Due to the fact I had an early start this morning I was awoken by my alarm ready for a 2 day 1 night tour of the Atherton Tablelands. I packed light for this trip with just a couple of changes of clothes, wash kit and my charger, opting against my waterproof coat. After getting ready I quickly ate my remaining tiger rolls for breakfast before waiting outside my hostel to be picked up by the tour company, On the Wallaby.
As usual they were late picking me up, and after what felt like a guided tour of Cairns we had a minibus full of people ready to explore the tablelands. Out of the 21 people on the trip however, I was the only English person! When leaving Cairns we passed through the small outer suburb of White Rock where our guide showed us some wild wallabies. We then went to the service station in the outermost suburb of Cairns, Gordonvale for any last minute supplies, before heading into the clouded mountains full of trees.
The Atherton Tablelands is a collective name for the extensive rainforest and woodland area south of Cairns formed through volcanic activity many years ago. At around 900m above sea level in many places, we climbed very quickly up through the Gillie Mountains along a popular tourist route which has 237 turns! It was very appropriate we went up here with everyday is a winding road playing in the background! Before long our driver pointed out that the woodland we had travelled through had turned to rainforest, the change in tree formation being so evident! You could tell by all the vines and ferns to name a few things.
When reaching the top of the winding road, stopping off at this viewpoint en route to get views of the clouded woodland right out to sea below, we continued to the Cathedral Fig Tree. At about 500 years old and 44m in circumference, it would take about 25 people to link arms round the tree! It was very impressive having been formed through these vines strangling the previous trees to form a collective trunk of these tall winding vines. Our guide described it as the easiest tree to climb, and apparently people go up there and watch sunsets, although the large patches in ferns in the enclosed canopy above is home to large pythons!
Continuing on through lush green countryside, we soon re-entered the rainforest stopping at the car park for the large Lake Barrine. This was a freshwater lake filled with rainwater from a volcanic crater formed many years ago. It was here our guide took us for a walk through the ancient rainforest to show us some plants and wildlife. Most notable of the plants were these vines which had these sharp prickles in them which could stop you in your tracks, literally! There was a large vine hanging from the rainforest later on, and I couldn't resist swinging on it! It was not one of the aforementioned vines though! Another plant showed was this stinger plant which if put in contact with the skin would cause a lot of pain. Our guide was very interesting, showing us some past storm damage, and how it has affected the dense canopy above. During the walk however it started raining, although we were near the minibus by this time which didn't really matter.
The next stop of the day was Lake Eacham which was formed in the same way as Lake Barrine, and at 65m deep was our first swimming opportunity of the day. The water was actually warmer than the air outside, which was slightly cool due to our altitude. After a short swim I went to this viewing platform and saw some small turtles, along with the fish in the lake. Before long it was time for lunch which our guide prepared whilst we were swimming. It was basically rolls with various fillings, and due to the fact barely no one seemed to have a big appetite meant I ate very well!
The next stop of the day was the famous Millaa Millaa falls which has been used in adverts like Herbal Essences before. The water was lets say refreshing and we were we given to the chance to recreate the adverts famous hair flick. I then went in behind the sheer drop waterfall which was amazing to look up above, before doing one big push from the slippery rocks behind to go under it. The sheer force of the water as I went under was amazing!
After a fair while at the waterfall, the next stop of the day was Mount Hypipamee. It was here we went looking for things like Cassowary and Tree Kangaroos. Whilst looking we went to this volcanic crater which at around 50m below us was full of water. No one actually knows how deep it is, and some divers recently tried to find out but lost visibility at 76m! We then continued round the damp paths to Dinner Falls which was a cascade waterfall going down the many rock formations. Most of us opted out of a swim here as the weather really caved in, instead heading back to the minibus.
Throughout our time here we didn't see any wildlife other than a bush turkey, again!
The final stop of the day was Peterson Creek where we went platypus spotting. Once again we were without luck as the sunset, although there were lots of ripples in the still water which suggested something was there. From here we were transferred to the On the Wallaby lodge for afternoon tea of cookies and tropical fruits, although it was gone 6 by this time. It was here all the people on the day trip left, leaving just 4 of us behind for the second day!
Shortly after settling into our cosy dorm in the converted cottage in the village of Yungaburra, it was time for dinner. Dinner consisted of steak with onions, sausage, garlic bread, mash and salad, a brilliant home cooked meal to the end the busy day. In the evening we played table tennis and pool as this was free, meeting a guy from Leeds who was working in the hostel. Before long it started to rain once again which signalled my time for bed as it was such a busy day!
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