Bicycle touring in Queensland

I flew from Melbourne to Cairns with my bicycle and hopefully all the gear I would need for the next two months of travelling. Strapped to the bike I had: two panniers on the front, two panniers on the back, a backpack strapped to the rear rack, and a handebar bag. I have to admit that I'm rather a fair weather cyclist, and to my disappointment it rained almost non stop for the first week and a half. Everything got extremely soggy, and I started wondering whether I was completely crazy. But the thought of 3 days of diving on the reef kept me going.....it was already booked and paid for, so there was no point in going home!!!!

Between Port Douglas and Cairns I visited Hartley's Creek Crocodile Farm. Luckily I didn't see any crocs in the wild (except when on a boat and looking for them on the Daintree river). This croc is called Charlie, and thankfully he was behind a fence!!!

From Port Douglas I cycled through the rain to Daintree. It was here I had my first experience with a bandicoot....two of them got into my tent and managed to wreck havoc by getting into my food. I guess they thought that it was a wonderful free lunch!! And I also learnt that bandicoots like bananas!

From Daintree I went on a day long tour to Cape Tribulation. The roads were very boggy, and I was pleased I hadn't attempted to ride there. Cape Tribulation is advertised as "where the rainforest meets the sea" and it is definately spectacular. Mangroves and pristine beaches abound here. Just remember the 'Rid' to deter those sand flies and mosquitoes!!

From Daintree I retraced some of my previous route and returned south as far as Mossman. From there it was up into the Atherton Tablelands. This meant 8 km riding up hill in the rain with my fully loaded bicycle.....this was not a pleasant feat!! But I made it, although I have to admit that I did quite a lot of walking.

I travelled through Mareeba where I showered with a green tree frog, granite gorge where I met Jack who cooked a fabulous meal in a camp oven, and on to Atherton. I visited an avacado plantaion at Tolga....all the fruits in Queensland are wonderful!!

From there is was through Herberton, Ravenshoe, Milla Milla via Millstream Falls, and then onto Malanda. At Malanda I met some people from the SES who were there training the locals. I ended up with my first and only role as an actor....I was a victom in a fake car accident. I had to be cut out of the car with the Jaws of Life, and it was certainly an interesting experience.

From there it was practically all downhill as I headed down from the tablelands back to Cairns. I was excited because in a couple of days I was going to spend 3 days on a boat, diving the Great Barrier Reef. Click here to view my pics of the reef. Back in Cairns I met a girl from Germany. We became friends, and I'm happy to say that we still keep in contact, and I have since visited her in Germany.

After the diving, the bicycle was again headed south, to Townsville. The bus was recruited for the long distances between major towns in this part of Queensland.

Doesn't look like I'll be swimming in the sea here!!

Here I am in Townsville. Suprisingly I met up with some people who came from Horsham, my home town in Victoria. They took this picture and gave it to my parents when they returned home!!

From Townsville it was back on the bus to Proserpine where I explored Airley Beach and Shute Harbour. I spent a day on the Gretel, the first Australian yacht to race in the America's Cup. She was also the first challenger of the Americas Cup to win one of the races from the Americans in 28 years.

Here I am at the helm of the Gretyl,
first Australian yacht to race in the America's Cup.
The sun is shining, the waters calm....what could be more perfect?

What happened? Rough seas, rain, URGH.
I'm definately a fair weather sailor!!

From the Whitsundays it was back on the bus to Rockhampton, which is on the line of the Tropic of Capricorn.

The bus came in handy for the long trip between Rockhampton and Bundaberg. I toured through the Bundaberg rum factory....well worth the pittance which was charged for the tour. It's wonderful how all the byproducts of the sugar cane can be used elsewhere!!

I rode from Bundaberg to Mooloolaba, which is on the Sunshine Coast near Brisbane. I spent a lovely (but very wet) 3 days at Noosa before meeting up with a friend at Mooloolaba who I hadn't seen for many many years. It was wonderful to see her again, and also meet her husband for the first time. My friend's brother gave me a lift the rest of the way to Brisbane and then I spent 24 hours on a bus to get home to Melbourne. I rode over 2000 km during the 2 months I was away!!