31st August to 14th September 2012

31^st August 2012

We packed up yet again and moved on to South Mission Beach, we stayed at North Mission Beach once before in a very basic caravan park whereas this one is really nice. It is only a few minute walk to the lovely beach, although there are still signs of cyclone Yasi, with views of Dunk Island a few kilometres out to sea.

2^nd September 2012

We took a casual drive around the Mission beach area to check out the other bays, beaches and couple of lookouts.

4^th September 2012

We went to the visitor centre in Mission Beach and did some tropical fruit tasting with about 12 different tropical fruits and then drove out to Lacey Creek and took the 1.1 km rainforest walk which is different to other rainforest.   On the way home we had a cassowary cross the road ahead of us and slowed to a stop to photograph it but some idiot raced past us and frightened it off so Merry only got one shot.  We took Foxy for a stroll along the beach for a bit of exercise and freedom as she is allowed off the leash.

11^th September 2012

Rather amazing but we haven’t done anything of significance in the last week with just the odd beach walk and socialising with the neighbours.  There are at least half a dozen couples that congregate here every year for about 3 months as the majority of them are into boats and fishing, which is about all there is to do.  The objective being to fill a freezer each with fish before leaving, but when you consider the number of times they come back empty handed, and the cost of the fuel in the process it makes you wonder whether there is a financial gain.  We took Foxy for a walk along the beach today to the end of the Wongaling Beach and beyond, about 1.5km each way and watched skydives, with passengers, come in to land on the beach.  It looks like good fun but costs over $300 a shot so we won’t be doing that.

14^th September 2012

The dull showery weather has cleared so we took advantage of the opportunity to finally visit Josephine Falls.  We passed the turn-off to these falls on several occasions in our travels between Innisfail and Cairns but we were always doing something else or it was raining.  We passed it when Richard, Jack and Rory were with us which is a real shame as there is an excellent swimming hole at the bottom of the final drop with a wet, smooth rock to slide down into the pool. 

There are three viewing platforms on the gradient beside the falls with the lower one offering additional steps to the water’s edge for swimmers.  The middle and top platforms do not have the extra steps as you era not allowed to swim in the larger pool at the base of the main fall.   The outgoing water is through a narrow gap between boulders and therefore fast and rough.  Also you never know what may come down with the water, such as tree.  These falls are a three tier arrangement and very impressive to the point of jockeying for first place on our most beautiful list.