July 21st...DAY 35

We drove out to the highway quite slowly so we could enjoy all the rainforest at close hand. John even found a tree snake beside the road., Wooroonooran National Park had been a great place to stay...a grassed area with the Johnstone River nearby. 

Zamia Fern

Very soon after the Highway intersection we stopped to walk  600 metres to the Tehupala Falls on the North Johnstone River. It was a beautiful walk with amazing Falls at the end. Walking gave us the opportunity to see the Rainforest plants very close at hand. I feel quite in awe at the huge plants and how they grow together in such steep country.

Flying Buttress trunk of a Fig Tree

Driving on to Innisfail gave us a great change of scenery as we travelled through the rich, red volcanic soil of the agricultural lands.. bananas, sugar cane and cattle grazing were the main farming pursuits. The overall country is very hilly and steep. We chose to drive on the old Bruce Highway where the traffic is not so busy. Following the cane train was rather fun. Sugar cane is being harvested and taken to the North Johnstone Sugar Mill which was puffing out great plumes of steam. A strong smell  of heavy treacle came from the mill as we drove by.

We have had a great drive again today and are camped at Hull Heads which is near Tully . The area averages over 4 metres of rain per year..maybe we are lucky that it is warm and dry this evening. Our rig is across the road from a long beach so an evening walk was refreshing before we cooked Barramundi for tea..we did not catch the fish ourselves like some clever people but we purchased it at a Fish Farm.

Footsteps in the sand