Cairns Festival Parade

Every year Cairns holds a Festival and every year we have not participated in anything.  Okay, we were absent for a few of those years but I figured this year the girls and I would venture into town for the 'opening' parade.  I'm glad we did.   The girls loved it. 

I met my girlfriend and her family at a particular spot so we all enjoyed it together.  Lily was rather excited and Monet ended up enjoying it after I made her walk from where I had parked the car to the street where the parade was.  (It was a good 15 minute walk.)

It wasn't a massive parade but it did showcase all the clubs and a lot of schools etc., which I enjoyed.

Some of the floats/displays were very clever.  I loved the school display who dressed up like jelly fish.  Very clever....

There is a big Asian culture here in Cairns, but Lily got a bit scared of the chinese dragons...

...She was thankful for her big sister to hide behind...

It was enjoyable and I will go again next year.  I'm positive the girls will make me anyway, but I will try and park the car a little closer to stop Monet from whinging... *heehee*

A Smokin' Sunday...

With it bound to be a beautiful day we took a drive up to Port Douglas, a 40 minute drive up the picturesque Captain Cook Highway from our place.  It was rather busy (which I expected) with loads of tourists, wandering the market and the streets.  

Our girls just love the Frozen Fruit Salad Icy Poles from a stall, which always keep them both quiet for at least 10 minutes....

After lunch and a Lily meltdown, we headed back in the car for the drive home.  I pointed out to MrL the sky in the distance so we knew we were bound to cross the path of smoke on the way home. Unsure where it was exactly coming from, we figured that it was the forest which was smouldering.  (As we drove up we noticed that it looked like quite a bit of back burning had been happening since our last visit, but there was no smoke nor fire then.)

We did pass some small flames which made Monet all scared in the back seat, but it was nothing to worry about.  We couldn't figure out if it had been deliberately lit again (by authorities) or if it had flared up because of the warm weather.

MrL stopped at the (busy) lookout so I could snap a few photos of the view.  It is a gorgeous view on an equally gorgeous day.

Just down from the lookout, is a tiny hamlet of Wangetti.  We've always talked about stopping at the beach there (not that you can see it from the road, there is only a small road sign pointing the way).  MrL drove the car down the road which was surprisingly (or maybe not surprisingly, considering the weather) busy.

It was a lovely beach and one where I could see more smoke where we would have to pass...

The girls had a great time.

One of the girls (the one who previously had a meltdown) did not want to leave.  She's very much a beach gal that one!

Back on the way home, we did pass more smoke and more little fires....

...but we did make it home in one piece.

They say it is one of Cairns best kept secrets...

Since moving back to this part of the world, I had been told a few times from various people about Kewarra Beach Shack and people have been surprised when I had said we hadn't gone.  Just by chance, one Sunday midday, we visited.  (I  think it may have been early November.)  

Kewarra Beach is located the next suburb up from ours - it is mainly a housing suburb but with a Resort located on the beach.  This is where 'Cairns best kept secret' is.  As you stroll a hundred or so  metres along the beach from the car park, there is 'The Shack'.   It is like something out of Gilligan's Island.

We ate a couple of bowls of delicious beer battered hot chips and downed a couple of icy cold beers.  (Not the girls of course, they had cool water!)  It wasn't long before the place started to fill up, as it was a Perfect Sunday.

The Shack is popular on Friday nights for wood fired pizza and a live band and apparently bookings are a must.

But I'll be happy to return on a Perfect Sunday any time.

Last Sunday

All up, we have lived in FNQ for roughly three and a half years and not once had we walked down to our local beach and had fish'n'chips for lunch there.  Well, I can say now that we have done that and it was really nice to do so.  

Last Sunday was a beautiful, sunny, warm day, though a bit windy.  We decided to enjoy some lunch down the beach and were lucky enough to score a sheltered picnic table, opposite the view below.  

Even though the photos don't show it, it was busy down the beach.

There was a cruise ship anchored out at sea, ferrying it's passengers back and forth between the mainland and the ship.  The main cruise terminal in Cairns is currently being renovated so we figured that's why they were doing this action.

Gee, that lady, ahem, my mum is wearing a nice skirt isn't she?  So is that little Blondie. ;P

After returning home we decided to brave our pool.  Yep, still winter here (only just) and the first use of the pool since returning.  Sure, was a little cool but really nice once in.  Both girls enjoyed themselves, along with MrL.

A Two Night Getaway

A few weeks back it was a 'Cairns' long weekend.  Instead of us going stir crazy in our apartment MrL suggested we go and stay up at Port Douglas (a 45 minute drive north from our place) for a couple of nights.  We found some cheap accommodation (cheap by Port Douglas standards) in a fabulous spot, opposite 4 Mile Beach and just off the main shopping strip.  

We got up to Port a bit too early so I suggested to go up to the 'Lookout'.  The view up there is stunning.  Below is a photo of the 4 Mile Beach....

