The Jolly Green Highway
Trip Start
Nov 08, 2003
1
41
74
Trip End
Oct 22, 2004
Northern Queensland,
Australia
Monday, August 9, 2004
As we drove out of Isa the local radio newsreader spoke of how the Queensland government was going to spend $1m improving the Camooweal-Mount Isa road. It was going to need a lot more than that.
Under clear blue skies we winded west on highway 66 along narrow, potholed roads through the craggy Mount Godkin Ranges to the town of Cloncurry after which the road began to call itself the Flinders Highway and uncoiled itself into a bleak, straight artery dissecting the towns of Julia Creek and Richmond with their cowboy hat and very short shorts-wearing locals. This stretch of outback was famous for a couple of things: its numerous fossil finds and the birthplace of QANTAS which we've since found out stands for 'Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service', a sure-fire Who Wants To Be A Millionaire question if I've ever heard one
Moi on Mission Beach
.After 500km of roadkill-dodging we neared the town of Hughenden for our stopover and with the mercury topping 28 degrees we were glad to see our caravan park had a 33m swimming pool which we quickly jumped into. After two lengths I hauled myself out feeling dizzy and short of breath while the brunette knocked out the lengths. The Victoria Bitter stubbies are really taking their toll now.
We had a barbie-break that evening with a dinner of chicken fajitas to a soundtrack of screeching cockatiels.
9/6
Queensland's weather so far was saving its bacon with another scorcher of a day which glossed over the state's dusty towns, non-descript scenery and dirt-track roads. But things could only get better, and they did.
A relatively short trip of 400km led us to the coast once more after spending a good while inland, and after passing through Charters Towers, once the states' second-largest city, Highway 78 led us straight into Townsville, Queensland's current second-largest city with its own charming little slogan: "Nice today, perfect tomorrow"
My little hippy
. Cute. It could walk the walk as well though boasting an average 300 sunny days a year.After securing a spot at a local holiday park we drove into town for a tour through its streets before parking on the Strand, Townsville's nicely regenerated seafront promenade. It was the perfect seaside walkway as we ambled shoulder to shoulder with pram-pushing power walkers. Dotted around were little exercise areas and lining the beach were containers holding handy bottles of vinegar for your fish and chips, but on closer inspection we found out they were there to relieve jellyfish stings.
Halfway along we stopped off at a waterfront bar classily called Yotz for a couple of swift ones before heading back to base for a well-earned late afternoon relaxing after our three day trek from the red centre to the green edge. Safe to say, we barbied the warm night away.
10/6
The brunette was out by 8 jogging while I entered the final hour of my ten-hour sleep
Palm Cove Beach
.Our map book told the story of our drive north today. It showed a road clinging to the edge of dry land with a nice long green area to our left and the Coral Sea to our right containing a certain reef. The route was entitled 'The Great Green Way' which sounded interesting.
In retrospect it was 320km of the most noteworthy tarmac we'd driven in our nine weeks down under. Sure, the Great Ocean Road had its moments but you can't beat driving under a canopy of forest trees with the spectacle of a sunshine-enhanced cobalt sea studded with islands appearing regularly to our right. It was a real driver's drive and we were now regretting not bringing our string-backed gloves away with us.
We lunched roadside in the pleasant town of Cardwell with views out to Hinchinbrook Island, Australia's largest island national park with parts of it still remaining unexplored, and another half hour along the coast and we were taking a detour via Mission Beach. The loop-road warned us of endangered Cassowary birds, giant black monster birds that sport a red and yellow boney mohican on their heads and have a tendency to outstare you before ripping out your internal organs with a flying double-footed tackle
Sarsons I hope
. With our track record we were sure to bump into one, literally.Mission Beach had a real 'Thai' feel to the place complete with deserted beach, basic accommodation, cheap restaurants and unwashed backpackers. We could have stayed a day or so but being so far north and with three weeks before we were being evicted from the country we had to press on.
After the be-all and end-all of all scenic drives we pootled past Queensland's two highest mountains and endless fields of sugar cane and into the outskirts of Cairns. It was here that we'd check into the 5-star Coconut Resort Caravan Park, voted best in the country, and after being checked in by a whole bevy of brightly dressed receptionists we took a tour around a fun-packed tropical Butlins. It had the lot, swimming pools, TV room, video room, outside movie screen, supermarket, bistro, launderette and a whole magazine full of activities including the all-important 8am aquaerobics class. This action-packed agenda gave us a real fever for the nectar so it was straight to the bottle shop for a 24-pack of VBs then back to the park for a pool-side barbie.
11/6
Soph was out jogging at dawn once more while I lumbered in a slumber dreaming of dancing the rumba with Samantha Mumba who was wearing a little black number
Snazzy bog on the Great Green Way
.After we'd both had cold showers we ventured into tropical Cairns driving past well-kempt flowerbeds and exotic palm trees before arriving at a very modern marina. We were now deep in Great Barrier Reef country so we wasted no time in finding a rather swish looking boat terminal doing a great impression of an airport terminal.
We had done our homework and the organisation 'QuickSilver' had a good reputation so we immediately sidled up to the check-in counter and forked out $276 each (£116) for a trip out to the reef the following day. The boat would be leaving from Port Douglas, an hour further north, so after a whirlwind tour of Cairns and a quick chat in the car park with a Scouse ex-pat on the practical joys of the Ford Transit we made our way out of town along Highway 44.
We gave ourselves two scheduled diversions on the way with our first one being a meandering drive up a mountain to the 60's hippie-hangout of Kuranda. Sadly it's now a tourist Mecca with a four times a week arts and crafts market which ruined mine and the brunette's chance to re-live our years as Gauloise-smoking, beret-wearing beatniks in the sixties. Albeit for only two years.
Next stop along the coast was Palm Cove with its tacky villas, neo-Roman hotels and gold-medallioned thousandaires. Like Mission Bay it had an endless stretch of beach but that's where the similarities ended.
On arrival in Port Douglas we checked into the Glengarry Caravan Park for a couple of nights then made our way into town along a road lined with all the big lavish hotel brands and yet more palm trees. At the marina we could see QuickSilver was a massive concern owning most of the harbourfront shops, having the best placed moorings and walls dotted with pictures of Clinton and Kohl enjoying themselves on QuickSilver trips.
The harbour had a nice feel to it and the centre itself was even better. It had been quite a while since our last really lovely town which was way back in Western Australia so we were pleased to find Port Douglas had all the pre-requisites of a very nice little place with all the right shops, restaurants and bars. I bought a new haircut and Soph bought a new pair of trousers served by a Scottish girl who'd lived here for a year and loves it and who could blame her?
Tomorrow would be Great Barrier Reef Day.
We couldn't wait . . .
Slumba & Mumba
xx
