Waterfall Circuit, Tablelands. FNQ.

Day off, up early and head towards Millaa Millaa.  First we pass Mt Bellenden Kerr at 1593m, the second highest mountain in Queensland.  Next we pass Mt. Bartle Frere at 1622m this is the highest mountain in Queensland. Both extremely pretty. 
First stop at Josephine Falls, which was extremely pretty and flowing with some force.  The water that feeds Josephine falls is from Mt Bartle Frere.

Mt Bartle Frere 1622m.

 

Josephine Falls. (top pool).

 

Steve at Josephine falls.

 

The power of the water.

 

Middle Pool, Josephine Falls. 

 

Me at Josephine Falls. (Middle pool). 

 

So pretty.

 

A log covered with Moss. Josephine Falls.

 

Josephine Falls, lower pool. 

 

A nice big spider.

 

Strangle vines.

 

Crawfords Lookout.

 

How pretty is that ?

 

The Bama.

 

Stunning topography.

 

 

The scenery is fantastic up here on the tablelands, everywhere you look.  Next we moved on to Mungalli Falls, which is a wilderness retreat. Here we had a delightful lunch!!

 

  

The top of Mungalli Falls.

 

The rush of water.

 

Disappears down there!!

 

Love this one, all the colours of the boulders.

 

Steve at the look out the top of Mungalli Falls.

 

 

We take a walk to the bottom of Mungalli Falls & on the way we see..........

 

 

Just a pretty fern.

 

I honestly have no idea, how Steve's spot things like this, as it was about 8ft up in a tree & just looked like a dead leaf!!!

 

A Spikey Leaf Stick Insect. (See its head & eye?).

 

Steve found something to play on!!

 

Steve fell of the wobble log!!! lol.

 

A glimpse of Mungalli Falls through the trees.

 

Not what we expected, amazing at the bottom of Mungalli Falls.

 

Me at Mungalli Falls.

 

Mungali Falls.

 

Mungalli Falls.

 

Steve enjoying the scenery.

 

Mungalli Falls.

 

The rock formation at the side of the waterfall.

 

Mungalli Falls.

 

Mungalli Falls.

 

The topography leaving Mungalli Falls.

 

Me out in the tablelands.

Extremely pretty.

Ellinjaa Falls.

 

Steve at Ellinjaa Falls. 

Steve at Ellinjaa Falls.

The top of Zillie Falls.

Zillie Falls.

Steve & I at the top of Zillie Falls.

Nearly at the bottom. 

Down the wet, muddy & slippery path. 

Me at the bottom of Zillie Falls.

Steve at the bottom of Zillie Falls.

 

A pretty Dragon Fly.

Down stream - Zillie Falls.

Zillie Falls.

A juvenile snake, it was on our path. Can you see his head? 

 

 

Next stop Millaa Millaa Falls (Millaa Millaa means plenty of water).

 

Steve at Millaa Millaa Falls.

Steve swimming to the falls.

Steve in very fresh water!!

Millaa Millaa Falls.

We found this statue in Millaa Millaa town centre, whilst looking for a coffee shop?

 

 

Malandra falls, a bit disappointing after all the other glorious falls we have seen today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life in the Tropics.

We went to the small village of Yungaburra, which is a heritage village. We took a walk around the village, checking out the old church & post office. We headed down to Peterson Creek where the (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) Platypus live. Now we had not seen these in the wild before (things don't count if its not in the wild), to our surprise and great delight within 1 minute of being at the creek, we saw our first Platypus!!! This amazing animal is semi-aquatic mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of only five mammal species that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young (monotremes). The platypus has a multi purpose tail, a furry waterproof coat, a soft bill for sensing and webbed feet with sharp claws. The male also has a toxic spur on the hind leg. Platypus feed on aquatic insects, crustaceans & worms. They lay their eggs in a nesting burrow on the creek bank.

Platypus was there!!!

 

Can you see the Platypus? We saw it!!!

 

Fresh Water Turtle.

 

Steve looking for wild life.

 

Peterson Creek.

 

 

Yungaburra Church.

 

Steve with the old boiler & coal shed.

(The boiler in the past used to power a coal-fired steam pump & was used to fill the water tanks of the steam locomotives at Yungaburra railway station).

 

 

Steve on Lloyd's suspension bridge.

 

 

Gillie's Range.

Gillie's range separates far north Queensland from the tablelands. This road is 19km long, with 263 sharp corners and has an elevation of 800 metres.  Named after William N Gillie's (a former premier of Queensland).

 

 

A bridal veil mushroom.

 

The biggest stick insect, we have ever seen. (I think it should be called a branch insect)!!

 

Steve playing with the stick insect!!

 

The old pylons from the jetty, Cairns board walk.

 

Steve on the board walk.

 

Me on the board walk.

 

                                                                   The topography.

Love the clouds in the hills.

 

Steve found more turtles.

 

Me on the turtles, made of bronze & engraved.

 

Looking across the mud flats to Cairns city.

 

The fish sculptures in the lagoon, Cairns.

 

Memorial park, Cairns.

 

Yorkey's Knob Marina.

 

Me at Yorkey's Knob Boat club.

 

Steve having a beer at the boat club.

 

Look at that black cloud.

 

A few hours at our pool.

 

Steve getting some rays.

 

Sunshine!!