Danebank tour of North Queensland July 2009Organized by ETA Educational Tours AustraliaThe group from Danebank Girls (and one stowaway from the Dandenongs!) arrived at the very messy Cairns International Airport. Everybody scooped up their bags pretty quickly and we were greeted by Damon Ramsey (no relation to Gordon) and his obediant driver Jane. We were off straight away, packing oursleves into the cable cars (after a few lost tickets) of the 'Skyrail' over the jungle.
We snooped around the town of Kuranda, slurping on some ice cream and checking out the 'double-eyed fig parrots', the smallest parrots in Australia. We returned via the train to Freshwater (not saltwater), and then checked into our hotel, the Queenslander. After a swim in the front pool, and some dinner, we went back into town for the night markets. The next day we taken to our SunLover Boat for our reef trip. We headed out to a platform, and were taken around to see 'Wally' the Maori Wrasse, and then 'Wally' the Giant Hump-headed Parrotfish. There seemed to be a lot of 'Wally's out there! We had a guide to take us around the reef.
After the reef we took a splash in the lovely Cairns esplanade pool, and then stumbled back to our hotel ("are we nearly there yet?', 'are we nearly there yet?' 'are we nearly there yet?'). The next day we were up with our packed bags, which Damon threw into the ETA trailer, and with cries of 'mushi mushi' we were off!. We cruised up the scenic Captain Cook highway, seeing the Agile Wallabies, pelicans, and then arrived at Hartleys Zoo. Here, we feed the crocs, patted koalas, and touched dragons.
We then piled back into the bus and raced up to Mossman for a walk with 'Harry' our aboriginal guide, and a swim in the freezing cold waters of the Mossman River. That afternoon we crossed the Daintree River and on a wet night we snuck into our accommodation in the middle of the jungle at the 'Cape Trib Beach House'. While our teachers enjoyed their penthouse suite with private waiter service and jacuzzi, the kids slept in the simple rooms surrounded by jungle. It was a bit scary. The next day Damon (who looks a bit like Johnny Depp in the right light, doesn't he? Or maybe Zac Efron? Well, actually maybe more like Krusty the Clown) drove us up to the Daintree Discovery Centre and took us around (and up in to) the forest. While Damon showed us how a cassowary did a poo, Mrs Hansford reminded us of the tropical rainforest canopy structure that we had learnt at school. Later, we stopped in at the Thornton Beach cafe for some 'fush and chups', went on a croc cruise on the Cooper, and then shovelled down some soursop and wattleseed icecream. And on the way back we saw a cassowary walking across the road! (just as Mrs Shannon-Duhigg predicted...) That night we had another lovely dinner and then went on a beach night walk where we chased crabs, hypnotized cane toads and caught snakes!
The next day we were up and heading back to Cairns. Back over the Daintree River. Through Mossman. And then we stopped in at Port Douglas. Here, we swum at the beach, in the waves whipped up by the strong south-easterlies. After drying off, we pretended to be rich people and strutted around Port Douglas, shopping in town and spending the rest of our money... We were soon off again. We stopped in at the Rex Range lookout (pictured below, pointing at a hang-glider).
Then after too much lunch and dessert at Sizzlers, we were off to the 'still under construction' Cairns airport again. We then put the kids back into their cages and sent them home! (see picture below).
|
