When we manage to escape the cane area we enter the virgin rain forest at these latitudes.. A drive up to Josephine falls took us to the forest, and as we walked up the path to the falls the forest was solid all around us.
The falls themselves were deep in the forest, in the shadow of the highest mountain in Queensland, Bartle Frere. The forest is so dense at times it is difficult to see, so much so that it was impossible to get a very clear picture. This is an area of outstanding natural beauty, with such a mixture of flora that it is almost impossible to describe.
The falls themselves are very full at this time because of the recent rains, and the noise of the water tumbling down drowns out the other forest noises- even the screech of the cockatoos.
Betty had a minor problem with her electrics, it would appear we had a visit from a rat, probably while she was stored in Brisbane while we were away, so she has spent part of the day in the auto electricians for a look over.
Not too much damage fortunately, but we took advantage to have a few bulbs changed.
The following day we moved on towards Atherton, a small country town above Cairns on a plateau they call the Atherton Tablelands. On the way we visited a rainforest canopy walkway, in the heart of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. From the elevated walkway, which stretches for over 350 mtrs, we were able to see right down into the Johnston River Valley, and see the solid canopy of the forest from a height that would not normally be possible.
As we drove on we took in a number of waterfalls again, about five in all, this area has a lot of rivers coming down from the plateau, some very dramatically in places. One, the Mileaa Mileaa falls, was quite spectacular, falling some fifty feet over basalt that resembled the Devil's Causeway in Northern Ireland, into a lovely pool.Atherton? -we'll see. It was almost dark when we arrived- time to see it tomorrow.
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