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Published: August 27th 2022
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After being spoilt for facilities (and having enjoyed a powered caravan site with an ensuite at Cairns), it was time to stretch our wings and enjoy another farm stay, this time at a little town called Mirriwinni, near Babinda. The farm stay had a crystal clear creek running through it, a spacious camp kitchen, a tropical fruit orchard, and two swimming holes, one with an Aqua Bike (more about that later). There were also two ponies who were always up for a pat, named Caramel and Cisco, and three dogs. We also captured our first image of a wild Ulysses Butterfly.
Our first call of duty was to try out the new Italian Café in Babinda, called Francesca’s, and the coffee and cake did not disappoint. A genuine taste of Italy thanks to Francesca. We were located relatively closely to Josephine Falls, to which day tours are run from Cairns. The waterfalls and swimming holes were something else. Those swimming in the falls were almost exclusively English and Irish Backpackers, who couldn’t believe this place existed. They were stating we only see these kind of places in the UK on TV travel adventures. I spent most of the day swimming
in the falls, which has one of the best waterfall rock slides into a crystal clear pool you will ever see. Of course, I wasn’t going to let the backpackers have all the fun, so I tried the rock slide, and ended having at least ten slides. It took a bit of effort to climb up the slippery granite rock faces to have each slide, but it was worth it. Kim went in the cool water a few times, but chose not to risk the rock slide. I then climbed to the next tier of the waterfalls and swam under the larger falls.
The next day it was time to visit the famous Babinda Boulders, which is natural stream flowing off Mt Bartle Frere, Queensland’s tallest mountain, down through a gorge filled with granite boulders. There is also a large swimming hole, however, it was overcast on that day, and I didn’t wet my feet. Instead, we walked 5.5 kms return along the Gold Fields Trail, which follows Babinda Creek upstream through a pristine National Park rainforest. Very peaceful. Up here in the far north, the vegetation is either rainforest or cane fields, often side by side.
The
next day arose, and my golf clubs were feeling a little lonely and dusty, so off we drove to Babinda Golf Course. It was essentially a nine hole course, with different tees to hit off if you wanted to play eighteen holes. For a small town, we were quite impressed with the quality of the course, with creeks crisscrossing the fairways, cane train tracks running through the course, water holes to hit over and grass greens. I played nine holes, and hit the ball reasonably well, and really enjoyed my round. Kim had a few puts, and of course, nailed it straight in the hole, making it look easy.
Feeling hot and sweaty after golf, we drove back to our farm stay for lunch, and then went down to the creek for a swim. I swam for a while in the creek, and then jumped on the aqua bike, paddling up and down the creek. Kim was at the water’s edge taking video of me on the aqua bike, only to look down and scream at a one and half metre black snake moving toward her foot. It was less than half a metre away, and after screaming, Kim
backed away up the stairs, taking footage of the snake swimming away across the stream. With my swimming and use of the aqua bike, I think I must have stirred up the snake. I was lucky not to have been bitten as I swam. It shook both of us up, and gave Kim nightmares that night.
Just about all of the grey nomads we meet have Air Fryers that they use for cooking regularly. We finally succumbed, and purchased one in Cairns, and each meal we have cooked in it has been fast and full of flavour. Of course, you need power, which we almost inevitably have where we choose to stay.
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