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Published: August 28th 2011
On Sunday 21st we left Cardwell on what was a very comfortable journey of about 100 kilometers further north. The weather was good, the road was reasonably flat and there was very little traffic about. We were heading for Innisfail but on the way we called in again at the Tully Information Centre. Yesterday we had noticed a very good “used” book exchange system in the centre and as we had recently completed a few books between us it was an excellent opportunity to change some. That done, we travelled on to Innisfail and arrived well before midday. We chose to stay at The Mango Tree Caravan Park which belongs to the Big 4 group and so, as members, we would get a discount. It is on the outskirts of Innisfail but we tend to prefer that rather than to be right in the heart of a town – anyway, most caravan parks are usually away from town centres. Generally with Big 4 parks they are of a good standard but, strangely, there has always been something unsatisfactory with virtually all of the Big 4 parks we’ve stayed on. But first impressions of this one were good and the lady on
reception was probably the most helpful person we have ever come across on a caravan park. We didn’t need to visit an Information Centre as she told us all there was to know about Innisfail and the surrounding area - she was brilliant!
Our site was a “drive-through” which always makes parking the caravan easier. It had a concrete block, which we like, and clearly defined boundaries as each site was separated by a narrow garden with an abundance of shrubs and small trees. We were very close to the facilities, which were spotless, the swimming pool which looked lovely and also to the camp kitchen which was probably the best equipped and maintained that we have seen. The dining table was unique in that it was a single piece of wood, oval shaped and finished in spectacular fashion – a real piece of craftsmanship. So what could we possibly find fault with you may ask? Well, we were quite close to the main road and the traffic noise was very noticeable. We just hoped it would calm down enough overnight so that we could get a good night’s sleep. We booked in for two nights with an option
of another one if we were happy with the things to do in the area. For today, though, we just drove into town, which was quite impressive, and found a café for a late lunch. I chose grilled barramundi with chips and salad which was excellent. Graham decided to have an all day “Aussie Brekky” which was enormous and included everything you might associate with a cooked breakfast and then some – even a lamb chop and chips!!! It was all ridiculously cheap – probably the best value for money meals we’ve had for a long time – but I do worry when Graham goes for the less healthy option! When we eventually emerged from the café we had a quick drive around a couple of the favoured viewing spots and that left us in no doubt that, like Cardwell, we would have a good time in the Innisfail area.
Flying Fish Point was our first visit. There’s a caravan park there right on the ocean front which we had contemplated using but it didn’t look as attractive as The Mango Tree and the area looked a little run down so we made the right choice. Next we headed
for Coquette Point, passing The Water Tower (a bit of a local landmark) on the way and found a beautiful “select” housing area on the top of a small escarpment giving glorious views both over the ocean and looking back over Innisfail. Signs about cassowaries were prominent but we didn’t see any of these fabulous birds today. We were happy to spend time visiting these nearby beauty spots today even though we had already travelled from Cardwell. The journey had been relatively easy and we wanted to save tomorrow for some places a little further afield. So this quick trip around Innisfail was ideal for today and we then just relaxed at the caravan, spent time chatting with neighbours and planned our longer day out for tomorrow.
During Sunday night we had a bit of rain – our first rain for, we think, six months!! It had cleared up by the morning and the forecast for the day was good. So for Monday we had a couple of places in mind for a visit – first we headed out of town a short way towards Etty Bay. It had been recommended by a couple of people for a visit
and they had actually stayed there in their caravan. Etty Bay is only about 10 kilometers from Innisfail unless, like Graham, you take a wrong turn and end up somewhere else!! We ended up at Mourilyan, a small working harbour which actually looked quite pleasant. It transpired that at the time we should have turned off towards Etty Bay we were watching a strange bird flying overhead and missed the turning. Graham thought the bird was a very skinny pelican but when I looked at the photos closer I was able to see that it was a brolga which we have rarely seen actually flying! Eventually we found our way to Etty Bay and it was delightful. A splendid beach with a café, a small caravan park which, like at Flying Fish Point, looked a little run down, and plenty of well placed picnic tables. It is quite common to see cassowaries on the beach here so we took time out to have our morning cuppa and cake enjoying the beautiful view. Alas, we didn’t see any cassowaries but we very much liked Etty Bay and could be persuaded to stay at the caravan park on our way back down
from the Cairns area. We’ll see but the park at Innisfail is very, very comfortable.
