Clare writes: No, that's NOT me in the picture - these waters are scary places - we've seen big scary warning signs about box jellyfish and salt-water crocs all dow the coast - but now there are sharks too! And it looks so inviting!! We had a little diversion inland to Lake Maraboon where we helped land some red-claw (it's a crayfish, not a disease) and the gemfield country where Sheila fossicked for sapphires for about ten minutes. But now we're back on the Bru...

1 FebruarySarina:Clare writesOK. There's been a slight change of plan. Cyclone Ellie knocked our sailing trip into a cocked hat... not only that, but we heard that Airlee Beach was about to be cut off by flood water so we legged it south!! We must have been amongst the last to get away - swollen creeks churning inches below bridges, inundated fields as far as the eye could see, the waters of which were beginning to lap at the edge of the road. It was a scary driv...

2 FebruaryRockhamptonClare writes:Hurray! It barely rained today! But the cyclone hit Mission Beach where we stayed last week, and has cut off Ingham, where we also spent a night. Looks like we've had a lucky escape! All roads in and out of Airlee Beach are flooded now and Mackay has plenty of closed roads too. Well, we finally saw a cassowary today - and it was rather dissappointing! Ever since we've been in northern Queensland there have been roadsigns warning ...

Clare writes: If anyone tries to tell you that Queensland is 'the Sunshine State' - take them outside and piss on them! The season is WET and the van is leaking and the company we rented from - Travellors Autobarn (who were so good in WA) - aren't really bothered. We spent a night in Flametree campsite - a lovely patch of rainforest that turned into a quagmire overnight - mopping and worrying, worrying and mopping. The town is lovely - the water is pale aqua eve...

Clare writes: We didn't stay in Tully long - not overnight or anything, but it deserves a mention. They call Queensland the SUnshine State, but Tully (a day's drive from Cairns) holds the record for the most rain in a year in Australia. The year was 1950 when they had a very respectable 7.9 METRES of rain. There's a giant gumboot at the entrance to the town to honour the fact - pictures will be up here eventually. We knew this was the wet season, but no-one real...