Tjapukai

On Tuesday night I got a tour bus out to the Kjapukai Aboriginal centre. Unfortunately it was me and

a bus load of Japanese tourists. Who didn't speak much if any English. (I got a lot more out of it than they could have given the language barrier but they definitely enjoyed themselves.) After a glass of sparkling wine, we all got our faces painted.

At the centre 

Close-up of the face-painting

We were given tap sticks and followed the aboriginal members down to the pond where we participated in a fire ceremony which consisted of chanting to bring the fire in, tapping the sticks and walking in a circle. When they lit the fire, one lit a spear in the fire and threw the spear into the sky as thanks. It must have ignited a gas pocket and fire shot into the sky. It was quite a surprise and really impressive. Then a man and woman, hunters, brought the fire back to the tribe in a canoe.

Putting the spear in the fire

 I took videos which I will try to upload when I have better internet.
After the ceremony, we had dinner which was nice but I was hoping for more bush tucker. But I did get a very nice glass of wine and the food was good so overall a good meal. As the only traveling alone, I got a single table just for me. In the centre of the room. The perils of traveling alone.

Table for one. :-(

Dinner was followed by a show where they told us stories and explained their meaning. They also got people onto the stage to demonstrate the fire making and later a bird dance, where 2 of the Japanese got very into it. The aboriginal dancers gave up trying to get them to follow and just carried out, letting them do their own thing.

Story of cutting down a tree to get honey

Showing the sticks used to make fire

Making fire

With our aboriginal hosts

It was a fun night. I am looking forward to learning more about the cultures soon. 

Wednesday I got the bus to Port Douglas. The apartment is very posh. After walking into town twice (the first time in the rain; when I got there I realised I had left my wallet at home; the second time in the sun but I had had enough walking by then), I went to the bottle shop and stocked up for the week. Well, part of it. The Yarra valley pinot noir was mostly gone that night - it was very nice - so I might have to replace it.

Kuranda

Tuesday I had intended to chill out on the beach during the day. However the weather forecast was not looking good so I booked a ticket on the Kuranda Scenic railway, which goes from Cairns train station to Kuranda. As it turned out the weather was beautiful but I was still really glad I went. The trip was lovely. Normally I would have come down on the Skyrail but it undergoes maintenance for 3 weeks every 20 years. And you can guess what they are doing now.

Kuranda Train

100 yr old cabins

I was really lucky as I had the carriage up pretty much to myself. (The railway is a lot less busy because the sky rail isn't running.) The carriages were the original carriages, 100-80 yrs old and very posh.

180 degree turn, to allow the train to gain speed.

The views from the railway were fantastic. The railway is 37km long, traveling to 328m above sea level, passes through the Barron Gorge National Park, and was built to move products from the gold rush. It was started in 1882, and has 15 tunnels and 37 bridges and numerous cutouts.

There are some great views over Cairns from the train. In the photo below the silvery patches are all the sugar cane fields, one of the main products of the region. The silver is a flower on the top of the cane which signals it is ready to harvest. (They are just waiting for all the rain to stop before starting.)

View of Cairns from the railway

Stoney Creek falls

On the bridge at Stoney creek falls

The commentary on the train was great, pointing out all the interesting parts and fun facts. The staff on the train were really good too, offering to take photos and pointing out anything we might have missed.

Enjoying the railway 

View over Cairns bay

 The train stops at Barron Falls for 10 mins before finishing the trip to Kuranda. The falls are quite impressive (and even more so in the wet season - apparently this is the dry season but it doesn't feel like it).

At the lookout of Barron falls

Barron Falls 

Close up

View down the platform

At Kuranda, there are lots of things to do but I was only there for half a day so decided to do the Butterfly house and some shopping. The butterfly farm was cool, though expensive (I got around it in about 15 mins).

After the farm I headed to the Heritage markets which was very cool. As usual I spent too much money. There was also an old plane wreck behind the markets.

Inside Geronimo, built 1942

 I also went to the mall markets and though they were very pretty, not much was open. So I just wondered around with a tuna sushi roll for a while.

Mall market 

Huge ants everywhere.

Hippie part

The town is quite hippie with lots of cool little shops. I found a great little cafe which sold GF crepes and cakes (I got a piece of lemon cake to take home and had it for breakfast on Wednesday - not very healthy but tasty!). I had also been recommended the Mango wine so found the shop for that. I tasted the sparkling and the liqueur and couldn't decide. So I got one of each. I am sure we can put away the sparking in Port Douglas!

The first part of the trip back wasn't as fun as I was stuck in a crowded carriage with screaming children. But at the Falls, they offered to move me (and some others) to a much quieter carriage where I got the whole booth to myself. Much nicer. 

