Cape Trib camping

As the Wet comes to an end, we jumped into the campervan and headed up to beautiful Cape Tribulation, 2 hours north of Cairns. After riding the newly relicenced ferry, we dropped into the Rainforest Discovery centre.

 Very well done paths and walkways allowed us to wander through wonderful forest and creeks.

Outside the office were stick insects, some snakes, including a green python called Lilly, plus two colourful eclectus parrots.

The stars of the show are replica, moving dinosaurs, suitably camouflaged in the undergrowth to bare their fangs and wiggle their tails. The Thunderbird is a hoot.

For the night, we stayed at Cape Trib Camping, a little jewel of a lodge with delicious wood fired pizzas cooked in the clay oven, happy hours and get together BBQs.

We camped in a leafy nook in the coastal forest. Surrounded by tropical palms with a path leading past fallen coconuts to the beach, we blended in with the dappled sunlight.

Animal companions soon appeared in the shape of orange footed scrubfowls and bush turkeys, all big scratchers of the leaf litter. Playing our scrubfowl bird app had an electric effect when the male scrubfowl engaged sixth gear and suddenly shot around like a rocket.

Meanwhile, a large monitor played hide and seek with Gen.

Up at dawn, we scanned the low clouds for the hint of sunrise peeping from the horizon.

We went for a walk along the beach, wild and wide, stretching for miles to the Cape.

Lots of bubbler crab sand patterns, like mini maps of the world, lined the water's edge as the tide
receded.

We continued into the mangroves and to the creek where we saw no sign of the resident croc, but that's when you know there is a dark shape somewhere just waiting patiently for you to dip your toe in the refreshing water!

Clipclopping through the forest came a string of horses heading out to the beach and into the sea for a splash. One rolled for a refreshing bath in the sea much to the consternation of the rider.

We lazed all next day in our forest nook, preparing routes and ideas for the upcoming trip with the 4wd to Cape York. Leaving for a leisurely drive home, we dropped into a tropical fruit farm for a delicious wattleseed, soursop, banana cup and raspberry lolly; plus a walk round all the exotic fruit trees.

On the way back, we stopped at scenic Cow Bay where a saltie was spotted the month before.

To cap the day, just as we were trundling back towards the ferry, we were delighted to see a wild, Dad Cassowary pass right across the road in front of us with his chick (not the pic).



Once home, there was another great surprise when we found a sunbird pair had nested in the front garden with their carefully woven, pendulous nest swaying gracefully ready for incubation. Gen has given strict instructions that the garden mowing is to be put on hold until the young ones fledge.