Last day in Oz

Tuesday 1st September

This morning we went to visit Patricia (Jo's mum) at the rehab home she is in after a major neck operation a child of weeks ago.

Time for a quick stroll from South Curl Curl to Freshwater beach and a coffee before driving back over harbour bridge to the airport. The ocean was really rough and the waves spectacular. Sunny again. Only half an hour of rain in 3 weeks so not a bad result for winter in Oz.

Through security and eating lunch whilst waiting at the gate now. Over and out for the time being ... We'll be in this day for a long time yet with the time difference, arriving Manchester 7.30am on Wednesday 2nd September.

We'll add some more photos in a few days once we're back home.

Back in Sydney

Monday 31st August

Most of the day travelling today. Car hire returned, flight to Sydney, new hire car, drive to relatives house.

Jo, Pete, Ben and Sam are kindly hosting 3 of us. Matthew and Peter are staying the night at Phil's. Ben and Sam threw themselves at our boys as we arrived. Apparently they've been excited about our visit for the last week!

Jo made a great barbecue and Phil and Bruce (Jo's dad) came over too. Hoping for a good night sleep before the mammoth journey home with no long stopover.

Matthew and Peter got to explore Pete's work truck last night. He's a police rescue worker so they loved this.

A couple of photos from the plane. Barrier reef and arriving in Sydney.

Palm Cove and Cairns

Sunday 30th August

Last day at Palm Cove today.

Another morning at the pool, then a trip into Cairns for some souvenir shopping, a swim in the lagoon pool and dinner out, followed by packing up ready to fly back to Sydney.

Peter has started with an ear infection so we're hoping to get to the pharmacy tomorrow to see if they can give us anything for it. Otherwise could be an uncomfortable journey home. :-(

Reef Magic

Saturday 29th August

Today was another reef adventure.
We caught a boat to the outer reef which was amazing.

The boat took us to a platform right next to the reef which was our base for the day and we could snorkel from there, go to the underwater viewing platform, on a semi submersible craft and a glass bottomed boat.

The journey out was pretty choppy and we all felt queasy so we were glad to arrive.

We all managed at least a couple of hours of snorkelling and saw loads of coral and fish. Toby was reluctant to go far from the platform in the morning but after lunch he came into his own. Jonathan and Peter saw a reef shark as well as the fish. After lunch the tide was further out and some of the coral was above the water line.

The journey back to Cairns was more gentle and we all felt fine. We went for a quick explore before returning to Palm Cove and what better to do than have a quick dip in the lagoon (open air public swimming pool)! The boys enjoyed the last hour of daylight having a play in the pool whilst we had a drink on the beach at the side. The lagoon is there as the sea is not a good place to play or swim in the summer due to 'marine stingers' (jellyfish). There are stinger stations with big bottles of vinegar to treat stings all along the coast.

Back home for dinner and bed, with a sought detour to get a close up of the field of kangaroos at dusk.

We're all exhausted and agreed the experience of today was one of the best of our lives. We took some pictures on the camera with an underwater case but just a few from the phone here.

Palm Cove and Kuranda

Friday 28th August

This morning was more relaxing as no dashing off. 2 hours at the pool was good fun. It's hot here, about 26c but with no breeze the boards around the pool were burning our feet. There are surprisingly few people at the pool given the number of apartments, only 2 other families and us, but the local water park is shut for winter until 5th September!!

After lunch at the apartment we drove up to Kuranda, a village in the rainforest to look at the markets. They were not quite as we expected, one area was definitely more hippy than aboriginal, but we made a few purchases and came back down to Palm Cove for dinner, via the look out for the Barron falls.

Saw a whole field of wild wallabies/kangaroos at the side of the road on the way home. Dusk seems to be the best time to spot them.

Rainforest wonders

Thursday 27th August

So much has happened in a day it's hard to know where to start.

We went on a guided tour of the Daintree rainforest, had lunch at Cape Tribulation (named by Captain Cook after he made a hole in his boat on the coral reef), drank Daintree tea, ate local ice cream in 4 flavours - pineapple, passion fruit, black sapote and wattle seed! We also went on the Daintree river tour croc spotting and swam in the Mossman Gorge.

Our driver and guide Pete was really knowledgeable and kept us entertained with his stories. He loved the wildlife of the rainforest and took a detour on the way back specially to show us a golden orb spider. Some of the bus passengers weren't too enamoured with that stop. The boys were great and hung onto every word Pete said.

There was wildlife galore - a tree dragon in the rainforest, a rare bird called the cassowary spotted from the road, 3 crocodiles on the bank of the Daintree river and numerous egrets too, as well as a snake in a tree. Not to mention the array of trees and mangroves.

After an 10 hour trip we were dropped off back at our apartment in Palm Cove pretty worn out. BBQ dinner, quick swim and bed. We'll be exploring the resort in daylight for the first time tomorrow!

The Steine farm day 2 and journey north

Wednesday 26th August

It's all go at the farm. Paul gave us a tour in his tractor and all the boys had a turn at driving too.

After that he showed us the cemetery in Ingham which had a big Italian immigrant population in the 1800s and has some large mausoleums.

We found a steam train made in Leeds outside the sugar factory in Ingham.

