The Return of the Desert Rats...

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Back to Mareeba

Four weeks ago we had left Mareeba packed and ready for our Northern Territorry expedition. As we returned back in to Mareeba the clock ticked to 9000kms!!!! ..easily the longest single road trip we'll ever do. We were tired and couldn't wait for a hot shower, a real bed, and oven cooked food!

A few days before our return we phoned Cheryl to check if all was ok to stay again, (which it was), it was at this time when we heard the sad news that my Great Auntie Joyce had passed away - so we new that things may be pretty hectic amongst the Powels with all the necessary 'post-death' events, jobs, etc..

We stayed with Cheryl for a night, then went to Wonga beach to stay with Uncle Gordon, where we would book our Barrier Reef trip, and keep Gordon company! During this time we cooked him all the Dowling classics, such as: 'Fish with Crisps' (...with Spangled Emperor - THE best white reef fish!!) snow peas, pumkin/mash with a garnish of fresh parsley; Nick Dowlings famous Lasagne, Cottage Pie, Fillet Steak with blue cheese sauce, etc...yummy!! We also went to the local pub (often), I helped Gordon do some work on Port Douglas Yaught Club shed, and last but not least, Ally and I went camping with Rhonda and Ed to Chilligoe...

Camping 'n' Caving in Chilligoe

Chilligoe is a small township 140km west/inland of Mareeba, it is surrounded by cattle ranches that spill over millions of hectres of the far north Queensland outback. Rhonda and Ed have bought a block of land out there, and go camping there as much as poss!



The main attraction to Chilligoe is the impressive array of limestone caves. They are amoungst the oldest rock in the world, and harbour THE OLDEST fossilzed remains in the world. Fossils such as small ocean crustations, organisms, and aquatic lifeforms that fundumentally were the building blocks of evolution as we know it! All mammals, creatures, reptiles, etc..evolved from these pre-pre-historic organisms. Back when the earth was one solid landmass (called 'Pangeia') most of the earth was submerged under water (where the first living organisms where formed) - inside the limestone caves in Chilligoe are the remains of ancient coral reefs and (previously underwater) rock formations. The rock is so old that scientists can read them like a calander of evolution, for example, every shift of earth movement, temperature change, natural fenominom, etc.. have been recorded within the rock! So it's proper historical mind!

The coolest thing about this trip is that we went with Rhonda...an expert in camping, exploration, and swilling. Rhonda expores the caves that are supposedly 'un-accessable' to public, and she has found some absolutely amazing cave systems! it was mint mind, we all had head- toarches on climbing through thin creveces, holes, passage ways, huge caverns, etc.. The ancient coral within the black limestone walls were still extroadinarily pretty with gleeming delicacy. It was like being deep under water exploring crystallized caverns teeming with ancient fossils!

The tourists caves are apparently quite a boring experience as you have to keep both hands on a rope, you cannot walk off to explore, no climbing, no toaching the walls...boo! So it was really good fun going with Rhonda as there were no rules, no health n safety..explore all you want, climb, get stuck, etc... It was great!

Mount Carbine Rodeo

If you really wanna see how Ozzy outbackers, Cattle Ranchers, Cowboys and inbred folk get up to in their spare time...go to a Rodeo. or better still, go to Mount Carbine Rodeo...with Rhonda.

Mount Carbine is one of the smaller Rodeos in Queensland, and apparently it's more 'proper ozzy' as no-one else goes apart from the local nutters! We had a great night watching the insaine blokes that ride the bulls, dancing to Australian Country n Western bands, a I helped a bloke fix the mechanical bull ride with duct tape - which I later fell off damaging my hip! It was a funny night getting swigged with cowboys, and met many strange folk! ('Deliverence style')



Love to ya'll


Nick & Ally

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Photos

Ancient Coral
If you brush the coral with your fingertips - it makes a tinkley sound! It was very delicate!

The Creek
We caught around twenty Yabbys - which are huge fresh water prwns, very tasty!!

'The Flag pole'
...a huge stalagtite!!

Me, Ed, Ally and Rhonda
...sorry tis a bit blurry!

The broken mechanical Bull ride
...an accident waiting to happen!!

Comments

[steve pugsley]

reply 9 9 2006
Hello Nick. All of these blogs are very interesting. Congratulations. Keep on looking after the young toad (not squirt). Looking forward to a meal and seeing you on return. SP.