First day in Cairns. We had lunch to this view!
They have crazy warning signs in this country!
Mud Crab! We went hunting for these guys!
More lovely beach north of Cairns.
Prime mud crab hunting grounds!
Mangrove forest!
Low tide!
Still looking for mud crabs. Good thing we weren't planning on having them for dinner that night!
Fresh bananas straight from the farm!
A whole wagon load!
A view of the banana fields.
Having a little snack with Mark. The dragon fruit were delicious.
More banana trees.
The area around the farm.
Cricket and Pies! Quintessential Oz!
A church in Innisfail.
Codge Lodge, a backpacker hostel in Innisfail.
Another view of Codge Lodge. Cheap accommodations for backpackers crossing through the area.
Backpackers like to decorate their camper vans.
I'm a regular Crocodile Dundee!
A beautiful black cockatiel.
Emu!
Peacocks too!
Only slightly larger than the one I was holding earlier.
Do you think that will be enough for him?
See! He wants more!
A small gator. She didn't really like being picked up much.
A Roo sunning resting in the shade.
The rest of the crew feeding the roos and wallabies.
Portrait of a Roo!
Does this dingo really look dangerous? He was very sweet!
A freshwater pool near the rainforest.
Rainforest vegetation.
Spiky!
New camera doesn't mean I still can't be a bit arty!
Rainforest trail. Not really the same as the ones in the Amazon.
Rushing water in the rainforest.
This was a wonderful little falls and pool.
On to the Whitsunday Islands! Just a typical beach!
Yeah, there really isn't anything to like here.
Batfish swimming alongside our boat.
More arty shots. Rain in the distance too.
Australia: We Guarantee A Rainbow Everyday!
The Soleday Lass, one of the famous ships in the Whitsunday Islands.
The catamaran Whitsunday Getaway.
Perfect snorkeling location! Lots of very colorful fish. And yes, I found Nemo, and plenty of his cousins too!
So how do you think he got up there? Hmm...
A sandbar in the Great Barrier Reef.
More sailing in the Whitsundays, considered to be one of the best spots in the world for sailing, snorkeling, and diving.
The Boomerang, fastest ship in the Whitsunday Islands. Just ask her crew!
A view from the deck of the Boomerang, my ship while in the Whitsundays.
Below decks on the Boomerang.
We were all quite well acquainted on the cruise.
The marina in Airlie Beach.
Julie's GIANT sandwich!
Another backpacker van. These guys get creative.
Airlie Beach bay.
I told you they had great warning signs in this country. This one says that if you go diving, you'll end up in a wheel chair! Scary!
Beautiful flower near Cedar Creek Falls, outside of Airlie Beach.
Cedar Creek Falls!
The forest around Cedar Creek Falls.
A closer look at the falls. We climbed up top to check them out.
And a view back down to the pool below.
Town square in Goomeri (pop. 400). This clock is a memorial to those lost in World War I.
We were in Goomeri when the first game of the State of Origin Rugby tourney was played. This was a very BIG deal Down Under.
Morning fog over Springbrook Farm.
Springbrook is a training ground for backpackers looking for work while in Australia.
It is also a working cattle ranch, with beautiful scenery.
My trusty bike for exploring the Springbrook farm.
The lemon tree smelled so good. Put your nose up to the monitor, you might be able to smell it too!
More of the scenery. We rode our bikes out to this point on the farm.
End of the day, and even the dogs are worn out!
Australian sunset down on the farm.
More sunset. The colors in the clouds were amazing!
