Cairns Festival

The timing of this trip was perfect with the first week of the Cairns Festival in full swing. All sorts of stuff going on down at the Esplanade, live music, a float parade, fireworks, and steel band competition.

For the first time, I stayed in an Airbnb and had an enjoyable and comfortable stay. The main attraction was the location close to the Cairns Central Railway Station and shopping centre. A bedroom to myself and sharing the lounge, kitchen, and other facilities. Added benefits included the use of push bikes and pool etc. Dee and Pat were perfect hosts. Dee went out of her way to make my stay enjoyable. Actually, I know she does that for all her guests, she makes you feel very welcome.

Riding push bikes around Cairns is easy, as it's flat, and besides the many dedicated bike trails, the roads mostly have bike lanes.

Every weekend in Cairns Rusty's Market on Sheridan St is open. A very colorful and vibrant market with the usual trinkets and great food options.

The only way to do a 24h trip, very comfortable!

Music in the park.

Rusty's Market

Rusty's Market

Cairns and Kuranda

One train to another. This time it's the Kuranda tourist train and the Skyrail cableway. The Karunda tourist train is very interesting and the audio commentary along the way details points of interest and historical facts. The climb takes nearly two hours up the Macalister Range and through the Barron Gorge NP to the very touristy town of Kuranda.

The markets at Kuranda sell all sorts of stuff I don't need and there are lots of food options as well. A short walk to the Skyrail terminal and the cableway takes you back down again.

The cableway has two stops where it's possible to disembark and walk the tropical rain forest and viewing platforms overlooking the Barron Falls. Overall it's about 7km cruising the tree tops. For me, the details regarding the building of the cableway are far more interesting than the ride itself.

 

Tourist train on the way up.

Skyrail on the way down.

Cairns

Packing. Well, a different type of packing. Packing for a train trip from Brisbane to Cairns.

Only going to be away a week but not sure about what needs to go. It's not like packing an 8-ton motorhome where weight and space are not normally an issue.

Must admit I didn't give it a lot of thought when booking the tickets. As it stands, I will be traveling to Brisbane from Maroochydore via the train station at Nambour only to ride the train back via Nambour on the way to Cairns. I think the Spirit of Queensland would stop to pick me up in Nambour, well if I had booked it like that. Anyway will ask if they will drop me off at Nambour on the way back.

FNQ and Cairns are familiar, been there before. The first time was back in the 80s, and later in my motorhome adventures in the last couple of years. But this time I'm staying in an Airbnb right in the middle of town and I will be able to explore the CBD and not have to worry about where my MH is parked or if it's safe or getting a parking ticket. (There are all sorts of parking restrictions for large, long, heavy vehicles, commercial or not). My Airbnb host has a push-bike available for me and I have places and things planned that I want to see and do, but more of that later.

In the meantime: Anticipation running high!

Tin Can Bay - Widgee - Kinbombi Falls

Well, Ross Creek Store, a free camp, for one night before going on to TCB.

Tin Can Bay is on my list of fav-go-to places it's a quiet and picturesque little community good for bike riding and walking about, a great place to just drop out for a bit and veg out. The essentials are here by way of clubs, a pub, and IGA. The fishing is good and the Yacht Club does meals with a great view. Dolphins come for a feed each morning attracting mostly overseas tourist.

Back from the coast on the inland side of Gympie is the very small town of Widgee with a general store that sells most of the essentials you might need. If you want power you can stop across the road at the showgrounds for a fee. But just out of town is the Marg McIntosh Park, a nice free spot to stop for the night. Just me and one other vehicle that night.

Heading west, about 30km as the crow flies is Kinbombi Falls another fairly quiet free camp with some great walks. Well if you don't have a problem with stairs that is. My shots didn't measure up but there are lots of photos on Google.

Cotton Tree - Kandanga

Been back a couple of weeks and have used the time to make a few changes to the storage bins in the MH. Also completed some scheduled maintenance. All done and good for a few more kms.

Just sitting around waiting for something to happen can be tedious! Always good to have a plan or at least something out on the horizon. Have scheduled a trip at the end of the month but am looking about for a destination, a short trip for a week or so, to take me through to that new adventure. So for now, traveling north for a bit of clear air and road time.

Stopped off for the first night at Kandanga, to break the trip up, and found the pub had just opened two weeks ago. Back in December 2015, the pub burnt down and since has been operating (only just) out of a shed on the block next door. It was impressive to see the place jumping with people everywhere, most dining. Talking with the publican he tells me at the official opening they had over a thousand people through the place and since have been flat out.

Always good to see small communities recover from disaster and in this case come back even stronger.

The design is not dissimilar to the original pub, nice. Note: lots less flammable material this time.