Yungaburra and Magnetic Island
Door: Timo van Pelt
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Timo
16 Februari 2013 | Australië, Townsville
After being returned to Cairns I immediately planned my trip to the Artherton tablelands, my main destination is Yungaburra, a quaint little town know for its platypus spotting.
I arrived at a very smal cosy hostel named "on the wallaby" and put my tent up and called it home for the next 5 nights.
My first mission was seeing a platypus and directly the first day at dusk I did my walk past peterson creek to spot my share. Unfortunately the only thing I ended up with we're some nice sunset pictures. So I decided to get up at 5:30 next morning to spot them at dawn. It was quite early and after a while I spotted one and I was completely mesmerised by that creature. Even though I knew it was small I was surprised how small it was, it was not longer than a normal school ruler.
Later that day I decided to rent a bike and go for a ride. I took the long hard route, about 25 km through hilly and windy roads and I really got an idea of how the tablelands look like. I saw the curtain fig tree and the nice lake Eachem.
After my return I walked back to the creek to spot 3 platypus. This time I did get some nice pictures of the creature.
A couple of days later I was invited to go for a canoe trip in lake Tinaroo. We even spotted a tree kangaroo, which is very rare.
It actually looks quite like a monkey.
On my last day in the tablelands I did the waterfall tour. We went to milla milla falls (the waterfalls where the old herbal essences commercial is recorded) and to some other ones as well. At the end of the day I arrived in Cairns again and went to magnetic island soon after.
Magnetic island, an island close to Townsville, is a small island known for its healthy koala population and other nice animals.
I stayed at bungalow bay koala village and camped there for 3 nights.
It was a nice place and they have their own little zoo there.
On my first morning I subscribed myself for the champagne breakfast with a tour afterwards. I had a very nice breakfast with pancakes, French toast, bacon, lamb and fish and I skipped the champagne. The reason why this breakfast was so special as it was in the middle of the zoo with all the animals around you. We petted some crocs and snakes and enjoyed the animal company.
After the breakfast the tour was even more exciting. It started by holding a salt water crocodile, then kissing a red tailed black cockatoo, holding a massive python and then holding some lizards and turtles. It all was quite the experience.
The remaining time on the island I spent on doing some walks, chilling at the pool or beach and playing some games with the Olympic runner for Denmark, named Kristine.
On the last evening there was a very nice event at the hostel. We went coconut bowling. It was very nice and difficult, but I even made it to the finals.
The next morning however I had to go to Townsville to prepare my whitsundays trip.
I arrived at a very smal cosy hostel named "on the wallaby" and put my tent up and called it home for the next 5 nights.
My first mission was seeing a platypus and directly the first day at dusk I did my walk past peterson creek to spot my share. Unfortunately the only thing I ended up with we're some nice sunset pictures. So I decided to get up at 5:30 next morning to spot them at dawn. It was quite early and after a while I spotted one and I was completely mesmerised by that creature. Even though I knew it was small I was surprised how small it was, it was not longer than a normal school ruler.
Later that day I decided to rent a bike and go for a ride. I took the long hard route, about 25 km through hilly and windy roads and I really got an idea of how the tablelands look like. I saw the curtain fig tree and the nice lake Eachem.
After my return I walked back to the creek to spot 3 platypus. This time I did get some nice pictures of the creature.
A couple of days later I was invited to go for a canoe trip in lake Tinaroo. We even spotted a tree kangaroo, which is very rare.
It actually looks quite like a monkey.
On my last day in the tablelands I did the waterfall tour. We went to milla milla falls (the waterfalls where the old herbal essences commercial is recorded) and to some other ones as well. At the end of the day I arrived in Cairns again and went to magnetic island soon after.
Magnetic island, an island close to Townsville, is a small island known for its healthy koala population and other nice animals.
I stayed at bungalow bay koala village and camped there for 3 nights.
It was a nice place and they have their own little zoo there.
On my first morning I subscribed myself for the champagne breakfast with a tour afterwards. I had a very nice breakfast with pancakes, French toast, bacon, lamb and fish and I skipped the champagne. The reason why this breakfast was so special as it was in the middle of the zoo with all the animals around you. We petted some crocs and snakes and enjoyed the animal company.
After the breakfast the tour was even more exciting. It started by holding a salt water crocodile, then kissing a red tailed black cockatoo, holding a massive python and then holding some lizards and turtles. It all was quite the experience.
The remaining time on the island I spent on doing some walks, chilling at the pool or beach and playing some games with the Olympic runner for Denmark, named Kristine.
On the last evening there was a very nice event at the hostel. We went coconut bowling. It was very nice and difficult, but I even made it to the finals.
The next morning however I had to go to Townsville to prepare my whitsundays trip.
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16 Februari 2013 - 09:59
Vincent:
Hoi Timo,
Er komt geen einde aan jouw ervaringen. Wat maak je toch een hoop leuke dingen mee. Deze keer heb ik wel een woordenboek nodig: platypus voor vogelbekdier en whitsunday. Maar met dat laatste zit jij er toch een paar dagen naast? Volgens de concise Oxford dictiononary betekent dat namelijk de zevende zondag na Pasen!
kus, papa -
16 Februari 2013 - 10:08
Vincent:
net nog even gegoogled op de satelliet en streetview. Je zit wel op erg leuke plekjes!
papa
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17 Februari 2013 - 09:57
Irma:
en wederom wat wel heel erg jammer is zijn de reacties weer alleen van je vader en mij wat een leuke trip maak je toch en zie je bijzondere dingen ;-)
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17 Februari 2013 - 14:34
Kees Corbet:
Beste Timo
Je lijkt geen genoeg te krijgen van mooie ervaringen. Jorinde en Sander zitten nu ongeveer 2 weken in Nieuw Zeeland en waren Australie een beetje zat op het laatst. Maar misschien heb je juist een mooiere route gekozen door even naarNZ te wippen en dan weer van Aussie te genieten.
Het blijven voor ons herkenbare verhalen, juist doordat Jorinde ook aan de oostkust zo lang is geweest. Ik krijg wel de indruk dat NZ door zijn bergen en sneeuw meer indruk maakt....
Ik wens je namens ons nog een mooie voortzetting van je reis en hoop dat je angstige avontuur uit NZ je bespaart blijft.
Hartelijke groeten vanuit een nu zonnig Rotterdam
Kees Corbet -
28 Februari 2013 - 10:15
Daphne:
weet je nog de tijd toen we jou een vogelbekdier noemde?
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