Travel Blog 8 to 15 June(Eungella to Cairns)

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We have made it to Cairns and,apart from day trips or camping trips, this is as far north as we go.In fact we will have to head south on the Great Inland Road almost to Townsville to pick up the highway west.Weather has resumed normal pattern with just a shower or two overnight.Temp/s in high to mid 20's make this the winterless north.After leaving the leeches of Eungella we did catch up with friends in Mackay and were even offered a room for the night in their Motor Inn but we gratefully declined to head on our way north.Townsville was an opportunity to take the ferry to Magnetic Island(so named by Cook because of funny things the island did to his compass).It was a real tropical island with palms, white sand etc.We did some good walks on the island culminating in the Forts Walk to the top-it was used as a defensive base in WW2 with 2 guns that could fire 20kms.A plaque said "no shots were ever fired in anger though one was in mild surprise at a US warship that arrived unannounced"!The north is fixated with mangoes as you will see from a photo.We stopped 2 nights in Cardwell on the coast where I added to my fishing tally with a 3lb. catfish which we ate.we also became aware that this is very much a croc area and we see warning signs at rivers,creeks and seashores. Hope to catch up with Nephew Mark Bruce in next day or so and booked car in for 10kkm service Tues.

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