It was time to hit the road again – and there were a few tight manoeuvres required to get the Titan and Pearl out of the caravan park – but all went well with no bumps or scratches!!

Gordie and Kerry went straight to Cairns to sort out Gordie’s phone while the rest of us continued on to GORDONvale for coffee…

The landscape consisted of flat farmland – mostly cane and bananas – with mountainous peaks like “the Pyramid” in the background.

Travelling on after the break we passed Mt Bartle Frere – the highest peak in QLD – and turned off for Josephine Falls at the base of the mountain.

A short 700m walk to the falls through lush rainforest with small creeks runnin through it and gorgeous bright blue butterflies got us to the falls. Josephine Falls were beautiful but parts are treacherous – over 14 people have lost their lives here and so parts are cordoned off with no swimming allowed.

The rocks were smooth and at times slippery – worn by the tumbling waters which originate high on Mt Bartle Frere and thus are quite cool in comparison to other waterfalls we have swum at.

Trev jumped in for a quick swim at the base of the falls which is the designated swimming hole which also has a “natural waterslide” entering it. Trev slid down the natural waterslide – sustaining a bump on the ischial tuberosity which was slightly painful!

We walked back to have lunch at the vans – Kerry and Gordon arrived so after lunch Trev and I walked back with them to the falls and we all had a swim in the clear refreshing waterhole at the base of the falls – Trev was not up for a second waterslide and Gordie with his track record of injury was forbidden to do the slide!!

Rose and Dave had chosen to continue on to Cardwell so we planned to meet them there. We left Josephine Falls and drove back to the highway toward Cardwell through more lush rainforest, farmland, canefields with the spectacular backdrop of the Great Dividing Range.

We arrived at Cardwell and checked in – the caravan park is right on the beach with a great view across to Hinchinbrook Island. There are resident salties (again!) so we were warned not to swim at the beach – sunset on the beach with the colours over Hinchinbrook and a full moon rising was a beautiful end to the day!

Trev’s bruised backside was increasingly uncomfortable so Branch had to inspect and provide some sympathy – it is not easy having to sit on only 1 cheek!!