Mission Beach,Balgal Beach....Townsville

 View towards Magnetic Island....

The Banana Festival....
 

Sugar Cane....as far as the eye can see.

Mission Beach Campsite.

Sunset at Balgal Beach...

Our campsite in Townsville....

Welcome to Townsville....

At the top of Mt. Stuart. When KJ saw this tower, he asked whether we were now in Paris!

The "Blue Dancers"

The "Whale Thong"

CSG and KG giving the car a quick tyre change in the pits of the Townsville V8 racecource....In front of Frosty's garage.

Port Douglas and Mission beach

We decided after this encounter to stay with the swimming pools....If your not swimming with crocs, you're swimming with snakes!

Cairns, Undara Volcanic National Park and Mossman Gorge.

Not Barra and prawns for dinner again!....

Our friend Mrs Skippy at Undara.

Back in the tent....

Rainforest trees follow the lava flows....

Looking out from one of the lava tubes. An estimated 23.3 km³ of lava flowed from the volcano at a rate of about 1000 m³ every second. A lava flow this large could fill Sydney Harbour in six days. It is thought that the lava flowed at a temperature of around 1200 °C.
The lava tubes and caves were formed when rivers of lava confined to a valley crusted over and formed a roof.

Undara lave tube....trying out a new photographic technique, can you see CSG?

On top of one of the volcanoes.

The roots of these trees are exposed because the soil is so water logged  for much of the year.

Up to the top....part six

Twin Falls and Eliot Falls, the dent in the long range fuel tank was worth it.

The ford crossing outside of Eliot falls, a sturdy base, however deep enough for the water level to come up to the door handles. Fortunately the car is water proof! . A Land Cruiser wasn't as fortunate, they will be drying carpet out for some time!

Job done.... back in Cains for a wash....check out the replacement number plate.

Up to the top....part five.

Fruitbat falls

Dinner at Loyalty beach.

 Thursday Island.

Green Hill Fort, Thursday Island, used as a signals and wireless station during WW2. It was built as part of Australia's defence against a possible Russian invasion. It was reactivated during WW2. 

??? guess what this is???

Inside the fort.

 Across to Horn Island where we took the "In their steps tour." Incredible WW2 history. The photo above displays the remains of one of the trenches, we learnt that they were built with a great number of twists and turns so that if they were hit by a bomb the shrapnel wouldn't be able to travel the length of the trench, instead it would lodge itself into one of the corner walls.

The remains (wing) of one of the planes. We were told that to the right of the machine guns where ammo was meant to be stored, pilots often placed bottles of beer in them, so that they could return to base with cold beer for their mates....