Like reverse-engineering origami

This part of our trip has been characterised by a day-on-day reimagining of our trajectory. We’ll have a plan but it will inevitably not last more than a day or two as new ideas and directions take hold.

When we decided to head through the Misty Mountains, our plan was to loop around to Tully and from there follow the coast. It turned out that reliably unreliable Google was tricking us when it suggested you could get through that way inland – the roads come close, but don’t connect. So we veered inland to explore the Undara Volcanic National Park, planning to reach Townsville inland via Charters Towers. But after Undara, we were called back to the Palmerstone Highway and the coast, and that’s how I find myself now writing from Mission Beach – Dan in the hammock, me sprawled on a towel, both cowering from direct sunlight over the heat of the day.

But it’s all the stuff in between those changes of direction that really matters.

From South Johnstone campground in the Misty Mountains, we braved a section of the rambling Cardwell Track on our bikes before heading into the town of Ravenshoe. The visitor’s centre there is spectacular – brilliant displays about the local indigenous peoples, and the controversy around World Heritage listing the nearby forestry areas. For the afternoon, we visited the Tully Gorge lookout and waterfalls (we found one of the few flowing parts for a swim), Dan fell off his bike and grated his poor knee (it’s healing) and we visited (and stayed at) the stunning Little Millstream Falls.

The next day, after riding around Big Millstream Falls, we made tracks for Undara – a national park famous for its lava tubes – via a stop at Innot Hot Springs so Dan could have a(n almost unbearably hot) soak. The landscape changed to crispy dryness and unrelenting heat. After an ambitious ride around the treed Kalkani Crater, we spent the whole afternoon camped out at the bistro, grateful for shade and the occasional breeze. When the sun was lower in the sky, we explored the walking tracks by bike, and at night, marvelled at the outback stars.

The next morning, we embarked on the Undara Experience “Archways Explorer” tour. And finally I was told what a lava tube actually was! The Undara volcano was the kind that oozed lava slowly (as opposed to the stereotypical volcano explosions we think of). This lava would form rivers and make its way out over the landscape. The top layer would solidify, insulating the rest of the lava and allowing it to continue its journey. This had formed lava tubes – the solidified top over a gaping tube of cave. Some parts have caved in, creating beautiful places for semi-evergreen forest to inhabit, surrounded by dry savannah landscape. If you look up Undara on Google Maps through satellite view, you’ll see the stark pattern of green streaks showing lava tube (and collapses) which stretch for up to 160km.

While the size and expanse of the lava tubes was awe-inspiring, so too were the coloured patterns on the rock formed by calcium (white) and iron ore (burnt orange) leeching out of the basalt volcanic rock.

The next day, we decided to head back to the coast via the Tablelands (having worked out that it didn’t add much more time back to Townsville than the inland route). The benefits of this route was another visit to the wind farm (which I forgot to mention above. I have a child-like fascination with wind farms, perhaps induced by some politician saying he didn’t like the look of them), another dip at Millaa Millaa Falls, a visit to the Mungalli dairy for a creamy froyo and fluffy cheesecake, and spending more time in the rolling green hills with its clear-air views of the mountains.

We spent the afternoon at Etty Beach, where we were promised sightings of a cassowary. And, fortunately, it delivered. The bird was extraordinarily big, and seemed vaguely interested in my embroidery until it realised it wasn’t food. (He would have been more interested in the coconut Dan harvested, if he’d be around when we opened it.) We spent the evening riding the beach track at Kurramine Beach.

Yesterday, Saturday, we headed to Mission Beach, where one of Dan’s Townsville paragliding friends has a kayaking business. He kindly leant us a sea kayak and pointed out the surrounding islands we should explore. And so we did – bundling up a small collection of camping gear in dry bags, and setting off south. We were so blessed – the sun was lighting up the crystal clear sea in all its shades of teal, the wind (against us) was gentle, and the air was so clear that we had beautiful views of Mt Bowen on Hinchinbrook.

We by-passed Dunk Island, stopped for lunch at Timana Island, took a break at Bedarra Island and – exhausted, having done about 15kms – finally made it to Wheeler Island. We set up camp in a small, secluded corner, and did very little while we let our bodies rest. All these islands are stunning – covered in rainforests, lined with granite boulders and inviting beaches, and surrounded by reef. It’s such a special place.

This morning, we rose before dawn and saw the sun rise while we were on the water. The conditions were different – the water was chopping and waves would roll through, and it was overcast for the later morning. But it was still special to be out on the water, begging our weary muscles for a few more strokes.