Our main point of call today was a place called MaMu – a rainforest walk up in the hills towards Millaa Millaa in the Atherton Tablelands and required a drive of about 40 minutes to get there. Apart from being in a splendid location overlooking the Johnstone River valley, it boasted a tree-top walkway and tower which enhanced the view and could be a thrilling experience for those who didn’t suffer from height anxieties. It would be a real test for Graham as he doesn’t have much of a head for heights but he was willing to give it a go. It proved to be yet another fabulous experience and, despite the area having suffered a little from the cyclone, the flora and fauna had recovered well and all the excellent signage provided brilliant supporting information about what we could see. The tree top walk was exhilarating and although it reached a height of 37 meters above the ground Graham coped very well. It is a strong metal construction which moves only a little as you walk on it but the main factor is
that the floor is virtually solid. Alas, the tower was altogether different. Not only did it move considerably as we climbed it but the stairs and much of the flooring at each level were grating which you could see right through down to the ground many, many meters below! For Graham, climbing up was no problem as he tended to look up or ahead at the view. Going down, however, required the need to look where you plant your feet and this created a few queasy moments before he managed to successfully descend. But he went one better than a lady who flatly refused to go up even one step and waited patiently at the bottom while her three travelling companions did the climb. Graham chatted to her while I was still at the top of the tower and I was surprised to learn later that one of her friends who seemed determined to make a complete idiot of herself and slide back down the rails was in fact a nurse!! Fortunately her policeman partner made her see sense and she lived to tell the tale!
Even though we didn’t have to, we walked back along the tree-top walkway
with no problems and decided it was an ideal location to have our picnic. We were in no hurry to get away but we casually returned to Innisfail and spent a bit of time in the town. We walked to the river front where a delightful area exists with seating and barbecues overlooking the small marina. It wasn’t very accessible by car as major repairs have been going on for a couple of years to re-establish the road bridge between Innisfail and South Innisfail. It’s due to re-open in a couple of day’s time and will no doubt rejuvenate this very pleasant area. Next we found The Josh House – a small Chinese temple which looked extremely colourful. Back at the caravan we had been joined by new neighbours – Phil and Helen from the Gold Coast. We used the barbecue in the camp kitchen and spent time chatting to three other people who joined us but only to escape the wind which was cutting through where they were sitting by their caravan. That night we had a torrential storm that lasted for two hours or so. Unfortunately, the rain found its way into the back of the caravan seeping
down behind the bed – a problem we thought we had resolved ages ago.
So on Tuesday morning we decided to stay another day in Innisfail to see if we could fix the problem once and for all. It was mid-morning when we drifted into town to look for a hardware store. Graham had tried to put some sealant we already had in the spot where he thought it was leaking but the sealant was months old and had gone rock solid. We found a very good budget store – Sam’s Warehouse - not a hardware store but it had virtually anything you might want, including sealant. We also bought a new outdoor mat, shampoo, a set of very small screwdrivers (to tighten spectacles!), a CD, a small tarpaulin, some rope and a few other things. To ease the pressures of the day we found our way to Famishes Cafe where Graham had indulged in a disgracefully unhealthy breakfast on Sunday. Today, though, we both had a very healthy grilled barramundi and salad (with a few chips!). Back at the caravan Graham was able to put some of the new sealant along the back edge of the pop-top roof.
Then he created a cover for the back end of the caravan using the tarpaulin, some rope and some cleverly arranged elastic, hooked straps which we already had. It was brilliant although we still need a bit of practice to erect it easily – it took several attempts to get it exactly how we wanted it. Graham then sat back and prayed for rain – he was desperate to test his invention! In the meantime, Phil and Helen returned from their day out – surprised to see us still there as we told them we would be moving on today. We then did something that we normally avoid – we spent “happy hour” with them sitting at the posh wooden table in the camp kitchen. They were extremely pleasant company and happy hour became three hours as time flew by. Eventually they needed to use the barbecue and, as we had already had a good lunch, we retreated to the caravan for a light supper.
Graham needn’t have worried about testing out his invention. Again it absolutely poured during the night – probably worse than the night before. But – joy of joys – everything was bone dry in
the caravan so, hopefully, we shouldn’t suffer any dampness in the caravan again. The only problem is we’re not sure if it was the sealant or the tarpaulin that did the trick but we won’t be taking any chances – if rain is likely we will fix the tarpaulin in place. So tomorrow morning, Wednesday, we will be able to hit the road again and to make our way up onto the area known as The Tablelands heading for the town of Atherton.
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Gill and Keith
non-member comment
Hearty meal!!
Glad to see Graham is concerned about his cholesterol level! Looks an impressive breakfast though. We are off on Route 66 in a few days so no doubt will sample similar breakfasts on the road. Take care.