Cairns, and a rodeo

---

G'Day Cobbers
I'm slowly getting there!!
We left Mt Isa and the hilly rocky countryside through Cloncurry and Julia Creek, again we pass through huge swathes of cattle grazing country. One night is spent at Hughenden, which is only really memorable because I get so badly bitten by mossies!!! There's been hardly any around 'til now, but they have more than made up for that!!
We set off early next day as this is another long drive, and stop for coffee at Torrens Creek. We should have stayed here, total population is just 16, the pub seems nice and the publican and his wife are very friendly and chatty also petrol is 10 cent @ litre cheaper! Back on the road we pass through Charters Towers and by 2pm are going through Townsville, only another 350 k to Cairns.
As soon as we reached Hughenden, we noticed the humidity in the air, but it's much more noticeable now, we're very glad the car has air con!!
We stop at Innesfail for coffee, but fail to find a coffee shop open despite it only being 4.15pm.. The feel of the town is one of depression, but that’s hardly surprising due to Cyclone Larry and the massive damage the storm did to the town!!
Soon after leaving Innesfail, it starts to rain and continues most of the way to Cairns, causing an early nightfall
Arnie calls Sophia and Karl, judo friends with whom we are staying during our time in Cairns. They live on the north side of Cairns and we arrive about 7pm. We are sleeping on the mezzanine floor above the mat area in the club.
We have a couple of lazy days to start, just visiting a crocodile farm, very interesting, definitely don’t want to meet a croc any where else!! Time is also spent time in Cairns catching up on catching up, and blogging, there’s isn’t any internet access in the outback!! We also book 2 days diving, with Deep sea Divers Den in Cairns which includes 1 night spent on board a boat, definetly excited!!!
Karl and Sophia look after us very well and on the weekend we all travel out to Chillagoe for a rodeo. A very different side to Australian Culture!! We could almost have been in the American Wild West!! A great day is spent watching the different types of calf roping, individuals and team events using lassos. Ladies undecorated the cattle and only have to put a lasso around the neck of a calf, I say “only,” but on the back of a galloping horse, all these events take considerable skill and lots of practice.
In between events, we go and see the Balancing Rock and it really does look as if it is only just balancing in place!! The old smelting works gets a visit as well; it’s difficult to imagine all this industrialization here in the outback! In it’s heyday it employed over 200 men and it closed in 1938.
The highlight of any rodeo is held in the evening, the bull and bronco riding, and these events again take a lot of skill and courage!! Farmers breed the broncos and bullocks just for these events and they are taken around the circuits. Some animals become known for their meanness and ability to keep everyone off their backs. Karl and Sophia told us about a bull name Screwdriver, it took 7 years for anyone to ride him for the 8 seconds required, he alone could draw a crowd to a rodeo!!
This is followed by a jolly good hoedown, copious amounts of beer and rum are consumed and lots of dancing to a band with dubious talent!!
The night is spent on the field besides the rodeo, sleeping in the back of the car, it’s ok because it’s big enough to take the airbed. The rodeo is a 2 day event but we are moving on today, back out to the coast, north of Port Douglas, to Daintree and Cape Tribulation. But that’s on the next blog.
Bye Mates

---

Photos

Emu
The only emu in the wild we've seen, below Cairns amongst the sugarcane on the way to Cairns

Baby Croc
Even this little frllow could cause some nasty damage!!!

Big Fella
if that baby croc could do some damage, just imagine what this big fella could do with those choppers!!!

Spider
Bird eating spider..... fancy finding this under the bed!!!

koala
Who are you??? Very unusual to find a koala this wide awake!!

Cassowary
he's sitting in a water bowl, but definetly not a bird to be messed with!!

Roping a calf
This is the way to do it, on horseback swirling a lasso over your head.

Balancing Rock
Just another of natures wonderful jokes!! It really looks as though it's balancing, doesn't it?