After lunch and finally being able to check into our apartment, the girls could not wait to get themselves down to the beach.  They had a fun time running about, paddling and playing in the sand.  It was a bit too windy though and the wind did get the better of us so we left after an hour or so...

Saturday morning we took a walk around the main part of Port Douglas.  It is a very photogenic place to visit, if you enjoy taking photos...

This boat is off to the Great Barrier Reef

I think I have mentioned time and time again on this blog, how I love a Marina.  This one is no exception.  

In the afternoon we ventured to the beach again.  It was windy again.

In typical Melody and MrL style, Sunday morning saw us all set and packed to leave early.

It is always pleasant to visit Port Douglas and we are fortunate that it is a short (very scenic) drive from our place.  It was nice to go and stay somewhere else for a couple of nights and the girls had a blast.

Mossman Gorge

A lot had changed since the last time I had visited Mossman Gorge.  I looked at MrL and said "hey, this is new" as the road veered into a newly built vast (but busy) car park and visitor centre.  Last time I was here, the road continued ahead, through a narrow road to an extraordinarily tight, busy car park.  Now we were greeted by a brand spanking building.  

Mossman Gorge is part of the Daintree National Park and it looks like someone has thought of the idea to try and make a buck out of it.  There is a visitor shop with tourist items, from rulers to stubby holders and everything in between.  The cafe was a buzz too.  And to actually get to the Gorge you could walk the two kilometres there, along that dangerous road, or catch one of the Shuttle Buses that blared the local radio station 80's hits.  (We thought that perhaps there should be at least a bit of a commentary about the Gorge on repeat.)  The shuttle bus was $12 return for a family - and considering there were at least 50 families there at the time we were, I am sure that the new facilities will be paid off in no time!

Another change we noticed was that there was no more slippery little narrow tracks.  Now in it's place was newly constructed walk bridges.

The Gorge is still beautiful, though on the day we visited it wasn't bright and sunny and the water looked a little murky than what I remember it.

In all honesty, I felt that some of the magic had disappeared from Mossman Gorge.  I'm not sure if it was because of the feeling of being shuttled via bus to the Gorge or the fact that it wasn't like I remembered.  But the girls enjoyed it and I guess if you are a visitor of the area to the first time, you'd be impressed.

Pretty sure MrL and I were more impressed with the construction of the gutters on the visitor centre...

Go West to head North

After last Sunday's drive south to Mission Beach, we decided yesterday to take a different route up north via the tablelands which lie to the west of where we live.  

The tablelands is a very different landscape to the coast, but rest assured there is still masses of sugar cane!  We even spied out of the car window it being slashed.  

The road and landscape, minus the sugar cane, makes you realise that you honestly could be anywhere along the east coast of Australia.

This roads leads up north to Cooktown and also across the 'Top End' of Australia.  There are road signs on the road warning of 'Road Trains' - trucks carrying in excess of two or more trailers.  We were passed on the other side of the road by two B-Double trucks.

The road heading back down the 'Molloy Range', the scenery changes very dramatically.  It is lush and green and the road recently has been blocked off by many landslides.

I think in the photo below, the lush green covering on the hillside is actually a weed.  Still, I thought it looked lovely.

The road leads you to an intersection between Port Douglas and Mossman.  We headed into Mossman, but I'll blog about that next time... ;-P

The Advantage of Living in FNQ in Winter

MrL and I had decided on Saturday evening to go for a drive the following day, down to Mission Beach, so the girls could have a paddle and a run around.  

We had forgotten that Mission Beach is a good two hour trek south from our home.  

Last year's cyclone Yasi tore through the area and we had noticed a big change in the canopy.  The road leading to the area was no where as shady and overhanging as we remembered.  But green?  Oh it was green....

And the beach was as delightful as I remember...

The girls had a blast, splishing and splashing.  The shallow water was warm and the waves were small. That's Dunk Island in the middle of that photo below.  We had stayed there before but the resort was wiped out last year, (thanks to the cyclone) which is really sad...

After a good hour enjoying themselves we went and treated ourselves to some fish and chips, but all Lily was after was a 'Rainbow' ice-cream.  (To be honest, it was the lure of the ice-cream to get her out of the water!)  All her dreams came true as she enjoyed one...

The drive home seemed quicker than the road down there, but maybe because I snapped images outside my passenger door window and windscreen.  It is sugarcane slashing time around these parts.  (Once the sugarcane flowers it is time to harvest.)  We have visited the foot of the mountain in the photo below - you can read about it here.

Below is Pyramid Rock, just outside of Cairns which stands at 922 metres.  I love how it looks like it is balancing a cloud on it's pointy tip.  ;)

Both girls napped on the way home (no wonder) so Lily and I had a bit of a late evening, but it was worth it.  Think we're going to go on another beach destination drive next weekend!