5 - Atherton Table Lands, North Queensland 24/4 – 7/5/2019

Entry 5                  Atherton Table Lands, North Queensland 24/4 – 7/5/2019

Each year we start with a travel plan, naturally subject to change, part of the beauty when travelling with a caravan.

For 2019 we were focusing on travelling directly north from home aiming to spend time in the northern regions of the Northern Territory, a distance of around 3,000 kilometres from home.

Our next thought process, consideration for options of travel routes and things we might like to do on our way to the NT. 

For us our family provide wonderful joy and we decided not to travel immediately north, to deviate slightly east by about 1,200 kilometres to visit our sons family in Canberra and then there was an opportunity to participate in a small gathering of “Bushtracker Caravan Owners Group,” with another slight deviation involved of about 2,500 kilometres almost directly north from Canberra to the Atherton Tablelands near Cairns, still leaving us with about 3,000 kilometres to travel to our targeted location near the top end of the Northern Territory.

We had been provided with an invitation to stay with a Bushtracker couple prior the muster whom we had only met previously once in 2016.  Sue and Michael, Akker “SMICK,” who lived in the Atherton Tablelands region and were most gracious hosts making us feel very welcome. They showed us around their nearby region and assisted with the sourcing of parts we needed for our caravan, a new tail light and light switch both requiring to be ordered in from other regions of Australia.

View back towards the house

View back towards the house

View from house with wallabies grazing

Lake Tinaroo overflowing at 102%

Steve initially thought an ant was tracking up his foot

We spent 4 delightful days at Smicks before it was time to head off to the muster, about 14 kilometres down the road.

The next week was spent participating in many activities socialising with a group of 20 people, members of the Bushtracker Caravan Owners Group in a beautiful rainforest setting at the Bonadio RV + Nature Park.

Some of our weeks activities best shown by pictures.

Multi use for our shower curtain to block the light rainforest rain

Cruising on one of the local lakes, Lake Barrine

One of the group exploration drives, we were following a vehicle identical to ours

Fresh Corn out of the paddock next to the camp ground

Group breakfast

A magnificent evening meal at Obi's restaurant

Scones at the Nerada Tea Factory

Breakfast at Lake Barrine

I am enjoying myself

Photographer Steve

The Atherton Table Lands was once covered in rainforest, still having many areas covered by rainforest with special flora and fauna. There were many opportunities spent viewing scenic locations during the week’s activities.

Lumholtz’s Tree-kangaroo with joey

Lumholtz’s Tree-kangaroo

2 metre long diamond python

Turtles poking their heads out of the water

Platypus close to the campground

After the muster we were back at SMICKS home, (a drive of 14 kilometres) with an additional Bushtracker couple whom we had all met for the first time at the muster, Nerilee & Grahame. We were all in bed rather early, something to do with exhaustion from the last weeks activities. SMICKS home was to be our base where we could research our options, plan some activities and assist with some projects around their home. Queensland Atherton Tablelands was shaping up to be a magnificent location we could spend copious time exploring. 

Setting up another driveway, just had to move one large rock