9-21 Aug 2001 - Self-Drive Holiday in Queensland, Australia
10 Aug 2001 - Gold Coast & the Dreamworld
Arriving at Brisbane on 9 Aug night, we picked up our rented Falcon and drove straight to Broad Beach, Gold Coast.
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A fun day at the Dreamworld in Gold Coast, with both real and unreal animals! |
12 Aug 2001 - Shopping at Harbour Town, Gold Coast
13 Aug 2001 - Brisbane to Cairns
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Mitsubitshi Magna - our workhorse in Cairns |
14 Aug 2001 - Cairns
We arrived at Cairns on the night of 13 Aug. Rented a Magna the next morning and immediately zoomed off southward.
We had picnic lunch at The Boulders at Babinda (left), a wonderful creek. It was the start of our temporary disconnection from city life.
We eventually stayed the night at a farm in Malanda.
Robyn taking in the natural ambience at The Boulders |
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Dusk - still in searching of the farm stay...
15 Aug 2001 - Malanda - Millaa Millaa
Fairdale Farmstay, a 120-hectare dairy farm in a scenic setting, was our favourite farm experience, especially its wonderful wholesome breakfast. |
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My first experience of riding a pony. Would definitely have preferred a fast and furious gallop across farm country rather than such a stroll on fairly flat trail...
Robyn feeding all kinds of animals - turkey, ducks, chicken, horses, sheeps, etc... |
Hen: "Hey, look, we've got a little new farmhand today!"
Goose: "Yeah, she's been chasing me around trying to force-feed me!"
Goat: "Looks rather delicious herself..."
Horse: "Hey, little fellow, when is my turn?"
Sheep: "Hey, she's Chinese. Wonder if I'm in luck for some char kway teow..."
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Millaa Millaa
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The Millaa Millaa Falls, the first of 3 waterfalls on the Millaa Millaa waterfall circuit. It has a wonderful swimming hole and a grassy picnic area.
Ellinjaa Falls, the 3rd waterfall on the Millaa Millaa waterfall circuit. |
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16 Aug 2001 - Undara Lava Tubes
From Millaa Millaa, we decided not to stay the night at Ravenshoe but shoot straight for Undara, a long and rough 4-hour drive, including over unsealed road, to Undara Volcanic National Park in the Gulf Savannah.
The landscape became harsh desert-like and the climate became summer hot despite it was supposed to be winter time. It was the first feeling of the real outback since we started this trip.
The campsite at Undara was simple but well maintained. We stayed in a container cabin with 4 beds. |
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It's amazing the massive lava tubes, which were formed around 190,000 years ago following the eruption of a single shield volcano. The lava flow drained towards the sea, and as the lava cooled it formed a surface crust. The hotlava contined to flow through the centre of the tubes, eventually leaving huge hollow basalt chambers like a cave. |
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17 Aug 2001 - Yungaburra
After a long drive back from Undara, we were very lucky to check into the Gumtree Gataway, a B&B farm. We had the whole house to ourselves and we thoroughly enjoyed having a fireplace. Robyn loved feeding the fire and watching the dancing flames. |
18 Aug 2001 - Mount Molloy
| Staying the Friday night at the Mt Molloy Hotel was unforgettable. The hotel is all timber and reminds one of those buildings in a cowboy movie! Mt Molloy is a small, layback town and it happened that the entire town population seemed to congregate here on every Friday evening. Grandpa was delighted to have fried rice for dinner and we enjoyed the best mud cake ever! |
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| From Mt molloy, we drove northward to Mossman Gorge National Park. We had Chinese takeaway fried rice for our picnic lunch by a serene river spot. |
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This is a sugar cane country! See, I'm just a wee bit shorter. |
19-20 Aug 2001 - Kuranda
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| A stroll in the Barron Gorge National Park. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see gushing waters down the 260m mighty Barron Falls as this was the dry season. |
Relaxing at Lake Placid, where it's also the end point of popular whitewater rafting trips. |
21 Aug 2001 - Sydney Overnight
From Cairns, we flew to Sydney for an overnight stay and met up with Uncle & Auntie Yip, and Melvin, who happened to be there on business. It was a great family gathering evening.
Robyn: "I love Queensland."
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26 Aug 2001 - Visit to the Chek Jawa Mud Flat at Pulau Ubin
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Pulau Ubin is a natural educational playground for me, and I love exploring the island on mountain bike. We have fond memory of camping here for the Millennium Crossover too.
Today, we came to explore the mud flat of Chek Jawa. I found the place to be rich in living organisms, mud skippers and crabs. |
See, I'm taller than coconut tree!
I thought all coconut trees are tall. Now I know I'm at least taller than two coconut trees... |
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