HAPPY CAMPERS

From Weipa we travelled east, back to the main road north. We took a short cut through Batavia Station, a huge property which has been given back to the traditional owners but they gave us permission to travel on a rough road through the property.

We travelled most of the day through Savannah type country and we arrived in the afternoon at Moreton Telegraph Station our next overnight stay. We were  following the route of the old telegraph wires again from Cairns to Thursday Is. Camps and later buildings (telegraph station) were made along the track as depots for materials to build the original tracks for the poles and wires.

"Moreton Telegraph Station was completed in 1887. All the stations were built like forts to protect staff and equipment from "wild blacks". Buildings were constructed of heavy gauge galvanised iron and on two diagonally opposite corners a protruding 'turret' was built with gun ports allowing each an uninterrupted view along two side as well as forward. All windows were fitted with iron shutters which could be bolted from within." Mr Google.

110 years later the stations were no longer used as telegraph stations and some of them have become tourist destinations with camp sites and cabins. 

 This is another open air dining room. We were to sleep in the permanent tents.........

but we were upgraded to cabins with en suites. Hooray. The happy campers are: TOH*, me, George and Ann. Check out TOH's shirt..it says "DON'T DRINK AND BLOG"

 The cabins were very comfortable considering we were in the middle of the isolated Cape York Peninsula.

 Before dinner, Chris, our driver/guide took us for a walk to the river called the Barra Hole as it was where there are many Barramundi Fish. (A favourite Aussie fish).

 We saw native figs growing called 'bush tucker' 

 We climbed over rocks and down a steep bank to the river (watching out for crocs on the way). This river rises 16 m in the wet season. We saw flood debris hanging in branches way up high in the tall trees.

On the way back to camp we passed through fields of tall grasses. This one is dangerous for sheep. Its common name is Corkscrew Grass.  It has unusual barbs or seed spears. When they get wet they start to twist and turn like a corkscrew and drill down into the soil to grow again.

Can you see the spears? Sheep cannot be raised here because these corkscrew seeds get caught in their wool and when it rains the seed screws down into the sheep's skin and body, causing severe pain and infection and death.

We passed a pretty billabong (water hole)

Then I spied a beautiful tree covered in red flowers. There was a Blue Faced Honey Eater having its dinner and we were soon eating ours too.

*(TOH = The Other Half)