Sconquest.

Daintree Rainforest, Qld. Among the Ancient Rainforest & the Crocodiles ****4stars

Posted on July 10, 2011 by Sconquest

Another early start today. Travelling further north with Down Under Tours with a small group 4WD Cape Tribulation Tour including Mosman Gorge, Daintree and the Bloomfield Track. Here’s a map and the itinerary:

Mossman Gorge
Daintree River Cruise
Jindalba Boardwalk
Alexandra Lookout
Tropical Lunch, Noah Valley
Bloomfield Track
Stingray Bay & Cowie Beach
Cape Tribulation & Kulki Lookout
Daintree Ice Cream Company
Daintree Ferry

Headed straight for Mossman Gorge and we’re ahead of the crowds. 8am. It was raining, misty and overcast but still a lovely spot. A short walk brings you to a Lookout platform by the Mossman river and the swing bridge over Rex Creek where there’s also a longer 2.7km circuit through the rainforest. Here’s a map. Soon the tours won’t stop here because the new visitors centre will be limiting access to their shuttle bus only.

After morning tea at Daintree Village it was time for our Daintree River Cruise. Rather overcast still, so the crocodiles weren’t out and about.We only saw a tiny baby croc and a lot of logodiles (logs not crocs) so we were able to enjoy the cruise among the mangroves, lookout for birds and listen to the river. I didn’t mind at all. With precision timing our boat met our bus when the Ferry reached the other side of the river and we were off again.

Now it’s time to explore the Daintree Rainforest. Our next stop was the Jindalba boardwalk which was rather nice in the rain followed by a tasty barbeque lunch at Noah’s Valley. A brief walk by the river led us to a shelter in the forest where lunch was all ready and waiting for us, once again. The small Bloomfield Track group had the green bus and the larger group the monster bus.

Moving right along now up the 4WD road to Cooktown. We are only going as far as Stingray Bay & Cowie Beach with the solitary mangroves by the beach. At Cape Tribulation it still feels like crocodile country as we make our way from the beach, past the mangroves and up to Kulki lookout with it’s wonderful views across the bay. I wonder if this is how it looked to Captain Cook over 200 years ago, where the rainforest meets the sea.

From here we turn south again for the trip back the same way. Afternoon tea is at the Daintree Ice Cream Company where we get to sample some of their home grown ice cream. The Rasberry, Mango and Wattle Seed were all rather yummy!

Rather a long and tiring day and we weren’t even driving! The friendly driver was informative, helpful and professional the whole time. By staying at Port Douglas you save an hour each way off the trip and don’t have to pay extra to be picked up from Cairns. Now there’s a similar tour without the Bloomfield Track or the same but rather expensive Cape Tribulation Wilderness Safari Tour. Billy Tea Safaris also has a similar tour but it doesn’t stop at Mossman Gorge. Here’s more maps from the Queensland National Parks site too.

Looks like I won’t have time for the Paronella Park and Waterfalls Tour before I leave Cairns. A pity, as they have lunch in a gazebo right on top of Mungalli Falls. Tomorrow its time to head south aboard the Sunlander Train, and perhaps I’ll even find some scones too!

Posted in Cairns-Port Douglas, Maps, Queensland, Tour | Tagged 4wd, bloomfield, boardwalk, Cairns, cape tribulation, cowie beach, daintree, ice cream, jindalba, kulki, mossman gorge, noah valley, paronella, port douglas, rainforest, river, track | Leave a comment

Cairns-Kuranda Scenic Railway, Qld. A Marvellous Ride ****4stars

Posted on July 5, 2011 by Sconquest

Bygone Train Trips and Stony Creek Falls

Took the Kuranda Scenic Railway for a wonderful ride on the old bench seats in the vintage carriages, plenty of room today! Found yet another Rail Australia site which informs us

Route: Cairns – Kuranda
Duration: 90 minutes
Distance: 34 kilometres
To Kuranda: 8.30 & 9.30am
From Kuranda: 2.00 & 3.30pm.
Special needs: Wheelchair access, Dietary needs

The original Kuranda Scenic Railway is a spectacular journey comprising unsurpassed views of World Heritage Listed rainforest, steep ravines and picturesque waterfalls within the Barron Gorge National Park.

Constructed between 1882 and 1891 it is considered an engineering feat of tremendous magnitude. Hundreds of men were employed to build the 15 hand-made tunnels and 37 bridges that stand as a monument to the pioneers of tropical North Queensland.

Full Steam Ahead! Well, it’s actually a diesel locomotive with carriages built in Ipswich, Qld in 1909-10. Here’s a map of the route. Down the Barron Gorge and we’re soon at Barron Falls Station where we all stop and take photos of the 265m Falls which must be spectacular and scary when it’s in flood.

