Friday, July 26, 2013

IN THE TROPICS


Last week we flew to North Queensland for a bit of sun, combining business with pleasure.
The Great Barrier Reef looks fabulous from the air ...
photo does not do justice to the gorgeous turquoise of the sea, the reefs and tiny islands...










In the tropical rainforest in the mountains above Cairns lies the village of Kuranda.  Europeans began to explore the area in the nineteenth century,
and a railway from Cairns reached Kuranda in 1891.
The historic platform is dressed in masses of tropical ferns and plants,
earning it the name of Australia's Greenest Railway Station.


The area has been home to the indigenous Djabugay people for over 10,000 years, and many of the locals are now involved in the tourist industry.  There are many attractions here based on the flora and fauna of the area, and many art galleries.  I bought myself a painting, which I will show in another post.


Here comes the train ...


On the nearby Barron River, a Rainforest Tour ...


This World Heritage Listed rainforest is full of lush flowering vines and trees ..



and the river is home to some interesting creatures:






Can you see his eye and snout just above the water?

Thanks be to strong telephoto lenses!!




The Barron Falls, whose waters are harnessed by a hydro-electric power station down in the gorge.


Have a lovely and sunny weekend XXXX



23 comments:

  1. Lovely to see a tropical part of Australia - exotic animals and plants too. Love the little railway station and the brightly painted train. Glorious, sandy, deserted beaches.

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    1. It was fun, and very different from Brisbane, which just goes to show that Queensland covers a very wide area! I love a deserted and unspoiled beach!

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  2. Oh my goodness, this looks absolutely wonderful! It's a great travelogue, and gave me a real feeling for a place I have not visited myself!

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    1. It has been over 20 years since I was up there, so I enjoyed the revisit very much. It certainly is very tropical!

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  3. Your photos are wonderful. Beautiful foliage and amazing creatures. I am in awe of Australia! (Wonderful storm going on right now in Perth.)

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    1. I'm glad your visit down under seems to be going well, Beryl. I like the sound of that storm .. we like to watch storms too. Hope you see some interesting country and a few of our creatures while you are here.

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  4. You must visit the Barrier Reef some time Valerie. The sea is the most gorgeous colour and the coral reefs fantastically beautiful.

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  5. Beautiful post....I could do with a bit of tropical warmth at the moment x

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    1. It was the perfect time to get away; thoroughly recommend going north in their 'Winter' x

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  6. I don't think I could have done that rainforest tour; I would have been too scared to see those reptiles; I had to pass over that picture of the you-know-what very quickly !!xx

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    1. Well, I thought I was going to see the flowers! Never heard of the amethystine python before, but it would make great bags or shoes - he he xx

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  7. Such a wonderful tropical part of Australia Patricia..
    So different from the west where I lived.
    Stunning photos.
    Thank you for sharing these great photos..
    wishing you a happy weekend
    val

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    1. Australia is such a large island, there is plenty of diversity, isn't there... I wouldn't like to live in the steamy tropics, especially in the summer, but it is great to visit right now. Happy weekend to you Val. x

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  8. What a wonderful way to travel - watching your amazing pictures.
    I´ve written this before, but I´ll write it once more.
    Australia is the place I´d wish to visit some day!

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    1. Thanks Mette, I hope you come to Australia one day, and I hope to see more of Europe, too, when it can be organised!

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  9. We had a great trip to Queensland a few years ago...looks like Kuranda hasn't changed much. It is such a fabulous part of the world especially for us northern hemisphere people, who have only been able to imagine such scenes. We loved it....daughter has returned several times, and although we've not made it as far north on our subsequent Aussie visits, it will always stand out as an incredibly special trip. I hope you had a really fabulous time. x

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    1. Glad you loved north Queensland Janice - I only like it in in the cooler months, the summers are too hot for me. Kuranda is much the same, (it is over 20 years since I was there!) but there are more markets, and better galleries, I think. x

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  10. Thankyou for sharing these stunning photos of your trip. It looked wonderful.
    Patricia x

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  11. So enjoyable to travel with you via pictures. It looks very lush and wonderful.

    darla

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  12. I've only just caught up with your amazing trip and it does look fabulous. Off now to read the rest of your trip. xx

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  13. Thank you ladies, we are home again for a few weeks. Can't keep interrupting Mr C on his business trips :))

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  14. I can feel the lushness, the heat and even the humidity from your super photos, Patricia. You obviously had a wonderful time and I'm glad for everyone's sake that you had a good telephoto lens on your camera. :-)

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    1. Yes, it was definitely hot and humid, despite being the 'winter' season, Perpetua, and made a nice change from the cold. Don't think I would like to be living with those crocodiles and snakes on a regular basis!

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