Next stop on our trip was the capital of north Queensland,Townsville. After setting up in a caravan park south of town we had a drive along The Strand before Dad took us past Max and Julie's former house, and also to the free outdoor pool at Pioneer Park.

A trip into Tully, Australia's wettest town where in one year 7,900 mm of rain fell! We had a tour of the local sugar mill which exports all of it's production of raw sugar overseas. The mill powers itself from burning waste from the production process, and also sells other byproducts to farmers for fertilizer. A quick trip up the Tully River valley to view the white water rafting rapids and surrounding rainforest, then back to Mission Beach.

We start the day with a great cooked breakfast before boarding our hire boat (with powerful 6 hp motor) for the day to explore Dunk Island and the surrounding islands. It was fun to have a boat of our own to enjoy the beaches and snorkeling spots. The trip back was a bit choppy but we made it back to the mainland safely and enjoyed home made pizzas from the pizza oven at the caravan park for dinner.

Another early tour at Paronella Park to start the day - this time of the restored hydro power system which supplies all the power to the park with excess sold to the grid. The hydro system is powered from a diversion on the Mena Creek Falls. We then drove to Mission Beach where we hope to spy a cassowary or two.

A short trip south of Cairns to Innisfail where we find a quirky coffee shop and a Woolies to stock up on groceries. We then leave the Bruce Highway and travel along the "Canecutters Way" to Mena Creek, famous for Paronella Park. This 5 hectare site was developed in the 1930's by Spanish canecutter Jose Paronella to include hydro electricity, a Spanish castle featuring a 400 person capacity ballroom and magnificent gardens. Largely hand-built by Jose his dream ha...