It’s terrific to have real windows where you can see the view, feel the breeze, smell the engine and take lots of photos, especially as the train takes a bend. At Stony Creek there’s the famous trestle bridge and waterfall but the train doesn’t stop so it’s rather difficult to get a photo of them both together. In 1891, when the railway was completed, the governor had a marquee set up on the tracks to celebrate. Here’s an 1892 News article, a old photo of the bridge being tested in 1890 with the falls behind it, and an article.

Such an enjoyable ride and just glorious on a beautiful sunny day!

On 25 June 2011, there was a special train to commemorate the first passenger journey on the line 120 years ago. There’s quite a few old photos including the one below on the Kuranda Scenic Railway website.

Posted in Attractions, Cairns-Port Douglas, Queensland, Train Trips, Waterfalls | Tagged bridge, Cairns, falls, Kuranda, queensland, Railway, Scenic, stony creek, train, Vintage | Leave a comment

Kuranda Skyway, Qld. Skyway Rainforest Cableway. Amazing!****4 stars

Posted on July 3, 2011 by Sconquest

Riding High Above Barron Falls.

Just North of Cairns is the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway which is something different, even if you’ve been on Gondola rides before. The Cableway is 7.5km long and is divided into 3 seperate sections and can be traversed from Cairns to Kuranda or vice versa The First (or last) section travels the 2.7km up the mountain in about 10 minutes to Red Peak Station where there is a short Rainforest Walk. From here its 3.1km across the valley to the Barron Falls Station. What a fantastic way to see the Falls, from above. If your lucky, the vintage train may also be perched on top of the gorge so that passengers can see the Falls from the other side. There’s walks and lookouts here before embarking on the third section to Kuranda which goes by the falls and crosses the river and travels the 1.7km to Kuranda. It would be amazing to see the falls in the rain but I don’t know how it would feel in the cablecars. Today it was bright and sunny, picture perfect.

At Kuranda, there’s plenty of shops and markets to fill in the time before the return journey so I headed straight for the Queen Bee Cafe which the brochures recommended for Devonshire Tea. I was disappointed as they were rather chewy so I headed off on the rainforest and river walk which finished at the Railway Station. Little did I know that there were Kuranda Tea Rooms on the station, and their scones were reputedly light fluffy & very well presented too, probably 4 stars!! What a pity it wasn’t mentioned anywhere. Humph!

Posted in Attractions, Bushwalk, Cairns-Port Douglas, Queensland, Scones | Tagged Barron Falls, Cableway, Cairns, Gorge, Kuranda, scenic railway, skyway, tea rooms | Leave a comment

Port Douglas, Qld. Snorkelling with Wavelength on the Great Barrier Reef. A Must! ****4 stars.

Posted on July 2, 2011 by Sconquest

GET IN & GET WET! JUST SUPERB!

7am. Hardly had time to catch my breath before it was time to get the bus from Cairns to Port Douglas for my snorkelling adventure with Wavelength. A little anxious about being out of my depth and how I’d fare on the boat. I’ve learnt to take travel sickness tablets and they helped alot. The sea was quite calm with only a slight breeze so that suited me fine, even if it was overcast & threatening to storm later.

Wavelength is a small family company who specialise in snorkelling and take a maximum of 30 people. I was relieved it was a decent sized boat, not too small or too large and quite spacious. The crew were exceptionally friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. First thing was sea sickness tablets for anyone who wanted them. Two of the crew were marine bioligists who helped us with our equipment, gave an informative talk and guided us around the reef. Very reassuring for us Nervous Nellies.

The Great Barrier Reef is 90 minutes off the coast by boat. The Mountains behind Port Douglas slowly got smaller and smaller as we got further out and past the Low Isles. See map below.We visited three different snorkel sites, including Turtle Bay off the Tongue Reef, and had plenty of time to get our (webbed) feet. The crew shared their expertise with us while taking great care not to damage the reef. They allowed for whatever skill level you were (or weren’t), but having a pool noodle was great for confidence or just resting on while you looked at the fish, coral, turtle, reef shark or clams.

Cupcakes for morning tea and lunch was a simple salad, fruit, meat and bread which were much appreciated. After afternoon tea, everyone was a bit tired, and happy to take it easy as we headed back to Port Douglas. One of the Marine Biologists took photos of us on the boat, kitted up and in the water, as well as the fish and coral. It cost extra but meant not having to bother taking underwater shots. The images were fine and memorable and also included some of their favourite shots as an extra.

Although the cost was a bit of a shock to the pocket, I still highly recommend it. I snorkelled at Airlie Beach and it was much cheaper but rather disappointing and just no comparison. Better to pay more, do it right and have a good, fun and safe time that you’ll remember forever and with very nice, thoughtful people. I’d go again, even soon……

Posted in Attractions, Queensland | Tagged coral, fish, Great Barrier Reef, map, queensland, shark, snorkelling, wavelength | Leave a comment

Cairns-Brisbane with Queensland Rail. 1691km in 24-31 hours?