Before lunch we also managed to fit in a ride in the sugar cane harvester and the tractors hauling the chopped cane to the train. We all enjoyed this experience and learnt a lot about sugar production.

After a lovely lunch back at the farm we said farewell to Paul and Margaret to make the 4 hour road trip up to Palm Cove, our next destination.

Arriving in the dark about 6pm we had a quick look at the beach front area then had dinner and a swim before bed and an early start on Thursday.

The Steine sugar cane farm

After a 3 and a half hour drive, and coffee with my cousin in Townsville, we carried on another hour to Matt's parents farm near Ingham. Thought we were lost but found it first time. It's at the very end of the road of sugar cane farms.

Paul, Matt's dad (Louise's in laws) had a full on afternoon of activities planned. Crocodile spotting at the creek (Good view from his land rover of a 15ft croc on the other side of the creek) driving the mini tractor with a go cart dragged behind it in the back garden, shooting at tubs in he garden with a .22 rifle and a fire after dark to toast marshmallows.

That was in-between the explanation of sugar cane growing and getting to chew on some cane.

All 3 boys loved it and feel asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow, probably dreaming of the potential tractor ride tomorrow.

Most of photos on the camera so only a couple here.

Whitsunday coast

Monday 24th August

Today we took a drive to cedar creek falls, a waterfall near the Conway national park.

At it's the dry season there was actually no waterfall, but the pool at the bottom was good for the boys to have a swim to cool down, and they had a few small turtles for company.

Back to dingo beach for the afternoon playing in the park and on the beach, with a final hour on hideaway bay.

Finished the day with a relax in the hot tub and a barbecue. Now on to the packing before we drive on up the coast tomorrow.

Just over 252 km to Townsville. We're staying just north of there at a sugar cane farm, thanks to Matt's parents.

Whitsunday islands

Today was the coral reef exploring day. We had an early start to meet in time for the boat.

Once stinger suits were provided (for warmth as it's winter, rather than for jelly fish protection) and the Thundercat boat was fun on the way. High speed and lots of splashing! Good job we had waterproofs with us.

First stop for snorkelling was near hook island on the Whitsundays. Amazing coral just out from the beach (reached by a small boat with outboard motor)

We all enjoyed the sights and after an hour we moved on to a new snorkelling location where there were far more fish, and when they were fed from the boat they all headed for food.

Lunch was waiting on the boat when we returned and after lunch we moved on again to another island. This was the view of the day ...  We could walk over to Whitehaven beach, famous for its pure white sand. Amazing.

We enjoyed almost 2 hours on the sand and in the sea. Saw a manta ray and a little shark so we stayed in the shallows.

On the way home in the dark, it gets dark here about 5.30pm, we saw a kangaroo at the side of the road too. A good day for wildlife.

Hydeaway bay

The hot tub at the house is v popular and we can wander to the beach in 5 minutes so we did that this morning and took flippers and snorkels along too. We had the beach to ourselves! It is winter but it was about 28c.

After lunch back at home we explored a different part of the beach before returning for a barbecue tea.

There are stunning views from the house, which really is in the middle of nowhere. The water supply is rainwater tanks in the back garden.

We've had bird visitors to the balcony. Parrots at breakfast time and kookaburras in the evening.

Travelling north

Fri 21st August

2 flights later, one to Brisbane and one to the tiny Whitsunday coastal airport and a hire car collected we're at our second holiday base at Hydeaway Bay.

It's a secluded spot with a great view from the balcony.

Sydney day 7

Thursday 20th August

Cockatoo island

This island is the biggest in the harbour and has a mixed history of being a prison, a shipyard and a place of industry.

A windy ferry crossing over but a lovely sunny day for exploring with the audio guide and kids trail.

During ww2 after Singapore was captured by the Japanese, this is where allied ships came to be fixed up as it was the only place in the south pacific able to do so.

Picnic lunch and an ice cream at Darling harbour before a visit to our local park on the way home.

Packing up this eve before flying up to the Whitsundays on Fri. No internet there so updates less regular.

Sydney day 6

Taronga zoo

We met Jo (Patricia and Bruce's daughter) and her family at the zoo today. The twins, Ben and Sam are almost 4 and they loved our boys, who helped keep control by holding their hands and pointing out animals. Pete, Jo's husband, is a police rescue worker and he kept us entertained with stories of exciting rescues.

We saw lots of Aussie animals - kangaroos, koalas, bandicoots, platypus and Tasmanian devils amongst others, and the bird show with condors flying in from afar was entertaining. The zoo is set up on a hill with views of the harbour and we all enjoyed the cable car journey over the trees (twice!)

Thai food in a local restaurant was a lovely end to the day.

Sydney day 5

Tuesday 18th August

After a slow start to the day with breakfast in a local cafe we made our way into the city, walking over the harbour bridge this time. Matthew, Peter and Joanne climbed the south west turret (89m above sea level) for a different perspective of the bridge and the harbour.

We walked around the rocks, where the first settlers made their home, then took the ferry over to Watson's bay, which is opposite Manly on the south side of the harbour entrance. The catamaran ferry gets there quickly so we had time to explore and find one of the two lighthouses before having a paddle on a beautiful secluded beach and a play in the park before catching the last ferry of the day back into the city.

It's time the boys were tucked up in bed so we're all set for an early start tomorrow to meet relatives at the zoo.