Day 9 - Bowen to Port Douglas

---

Yet another HUGE driving day today. We couldn't leave Bowen at stupid o'clock because I had left the laundry in the dryer and they locked the laundry. It didn't open till 6.30. Soon after though we said goodbye to this seriously beautiful place. From here on it was pretty much, drive, drive and drive a bit more. We passed through some beautiful scenery and towns though. The famous Burdekin river, Townsville ( a really huge city, surrounded by army barracks) Tully and Ingham. I was always trying to get photos along the journey out of the window, but it never does the scenery justice. Because we were trying to make up time, it wasn't possible to stop much. Maybe another time!

We did have lunch in a beautiful town called Cardwell. It was on the ocean and had quite a history, being a significant port back in the day. They had a beautiful War memorial that overlooked the ocean. I bought one of the famous mud crab sangas for lunch. Noice!

We had to stop in Cairns to fix up some paperwork. The traffic leaving there was pretty chaotic and the stupid number of roundabouts on the Captain Cook Highway was staggering.

The drive included a lot of windy slightly scary roads along the ocean. It looked great but I wasn't coping that well with it.. Still eventually (about 6pm) we pulled into the Tropic Breeze Caravan park. Its the closest into town, a really fabulous position. Probably the dodgiest looking park, but the beach is out the back gate, the town a short stroll and the manager is as friendly as! the bats are also very crazy! Hundreds of them! The manager assured us that they don't go in the tree next to us so we will be okay!

We set up and walked into Port Douglas to grab some takeaway Thai and back to the van. Its pretty humid and raining off and on, but awesome! 100% sure tomorrow is a rest day before any decisions are made about the Daintree etc!

---

Photos

Bowen1
Goodbye to this beautiful place

The kids
Ozzie and bago beau are ready to roll!

The view
Just out of Bowen, these mountain ranges are covered in mist

Burdekin river
This is quite famous (Rob told me anyway...)

The view
Photos dont show this well, it almost looked like the Scottish highlands

The army
We followed a convoy of trainee jeep drivers. Looked a bit spooky

Ingham
Yep, Ingham! (Where's all the chooks?)

Ingham pub
Think the chooks were all in here

Cardwell
Rob reads all the Anzac memorial

Mud crab sanga
On the jetty eating my mud crab sanga, only in FNQ

Cardwell
The view from my sanga eating possie - beautiful

Cardwell
I tried to be artistic....

Bananas
After all the cane, today we saw bananas (Oh and coffee plantations)

Pimple mountain
Not its real name of course. This was a spectacular site

River
One of the trillion beautiful rivers we crossed today

The ocean near Port Douglas
Almost there!!!!

Comments

[Chez]

Port Douglas - SO Jealous!!!
Howdy guys, I know Exactly where you are and I'm SO jealous - walked past that park many times on my way to the beach when I've stayed in PD - fabulous spot, hope you get to chill for a couple of days and enjoy it xx PS - they can get rid of that nasty sugarcane and replace it with Coconut palms - that'd keep us Paleo peeps happy :)

[Rob and Lynns Bago bash]

Hey Chez
Yeah its a great location here, though the amenities are pretty rough and ready. The manager's a hoot! Yep PD is beaustiful still EXCEPT the beach has been pretty battered of late. Beautiful none the less