Henrietta Creek [above Innisfail] 26/09/12

 

We leave Cairns before 8:00am and travel the 60 klm to Innisfail, where we firstly visit a camping place for Tony to replace his Bunnings $6.00 camp chair with an up market OZTrail model.

Then onto the Information Office and are looked after by one of the best ever Information Office staff.  She really knows her stuff and provided a range of information on potential camping sites, both Cassowary coastal and rainforest/hinterland, as well as booking our Townsville accommodation via a special deals on “What If”..

We then find a great bakery for stocking up on bread..Dot & Michael buy bacon & cheese loaf  with the shop assistant’s suggestion to dip the bread in egg [like french toast] except this will be a bacon & egg flavour – the bread was very tasty  Tony decides we should have an early lunch….the pies, sandwiches and especially the cakes looked inviting and better still tasted great.

We decide on a hinterland rainforest camp site – Henrietta Creek some 40klm out of Innisfail.  On the way we stop and do a rainforest canopy walk (Mamu) up amongst the rainforest tree crowns. – we are up between 15 – 20 metres and finish off climbing the 37m tower ……this provided spectacular views of the rainforest and the valley with the winding South Johnstone River.  The walk took approximately 1 – 1.25 hours.    At the beginning and at the end of the walk we were met by attacking March Flies….little did we know a sign of things to come.

We arrived at Henrietta Creek, camping area, some 10klm further on,  and set up camp in an attractive & popular clearing not to far from the creek wandering through the rainforest.  Whilst setting up we continually were slapping at ourselves to kill or clear the attacking March Flies…we would be rich if we had 0.50c for everyone that we killed.  We walked to one set of waterfalls which were disappointing.  A later walk before dinner to another set of falls was cut short for Dot & Michael as they needed to set up their tent fly due to the threat of rain.  Tony & Jenny continued on but turned back before reaching the Falls.  Tony promises to do it by himself next morning.

We had a group of approx 14 German university students [ all met at university in NSW] in the camping ground.  Dot provided some education on starting the Gasmate Portable Cookers, without the need to use a match.  They had teams responsible for the evening meal preparation, the coffee making and the ultimate washing up of dishes.

Fortunately after dusk the March Flies became inactive.  As we had no fire to sit around, and to prevent an early bed – 7:45pm  Tony, Dot & Michael go for an evening stroll through the rainforest….did not see a thing…though could hear frogs and no doubt cane toads.

Overnight we have rain, so Michael & Dot have to packup a wet tent & fly whilst confronting the March Flies again.