This was treated as a rest day after the gruelling hike yesterday, and we were keeping an eye on Karli for Val and Barry whilst they had a trip out. In the afternoon a storm drifted in and we experienced some very heavy rain for a while and then almost continuous light rain for several hours into the evening, along with some lightning. Not as bad as the south east of Queensland was getting but it was our first storm in a long time.
16th October 2011
The rain has cleared but it has remained overcast and cool so we headed out without Foxy again towards Ravenshoe to visit Hypipamee Crater and Dinner Falls which are fairly close together in the same National Park.
We took the path to the lookout over the Crater first and then onto the circuit track to the falls. We arrived at the falls and had to wait a while for someone else to finish their photos as the narrow track ended at a barrier, although this was in a poor state of disrepair, and only one person could view the falls at a time. After the guy had gone we took our photos from the barrier and then went round it to get closer with a more front-on view.
After this we started along the uphill track and found a second waterfall for more photos and then further up the track found a third, so Dinner Falls is a three course dinner, each course with a very different personality. With the rain that the area has experienced in the last few days the amount of water has probably made all of the falls look a lot better but we don’t have time to do them all again. As we were in the Ravenshoe area we drove south of the town to Millstream Falls which is the big brother of the Little Millstream Falls that we visited a short while ago. They are reputed to be the widest single drop falls in Australia, although Barry is prepared to dispute it.
From the lookout across the fall you can’t see the far part of it as it curves back on itself, but what we could see was enjoyable. We treated ourselves to a bought lunch for a change in Ravenshoe and then originally intended heading home in the expectation of more afternoon rain, but as this now didn’t look likely we took the long way round via Millaa Millaa and checked out Pepina Falls and Souita Falls.
The first of which falls down columns of Basalt rock is right beside the road with a short track down almost to the bottom. The second one required a 4km trip off a side road and then a walk along to 2 lookouts as this was a 2 stage fall with about 100 metres between them. The lookouts were positioned on the side of the falls, which didn’t offer a particularly good view but you have to take what is on offer. There was no safe way to attempt to improve on the views. Unfortunately at the first lookout area Merry managed to brush her leg against a leave of a Stinging Tree, just like Jack and Ric did in Finch Hatton Gorge, and is now suffering like they did, although not as badly as Jack. We then returned home the long way round via Malanda where we did the Tulip Oak Walk looking for tree kangaroos, unsuccessfully yet again, and then on to Atherton in order to pick up some shopping. 20th October 2011
Since our return home on the 16th it has rained almost permanently with both heavy falls and light showers and has created a new wettest October on record for Cairns including a record rainfall for a 24 hour period in October. Fortunately this has been at its worst in the coastal areas where some places have received over 450mm in the last four days. It hasn’t been that bad here, but has slowed us down with our activities. We had planned on leaving here tomorrow but as we intended driving to the coast and heading south, back towards Brisbane, we have decided to stay put for a bit longer until the weather on the coast improves.
21st October 2011
We have stayed for a few more days but as it was only drizzling this morning we drove back out to Karanda, about 80kms each way to have a look at Barron Falls after 4 days of very significant rain and were well rewarded for our effort.
The lake behind the dam wall has risen enough to flow over the wall and the fall into the gorge, and is now a grand spectacle. The vastness of the gorge is great in its own right even when there is very little water in the falls, but when it is in full flight it is awesome. We left home before 7.30pm and on arrival at the Barron Falls carpark there were only a few couples ahead of us that were on their way out, so by the time we got to the lookout we had it to ourselves. We also went down and along the railway station platform to get other views of the falls and the gorge, and then had to wait in the only bit of cover for a while for a shower to pass over. We then climbed the stairs to the lookout again for a final view before heading home. On the walk back to the carpark there was a huge increase in the number of people arriving for the view so we were glad we decided to get in early.
23rd October 2011
Having returned to Karanda for a look Barron Falls with more water passing over it we decided to use a load more fuel and look at some of the other falls plus make the effort to walk out Nandroya Falls. This turned out to be harder than expected as there is a fork half a km along the track that states 1.7km to the falls or a 3.2 circuit track which we interpreted to mean the complete circuit to be 3.2kms, so it didn’t really matter which way we went so we went left on the 1.7 track.
This took us firstly to Silver Falls which was a bonus to but we did have to cross the creek on wet stepping stones and then continued to Nandroya falls which are the best in the area with one long narrow drop to a pool that empties via a wide short drop to the river below. 
We elected to return by the other track which follows the river with more views of small falls and cascades but the foliage prevented clear photos of them. The track then turned to join the other creek from Silver Falls which we had to cross again at the base of another fall with no name but very similar to Silver Falls in appearance (another bonus).
It turned out that the 3.2kms circuit track meant 3.2kms in addition to the 1.7km track and should have read ‘alternate route 3.2kms’ so all together we actually hiked for 5.4kms, but it was well worth it in the final analysis. On the way back to Millaa Millaa we stopped at an un-named roadside waterfall (another bonus).
We then turned off on the Millaa Millaa waterfall circuit to revisit 3 falls, which all have relatively short walks to them, that we visited prior to the rain, and now after the rain with impressive results. The rain hasn’t actually ended yet but is only showers rather than continuous, but the cloud cover is causing a rise in humidity. 
Today has been a continuation of yesterdays waterfalls revisited story with a trip to Little Millstream and Millstream falls, and like the other falls yesterday, both have improved with more water. 
We had packed the makings of sandwiches for lunch but as we went through Ravenshoe we picked up some bread rolls from the bakery as we had been told by the publican in Einasleigh that they produce great rolls and pies. We only bought the rolls as we knew from a previous visit that the pies are made with mince rather than chunks of meat. The rolls did live up to expectations and were twice the size of a regular roll. Lunch was followed by 20kms trip further south of Ravenshoe to Innot Hot Springs which in all honesty was a total waste of fuel and time but we can now say we have been there and done it, and we did find an area of really hot water near the source and gradually cooling water as you move away. As you walk past the hot area you can feel the heat creating a sauna effect around it.
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