Townsville - Mareeba Qld - Sept 22nd 2012

We stayed two nights at Fletcher's Creek, i would rate it as a good over nighter, some camps were semi permanent with vegie gardens and water tanks standing beside their Van's. I'm all for independently camping but some seem to just abuse the welcoming and almost claim land rights.

Fletchers Creek Camp

Fletchers Creek

In the last two days i have had to plug two of the Van's tires, the 1st was without success, it required 3 plugs but still kept leaking slowly so i changed it for one of the already plugged spares. The other was a slow leak and one plug fixed it but it made us make the decision to get some new tires when we can.

We had Internet reception at Fletcher's Creek but limited phone signal. Our Internet uses a modem that can utilise an external antenna and that was enough to give us the extra signal strength, so i was able to check the Net for tire retailers in Townsville. I sent off four emails to four different companies but only received a reply from one, Tyrepower. We decided to detour into Townsville to check with other retailers but in the end i only tried Bob Jane's and they were dearer than the quote we already had. I made the decision to phone Mareeba Tyrepower to see if they could match or beat the price given to us by Townsville TyrePower and they matched it. So with a three day wait and the weekend coming up we chose to order 6 Maxxis 700 from them as that was where we would be spending a week.

On the way up we called in and stayed at Toomulla Beach, we have been here previously but the 1st time for Kimbo and Ned. It was busier than we had seen it but we were fortunate to be able to claim a section that was reasonably private and there we stayed another two nights. I got the rod out and had a flick with some lures in the creek and caught one small Trevally, it was more than i saw anyone else get. Vickie and i went for a bike ride around the small village which was nice and the 1st time Vick has used the bike since leaving home in July.

With no hurry to get to Mareeba we thought we would call in at Babinda Boulders, another place Kimbo and Ned hadn't visited. This is a beautiful camp and one of my favourites for what it has to offer, limited sites beautiful rain forest setting with lots of birds though this time we did not see a Cassowary like last time. The free camp is just a couple of hundred metres away from the creek and swimming hole, the whole area is well maintained and very popular on the weekends. We were last here in October 2010 and though nothing had changed it was just as beautiful.

Camp Babinda Boulders

Babinda

Walk Trail

Babinda Boulders Oct 2010

The second day at Babinda it rained for most of the day which restricted us to sitting around under the awnings, watching the storm clouds rolling in from the distance and the surrounding hills covered in misty cloud was something i will never forget and Babinda will lure us back again one day.

Leaving Babinda it was head further North and then take the steep windy road up the Mountain to Mareeba, the more hills the Toyota comes across it seems to just pull harder and better, I certainly don't miss the F250 and so pleased we bought the 'UTE' when we did.

Few of the assorted campers at Mareeba

That's us bottom right

The place is very dry compared to when we were here last

Mareeba Rodeo Ground is to be home for a week while we attend Kuranda and Yungaburra Markets, the latter we did today and found to be a little larger than last visit. My Knife man was there and i bought another Schrade Collectible 'Old Timer' Heritage pocket Knife, these are no longer made under the original USA name having gone under many years ago and taken over by a Chinese Company but still using the Schrade name. So to collectors and those that know knifes the originals are the ones to hunt out.

The top knife is my latest, 

SCHRADE B801Heritage Bone Handle 1986 USA

SCHRADE H194 Heritage USA

SCHRADE Uncle Henry USA

Kimbo also found a bargain buying a folding 120w solar panel for $290 to replace the 90w he sold to a traveller at Mareeba. Vickie went in search of chopping boards and of course found one she liked, I think Ned just bought some fruit and vegies, very practical but where's the fun in that ....... :-)

Monday i get the tyres fitted to the Van and we will head to Ravenshoe, we have no real plans after that, Kimbo and Ned will be leaving us soon as they have been called back to Mackay for family duties.