Checking out the Lagoon

Did you know I didn't take one photo on Easter Sunday? Strange that.
So I'd told you Sis G arrived on Good Friday but Mum, my Stepdad and Bro S arrived on Easter Sunday. I had to pick them up in Mr Sparky's car and it was only on arriving at the airport that I realised we might have issues fitting luggage in. I'd forgotten about the tool bag, tool belt, tool box, other bits and pieces and the two chainsaws (because everyone carts two chainsaws in their car, everywhere). We managed it though, with one suitcase squashed between the two backseat passengers or maybe it was two backseat passengers squashed around a suitcase. I am sure the person patrolling the pick up zone found the whole thing pretty amusing as we shuffled things around the car to make it all fit.

I did however take photos on Easter Monday, and every day they were here after that.
One place we definitely had to visit was downtown Cairns and the Esplanade. Mum has been here to visit a few times now but my Stepdad hasn't been here since their honeymoon, almost 10years ago. Mum wasn't even sure they really looked around downtown Cairns then. By the way, I did find out that yes, the Lagoon was there then, it was built in 2003.

Bro S, cooling his toes.

Cairns was putting on some lovely weather for my visitors. It was actually quite warm outside, especially for those not used to the humidity. I was thinking it was pretty nice and a great break from the humidity. I guess my opinion and their one differed just a bit.

It was good to have a look around both downtown Cairns and in the main shopping center.

Sis G and Bro S, hamming it up for the camera

While hanging out near the Lagoon Sis G gave Mum and our Stepdad, well more Mum, some selfie tips. Now that was hilarious to watch. I'm looking forward to more selfies to come.

Even though it was a Monday and the Esplanade markets are on every Saturday, they were on that Monday. There must have been a cruise ship in, the markets are also put on just for cruise ship visitors.

We really had nothing much planned for the day. It was just nice to relax and catch up rather than to rush into touring around.

It is great having visitors and getting to show off some of the great places around,

but even better, it is great to spend valued time with them.

A Flamingo at the Falls

I'm going through family withdrawals, as I do after I see them, every time.

Back before I got sidetracked by a sunset and a weekender to new places I was telling you all about my fantastic family fun. 

On Good Friday, when Sis G arrived, we headed out for a swim and to meet up with her work mates.

Crystal Cascades was the spot to be and one Sis G enthusiastically wanted to visit again.

So afternoon swim time it was, and such a nice cool off. The falls were looking low but still pretty.

We weren't the only ones around but for a brief time we got the waterfall to ourselves.

It was cool and refreshing. The freshwater swimming places are always cool here, even on the hottest days.

While we were there we even saw a giant pink flamingo going for a dip.

I think I know why Sis G loves visiting here. It is cool, relaxing, quiet and so different to what we grew up with. It is the best of the tropics all in one with rainforest and a waterfall.

The weather at the moment has cooled a little with a taste of Autumn greeting us early in the morning. I could probably still do a swim at Crystal Cascades any day though.

A Place I've Only Heard About

So, when I left you last we had come to a road closed sign. Out ideas of a trip to Maytown cut short. If you need to catch up, check it out here.

Having no idea what to do next we turned the car north, I figured I could at least see Lakeland, the next town. By the way it is another dot on the map.

Somewhere along the way we kind of decided to just keep going to Cooktown.

I hadn't been there before and Mr Sparky had been years and years ago. The road was dirt when he visited previously and it is bitumen the whole way now.

The landscape along the way was amazing and parts were so lush. 

We found a little gem of a dam or lagoon along the side of the road and I got saturated trying to take some photos of it.

We followed the highway through Black Mountain National Park. It is called that for obvious reasons.

Basically a mass of molten lava slowly cooled to form a granite mountain underground. It fractured and was exposed as the land around it eroded. Water got into the fractures and a chemical reaction changed rock particles to clay which were eroded away leaving rectangle granite boulders. Those boulders have been worn by the weather over the years to form rounded boulders. So now the core of the mountain is covered in boulders.

The mountains certainly stood out among the surrounding countryside.

They were so cool to look at simply because they were so different.

Nearly at the end of our trip we came across the turn off for Mulbabidgee Keatings Lagoon so we turned in for a look.

It was a pretty spot and we both liked the purple water lilies.

We walked to the bird hide and saw one lonely Jacana hanging out on the water lilies.

Next stop was Cooktown.

We only had a quick look but it was enough to wet my taste buds and make me want to head back for another look. It is a country town with character perched between and river and the ocean. Cooktown was established in 1873 and so has a few beautiful old buildings as a herald to its past.

I jumped out of the car for a brief look at the wharf and boats nearby.

Then we headed up to Grassy Hill Lookout.

Now that was a must see with its very cute old lighthouse. This lighthouse was built in 1886 and was at one point one of only four lighthouses along the coast of Queensland. The last lighthouse keeper was in 1918 and in 1988 the town of Cooktown 'bought' the lighthouse and surrounding area for $100 from the government to preserve it.

Cooktown was a place I'd only heard of and a place that had even come up in our history books. You see it is off Cooktown that Captain Cook hit the reef in the Endeavour on his trip to explore the East coast of Australia or what was then call 'New Holland', in 1770.

The lookout has a 360 degree view of the area and what an amazing view it is. You can see out over the Coral Sea (above) and across the town (below).

You can see across the mouth of the Endeavour River and

it seems you can see forever over the river and plains surrounding it.

I loved seeing a place that is so much a part of our history, as small a part as that is. It is amazing to think that Captain James Cook and Sir Joseph Banks stood on this very hill and walked this land so many years ago during the seven weeks it took to repair the Endeavour after it was grounded on the reef.

This was not the end of our trip though, as we headed out of Cooktown, this time south again. 

I loved the little taste of Cooktown but would love to go back for the full meal so I can check it out some more.

Have you been anywhere you really wanted to visit recently?

 

Tuesday's Treasures