It's catch-up day, we have had a wonderful week here in Cooktown and surrounds. This has been such a sightseeing experience, today is the only day we haven't gone travelling. I'm so sorry, no photos as I haven't learnt how to include them. You need to send me a friend request on Face book 'Rosemary Lantz', because that is where I post photos.
One days trip took us south 65k to Bloomfield Falls, lots of interesting sights on the way and some not so....drove a long way into Trevethan Falls and then ran out of road so nothing doing there! Black Mountain was fascinating, they are mountains of hard black granite and there are many very strange tales about happenings there, people & animals disappearing, planes reporting disturbance as they fly over etc. there are flying foxes, snakes, caves, & the Aboriginal people are scared of it or have taboos in certain areas. It's very strange, worth looking up in Google. The small towns we went through were well kept and it's lovely to see the flowering bushes. Brian walked to the falls but I'm not game to try that type of walk/climb. I'm using a walking stick nowadays because of poor balance. These falls are the most significant we have visited this trip. We had a picnic lunch in the park at Rossville & every person from that village waved as they drove out to the main road.
Another trip was north, 70k to Elim, we first went into Isabella Falls, had to ford a shallow creek and then onward......well we gave up & turned around, got back to the creek and saw the signs .....the falls were just on the left of the Ford!! Definitely NOT Niagara 🤣🤣 & difficult to get a spot to see them & take photos, but we did. On then to an Aboriginal Community, Hopeville, a very nice small town, very tidy & most facilities. On to Elim beach with its colonial sands, Beautiful cliffs of bright colours and driving in to that area one could be excused for thinking they were in NZ with snow on the Southern Alps BUT, it was pure white sand among the green bushes. The sand is exported to Japan for glass making because it is 97% pure. You can not drive on the beach at Elim because it is sinking sand. Cars have been completely sunk there. There is a sign that it's $2,000 to be towed out ( if they can!) Brian walked out a little until he started sinking, took a photo and got out. There was one hermit living there and a number of derelicted corrugated iron shacks still with bits of furniture, bed, chars, tables. A bit further away was very basic camping ground with toilets & water (not one we would stay at) but it was where we had to pay $10 to go and see the coloured sand.
We have ticked of most of the sights, some we found most interesting. Mt Cook (green with NO SNOW). We can't drive up it, there is only a walking track & it's very steep. Grassy Hill and Lighthouse is spectacular, the sight where Captain Cook chartered his passage out of the Endeavour River where he was stuck for 45 days due to tides, damage and the unusual reefs that he could see. Its great to see the Endeavour River and it tributaries from so high up. We had been on a sunset cruise on the river, 2&1/2 hours of pleasure, good company, good commentary, a, lovely cheese platter.. the sunset over the water turned on a perfect display. We sailed among the Mangroves (not Mangoes!😞)
The water front with its displays, James Cook statue, Musical ship, the wharf with numerous fishing boast and cruise boats. So far we have only had 'Fish & Chips' once......I did say 'so far' it's on the menu for tomorrow night, our last night here. While we were waiting for the fish & chips to be cooked, we chatted to the couple who had just eaten theirs while at the tables on the veranda, they were Aboriginal from the Community where we had been. Their granddaughter is at the Uni in Melbourne studying Community Health & a grandson is in NZ, he went there for Bixing & is now in Christchurch. It was a most interest & delightful conversation. They are worth the trip to Cooktown. We have been out to Endeavour Falls, they are in a Caravan Park which is spectacular but there is 3k of awful corrugated unsealed road to get there. So glad we hadn't chosen to stay there even although it is perfection. Again the Falla were 'piddly' not Niagara, but the setting made up for it.
The Cooktown Historical Centre is worth every cent of the $5 entry and in reality it's worth a 2 day visit because it is full of history & ever so interesting. They are to be very highly congratulated.
The local IGA has everything and at prices to be expected but not bad really.
I know it's hard to believe, but I haven't looked through the shops, it's a small town really.
Monday we go north to Lara.
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