Koalas, Kangaroos and Crocs

Monday I got the bus out to the Cairns Tropical zoo. It's quite a small place but lots of animals. Again the weather was rubbish but at least there were a few dry-ish patches today.
First I went to the pelican enclosure (it was right outside the welcome center) and fed the pelicans which means throwing them fishing and hoping they catch them.

Pelican

Feeding the Pelicans

There were also a lot of other birds which are all rescued and their wings have been clipped so they don't fly away.

Cockatoo

At the cafe there was a keeper with a male koala so I spent some time talking to her and getting some one-on-one time with the koala.

Saying hi to the cafe koala

And there were walkthrough wallaby and later a walk through Kangaroo enclosure. I brought some food for them and some were hungry but a lot were probably sick of the pellets by now.

Wallaby (with a tail itch)

Wallaby Joey 

Turtle threesome

The free flight display was cool though it started raining again so they had to cut it short. (The birds don't like the rain any more than we do.)

Wedge-tail eagle

 I ended up with a few people hiding in the undercover area of the kangaroo walkthrough.

Kangaroo

Emu
 

They also had a crocodile section which I didn't spend very long in as I was headed to the Hartley's Crocodile farm later.

Freshie

 A fresh water crocodile isn't really dangerous to people. They have narrower mouths and can't open them far enough to grab a person (though I am guessing a large one might try with a small kid).
I also spent some time hiding from the rain in the reptile house where I saw these cute guys.

Cuddling Komodo dragons

 And then more Koalas. (Honestly I have had enough koalas now!)

Sleeping Koala (shocking I know)

Mama cuddling her baby

One the move. Rare

After lunch my bus wasn't for another hour so I ended up over the road at the Outback Opal Mine. The tour was actually a short video which was a shame because I then ended up in the shops. And they had a sale on. I don't think I need to explain the outcome.

After spending a lot of money I got the bus to Hartley's Crocodile farm. If you have half a day free in Cairns, I highly recommend spending an afternoon here. It is great fun and really interesting.

A Saltie is a estuary crocodile and can live in salt water but they also live in fresh water. They live in estuaries and swim in the sea to get between the estuaries. These are the ones which will happily have you for lunch. They have a wider mouth (all the better to bite you with) and grow much bigger, up to 6m!

Saltie

Giving me the evil eye

Rainforest boardwalk along the croc lagoon

 They also have a kangaroo walkthrough with some really cute joeys.

Kangaroo joey

Interrupting his leaf eating

Part of the entry is a boat trip around the lagoon to see the crocs up close. The driver puts a stick out with some meat on and annoys the crocs until they start jumping for the food. I was amazed how far they could jump.                                              

Jumping for chicken

Surrounded

Fight

The sound of their jaws slamming shut when they bite is incredible. It is so loud. The pressure is enormous! They gave us the evil eye as we handed back to shore. They didn't get any of the chicken so I imagine they were a bit annoyed. 

Immediately after the lagoon trip, there was a Croc attack demonstration which was basically a mad Aussie trying to get a croc to attack him. And succeeding quite well. The crocodile, called Hagrid,  was apparently a little more cheeky and spritely than normal. He kept trying to cut the guy off from his exits and stirring up the water and hiding for sneak attacks. There were a few close calls and very speedy retreats.

Waiting for the croc to be distracted

Legging it 

Teasing Hagrid with chicken

Jumping for it.

The presenter was very good, funny and informative. Though I do believe quite insane. He hand fed a croc. A couple of times. That should say it all.

Hand feeding the crocodile i.e insane

They had a rope with some cow hide on it to tease the croc. He caught it and tried to kill it with a crocodile (or death) roll.

Demonstrating a crocodile roll

 Getting it back however was more tricker. They have to lift their heads above water to open their mouths and eat it (or their lungs fill with water). The idea was when he did open his mouth, to whip it out with, as the presenter put it, his "ninja-like reflexes". It took a while!

Trying (unsuccessfully) to get the bait back.

 The presenters talked about the ways to get a saltie to release you if he catches you. Some say gouge its eyes, but the eyes have a protective muscle so often than doesn't work. Also you could reach into the throat and grab the tongue to force the throat open and lungs to fill with water, and it will release you. But this sounds like a very bad plan. And not sure how you would get your arm into the throat if it had a hold of you. Basically the conclusion was you die. No way out. So stay out of the water if there might be a croc in it! In fact stay 10m from the water edge so they can't shoot out and grab you in the first place.

Close call

After watching the crazy man who managed not to get eaten, I wondered around with a hot chocolate (I think I am getting a cold and this point felt rough but my bus was still a while away). I found the Cassowary enclosure and helped with the feeding before the bus pick up.

Baby cassowary

Adult cassowary

Feeding (or currently being ignored by) the adult cassowary

I really recommend Hartley's. It was a lot of fun, even when it rained a few times.