its character of a small country town with the service stations being owned by small business operators and not multi-million dollar companies. I finally got around to sampling a barra burger and it was well worth the wait, sensational stuff.

From there Rachel found a great spot to stay for the night at Jourama Falls in the Paluma Range National Park. As far as National Park stays go this may be the best yet.

---