A Grand Day Out: March 2007

Yungaburra

From Kuranda we went to another little village called Yungaburra. And the sun came out! HURRAH!

We've spent the past couple of days walking, cycling and swimming, it's been fantastic.

Kieran has also been trying to hold anything that looks slightly dangerous!

Where's Kieran? can you see him?(above)

Kieran's beard is coming along a treat. Does anyone else think he looks like Vincent Van Gogh?

Julie trying to spot a platypus, and succeeding!

Crocs, turtles and falls

Last week we travelled inland to a village called Kuranda where it rained non-stop for 3 days. But we still got out and managed to see some creatures, and walk to the beautiful Barron falls.

And Kieran got a new hat which he was really pleased with.

Cairns

We've arrived in Cairns already. Flew in yesterday from Melbourne while our bags flew to Sydney (they turned up later). Have already booked into a room above an Irish pub in readiness for tomorrow's drinkathon and have had our free meals in the Woolshed were Ju and Sinead took us six years ago!

Bye bye Melbourne

Sad to say goodbye to Melbourne where we've been for over a month I think. We never intended to stay so long but it was an unexpected treat. Always something going on from the first weekend's Sustainable living festival where we went to a talk by Peter Singer http://www.princeton.edu/~psinger/make_a_difference.html

to the amazing fireworks display of the Moomba water festival. We had a tour of the Robert Hunter, the Sea Shepherd anti-whaling ship (that's me at the wheel) which was recently in the news over here http://www.seashepherd.org/news/media_070224_1.html

It's a groovy place at the moment with water and energy saving schemes, loads of falafels and healthy food and we did our emailing in the animal liberation internet cafe. Lots of cinemas, great restaurants, bars, galleries, parks and gardens, picnics and barbecues down by the river watching the rowers go by.

Phone

Our number is now 0061398608201 (we're 11 hours ahead!) - we've changed rooms
We're in this room until Thursday when we fly to Cairns!
Thanks for the calls so far

Next door is only a footstep away...

Do you recognise this house?

Anyone for cricket?

We've done the double! Summer Bay and now Ramsay Street! We didn't get to see any filming unfortunately and the residents had inconsiderately parked their cars everywhere! It was still nice to visit, I got quite excited approaching it though it is a bit dissapointing as it just feels so much smaller than it looks on the telly.

Wildlife

Here's the little Koala!

...an Echidna

...and a giant Garner posing for the next STA travel brochure

The Grampians

More amazing views in the Grampians national park. The park was recovering from last years forest fires and this year's drought but was still beautiful throughout. We even spotted a Koala and tons of kangaroos in the town at sunset. We stayed at an eco-lodge in Halls Gap but never managed to get any freshly laid eggs despite the many chooks roaming around.