Base of the Cape

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North from Chillagoe we went through Lakeland to Laura and a cattle station stay at Fairview.  This is the lower cape but as far north as we are headed this trip. Fairview  is a working station and we shared the facilities with the workers. We passed through more varied landscapes than I expected, from the rich soil and irrigated fields near Lakeland to the rocky hills and bluffs near Laura to more savannah dotted with ant hills.


Whilst near Laura we had day trips to the indigenous rock art at Split Rock and to the Old Laura homestead and waterholes nearby with plenty of birdlife.







We then travelled to Cooktown and spent three days exploring this nice small tropical  town. We enjoyed the well set up museum, in the old  convent,  lush botanical  gardens, a drive along Elim beach to view the coloured sands and a swim at the Isabella Creek Falls 







From Cooktown we travelled  down to Lake Tinaroo in the Atherton tablelands to a fantastic  campsite right by the water.
We completed an 8km walk with multiple water crossings of clear streams, lawyer vines, and leeches that took us through the rain forest. This was considerably more fun than it sounds.








Scarlet Myzomela



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