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Sconquest

Now where’s a map & my Tevas?

Off to Northern Queensland so I need a map & my favourite Teva sandals. No idea where or whether I will find scones here, but it’s all part of the adventure and there is a special waterfall to visit. Flew up to Cairns with Virgin and was very surprised to find they use Madame Flavour teabags. Well done, the Black Tea goes well with Mainland Cheese and crackers or there’s also Green Tea with Pear and Jasmine. Never been to the Barrier Reef before, so it’s all new. Even though it was a bit painful, I managed to get all the Rail stopovers organised & booked with stops at Cairns, Townsville, Airlie Beach, Hervey Bay and the Gold Coast, but a stop in Brisbane or around Noosa, would have been nice too.

On the Queensland Rail website there is a map and a page with their Tropics & Great Barrier Reef Holidays which was used as a guide, although the order was reversed and we flew into Cairns first and then worked our way down the coast, which saved a lot of time and money. Here’s a simple rail map below, and another link for a more detailed map, which I eventually found and bought on Rail Journeys of Australia.

Posted in Queensland, Train Trips | Tagged Great Barrier Reef, madame flavour, queensland, rail, teva, virgin airlines | Leave a comment

Wentworth Falls, NSW. Great for a Family Picnic- Next Time.

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Sconquest

Food for Thought

If your looking for somewhere in the Blue Mountains to bring the family for a picnic, byo scones & thermos, then it’s here at Wentworth Falls. Here’s some info & a map.

The whole picnic area was recently updated & provides panoramic views of the falls and across the valley to Mt Solitary. It is a large picnic area with shelters and toilets and paved walkways to the closest lookouts which are now wheel chair or pram friendly. The best lookout to see the Falls is Prince’s Rock Lookout but it’s not paved and there are alot of steps. Good exercise, if your up to it. There’s plenty of other walks from here, whether you want to just walk to the upper falls or head down the steps and into the valley. Another map here. The Falls are 187 metres tall with 3 drops according to the world waterfall database and there’s more info about the Wentworth Falls here too.

With a storm still brewing we were reluctant to venture to the upper falls which is a great spot with large stepping stones across the top of the falls and the Weeping rock/waterfall. Otherwise, if it’s a fine day there’s the the Undercliff walk across to the Valley of the Waters and the Conservation Hut, or no end of steps down the cliff to the valley floor and back up again. Not today, as there’s always roadworks on the Great Western Hwy around Hazelbrook, Lawson & Wentworth Falls and it’s time to keep ahead of the storm and the traffic. Next time.

Posted in Blue Mountains, Bushwalk, Maps, New South Wales, Picnic, Waterfalls | Tagged blue mountains, lookout, picnic, weeping rock, wentworth falls | Leave a comment

Katoomba Falls, NSW. A Hidden Treasure.

Posted on June 5, 2011 by Sconquest

How Tall is a Tall Waterfall?

Start at the Katoomba Falls Kiosk & walk down a little way staying on top of the cliffs. Checked World of Waterfalls to find how tall Katoomba Falls is but it didn’t say. They were right though, that cloud & lack of rain can be a problem here. That’s why the really keen photographers are out in the pouring rain!

There’s a lookout out not far from the Katoomba Falls Kiosk but the best view of Katoomba Falls, the Three Sisters and the Scenic Skyway is from Vaniman’s Lookout on the Katoomba Falls Round Walk. Follow the signs or take a map. Wild Walks has the track info. Another website, World Waterfalls has the height as 244m and it’s classified as a 3 tiered. Serious stuff.

If you’ve been to Katoomba or the Falls then you’ll realise how tall Sutherland Falls in New Zealand is at 580m! See my last blog for details. World Waterfalls has Sutherland Falls in the top ten best waterfalls anywhere. It’s rated as the world’s 10th tallest on World of Waterfalls. It’s hard to get an idea of scale from the pictures.

NO SCONES TODAY, not even at Solitary Kiosk. There had been sleet the previous day and a storm was brewing so we Hi-tailed it down to Wentworth Falls instead and managed to get out to the Princes Rock Lookout ahead of the storm.

Posted in Blue Mountains, Waterfalls | Tagged blue mountains, falls, katoomba, kiosk, scenic skyway, three sisters, vanimans lookout, waterfalls, wild walks | Leave a comment

Sutherland Falls, New Zealand. A Marvellous Water Fall.

