If anywhere in Australia has reminded us of New Zealand and the Waikato, it’s the Atherton Tablelands. With rolling hills, volcanic origins, pockets of rainforest, dairying, waterfalls and rivers that run all year round, it also doesn’t have the humidity of Cairns, 70km the other side of the coastal ranges. With only slight protestations from Rhys, we did the waterfall circuit, taking delightful short bush walks to seven waterfalls cascading over basalt ridges. Even he of the jaundiced “not-another-gorge/scenic lookout/waterfall/etc” admitted they all had their individual beauty and character. In Yungaburra we walked alongside Peterson Creek and watched half a dozen platypus (platypie? platypussies??) ducking and diving - we’ve seen a few now, but it’s always a thrill to watch them in their natural habitat. We were not so lucky looking for a Lumholtz tree
... read more