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Sconquest

Chasing Waterfalls

NEW Zealand’s tallest waterfall is Sutherland Falls, near Quinton Lodge on the Milford Track. If you want to enjoy this exhilarating waterfall be prepared to get wet from the spray, the power of the falls or just because your in New Zealand. After hiking for about 32km or 3 days from the start of the walk at Lake te Anau, there’s a climb up Mackinnon Pass & back down again to get to Quinton Lodge. Now, when your body is least inclined there’s another half an hour hike out to the falls & then back again, but it’s sensational. Tomorrow, there’s only another 20km to Sandfly point & the boat to Milford Sound. Amazing stuff !

According to World of Waterfalls Sutherland Falls is New Zealand’s ‘mightiest’ waterfall and plunges 580m in three distinct vertical leaps, and is one of the tallest waterfalls in the world. The blast as the water falls is certainly pwerful! We travelled with Ultimate Hikes & stayed in lodges but you can stay at the DOC huts which is cheaper but you have to carry everything.

There were scones at Te Anau where we started and I vaguely remember getting scones at Pompolona Lodge at the end of the second day but I may have just been dreaming after watching all the wonderful falls & cascades all around us!

Lookout for more waterfalls soon!

Posted in Bushwalk, New Zealand, Scones, Waterfalls | Tagged DOC, falls, lodge, mackinnon pass, milford sound, new zealand, pompolona, quinton, sunderland, sutherland, Te Anau, ultimate hikes, World of Waterfalls | Leave a comment

Sydney, NSW. In the Mood for a High Tea?

Posted on May 29, 2011 by Sconquest

Just happened upon HIGH TEA by chance & I had to buy it as it had so many yummy recipes. Other cookbooks I ‘ve had from the Australian Women’s Weekly have become institutions in our kitchen. Dymocks online has the paperback version for $32.95 but I preferred the hardback edition for the same price which I bought from their city store. Booktopia had it in hardcover and $5 cheaper but it didn’t make much difference after adding postage.

The chapter on scones includes basic scones with buttermilk, vanilla bean scones, date scones with whipped caramel butter, gingerbread scones with lemon glace icing and pumpkin parmesan scones which all look great! The photos are great motivation and the recipes don’t seem too daunting. There’s also chapters on sandwiches, pastries, morsels, little cakes and big cakes. Socialisation is an important component of our well being so High Tea must be good for us and a great excuse to get together. Even better, clubs such as Zonta have used them for fundraising.

A friend told me about a wedding they attend at the Gunner Barracks at Chowder Bay on Sydney Harbour. This looks exquisite. During the week the Traditional Afternoon Tea, which includes scones, costs $40.

While investigating High Teas I came across a couple of articles that might help with the decision making. In 2007, Australian Traveller reviewed seven places offering High tea, although they weren’t happy with them all..

HIGH TEAS TESTED
Wentworth Sofitel // www.sofitelsydney.com.au
Victoria Room // www.thevictoriaroom.com
Gunners’ Barracks & QVB // www.thetearoom.com.au
Guillaume at Sydney Opera House // www.sydneyoperahouse.com
Max Brenner // www.maxbrenner.com.au
The Stamford // www.stamford.com.au
The Observatory // www.observatoryhotel.com

Another article mentioned the High Tea at the Restaurant at the Art Gallery of NSW, daily from 2-4pm for $28.

For me, the Tea Room at the QVB would have to be the place to start as I nearly always start my excursions in Sydney from Town Hall. At the QVB, there’s also The Old Vienna Coffee House which is supposed to have the largest selection of cakes, strudels & Devonshire teas in the city. Such choices! I’ll keep you posted. In the time being here’s a great old picture of the QVB from the City of Sydney Archives.

Posted in Books, High Tea, Scones, Sydney | Tagged art gallery of nsw, australian womens weekly, AWW, booktopia, buttermilk, city of sydney archives, date, dymocks, gingerbread, gunner barracks, high tea, max brenner, pumpkin, qvb, sofitel, stamford, sydney, sydney opera house, the observatory, the tea room, vanilla, zonta | Leave a comment

Are Waffles simply Road-kill Scones?

Posted on May 28, 2011 by Sconquest

Funny, how many variations there are on what can be done with some flour, butter, milk & eggs. It’s surprising how many scone recipes have eggs and how many different ways they’re made. Quite often, I find myself ordering waffles or pancakes with strawberries & cream or ice-cream (or both!). I love that vanilla bean ice-cream, especially if there’s berry coulis or a wonderful chocolate sauce as well! When it’s warmer, perhaps I should visit New Zealand for some of their wonderful ice-cream. Our cows just aren’t the same.

Consider these pictures. Are they really very different except that the waffle is flat ?

Eitherway, they both taste great. The scones were from the Blue Mist cafe at Wentworth Falls & the waffle from the Lindt cafe in Sydney. Madelines at Leura does excellent waffles with strawberries & chocolate sauce. I couldn’t believe there wasn’t a photo so I’ll just have to go back, won’t I!

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment