Chris n Shirley's 2026 Queensland Trip: Chapter 6

Day 35 – Thursday 2 July - Charters Towers to Crystal Creek

We departed Charters Towers around 8:30 am and were in Townsville 90 minutes later. We stopped at my favourite Townsville seafood outlet - the purchase was 1.5 kg of fresh king prawns. The reason will be clearer later.

Above: Great seafood outlet in Townsville

Coles provided a restock of soft-drink that could not be completed at Woolworths in Charters Towers. We headed north - both of us yet to have our first coffee for the day. Shirley's All Bran did not last long as I left it on the roof of the car.

Camp was established at Crystal Creek Caravan Park by lunch time. We had an unpowered site with about two acres just for us. The Cassowary Coast starts about Ingham and goes north. Crystal Creek is about 46 km south of Ingham so we are close. It is a magic spot.

A couple of birds played in the tree near us.

Above: The little guy on the left is maybe a 'Varied Triller'. The little guy on the right is maybe a different gender of the same species or maybe a cuckoo.

After lunch we went exploring and found our first beach for the trip. It was 10 km down a (mainly) gravel road that just meandered alongside Crystal Creek - which became quite large by the time it reached the ocean.

Above: Beach near the mouth of Crystal Creek

Below: Crystal Creek about 2 km from the ocean

Above: The road that took us to the ocean.

ON our return we headed 2 km north and found "Frosty Mango" - the home of great mango smoothies. We indulged.

We returned to camp and relaxed. I think I was asleep in my chair when a mate rang for a chat. I lit the fire around 4pm - just for the ambience of having a fire.

Chicken schnitzels became dinner.

Day 36 – Friday 3 July - Crystal Creek Region

A heavy dew and a mild morning was in order as I headed to the creek as the sun rose. I scored a photo of the Bruce Highway bridge (west) and the railway bridge (east).

Above: Bruce highway to the west

Below: Railway bridge to the east

Between both: Crystal Creek

After exercises we took off from Crystal Creek and headed to Little Crystal Creek. The road was closed so that was a non event. So we headed to Big Crystal Creek. On the way we stopped and chatted to a local who sold us two lovely passionfruit (I know because we ate them for dinner) for $1 each and four limes for $1.

We took photos of Big Crystal Creek and Paradise Waterhole (on Big Crystal Creek).

Above: Big Crystal Creek

Below: Paradise Waterhole on Big Crystal Creek

Lower: Someone with an artistic flair had been there

A 'parks officer' assured us that we could actually go to Little Crystal Creek - but only if we joined a queue that departed each hour - on the hour. So we did. We were escorted by a 'pilot' car and the 18 km took 45 minutes. The reason for the restrictions was massive landslides after recent bushfires and rains. Much of the road crosses extremely steep terrain and the road was ruined in a number of places.

We could not stop and take photos of some of the magnificent views.

Above: Historic bridge that we crossed but could not stop for a photo

[Photo courtesy of Queensland Government]

At the end of the drive we had climbed to 2925 feet from sea level.

At the top we arrived at Paluma Village - a small and quaint village. Due to the road restrictions the village was virtually closed. Nothing was open. A few local weeded their gardens.

The temperature had dropped from 27 degrees at the bottom to 19 degrees at the top.

We did a 2 km rainforest walk then a 2.5 km rainforest walk to Agnes Creek (another creek). There was not much to do apart from rainforest walks.

Above & Below: Rainforest Images

We did the same process down the hill - following a 'pilot' car at 25 to 35 km per hour. It was good on fuel usage - bad on brake pads.

Above: The 'pilot' car passing one of the repaired land-slide locations

Below: Playing follow-the-leader past another land-slide spot

Above: Most of the drive was very scenic

Once back on level ground we drove south to Rollingstone - just to check it out. We saw lots of pineapple farms - but no places were found to buy any. Rollingstone did not impress us.

We arrived back at camp around 3pm not having had any lunch.

After lighting the fire and relaxing with a drink we dined on freshly shelled prawns with lemon and tartare sauce. Dessert was freshly cut passionfruit on banana with cream or yoghurt.

Fire was first. Prawns for dinner was next.

It was a balmy evening.

Day 37 – Saturday 4 July - Jourama Falls

It was bacon and eggs on the BBQ for breakfast, then a trek into the bush. For the second time in two days our trip was modified because of recent severe rock-falls. Some of the boulders in the rock-fall would be bigger than our caravan.

However the modifications slightly affected our walk - not the drive like yesterday

Above: Evidence of two land-slides

Below: The pretty drive into the National Park

Our first stop was a lovely waterhole that features some turtles. It also had a rock wall resembling a face. As we moved on we spotted a goanna maybe 600 mm in length. It was in no hurry.

Above: Turtle & rock-face waterhole

Below: Turtle, then Lace monitor (Varanus varius)

Eventually we reached the waterfall lookout and it was worth the strenuous walk.

Above: The many levels of Jourama Falls

Below: Waterhole near the bottom of the falls

On the way back to camp we stopped at a road side stall and bought a dozen farm eggs and more passionfruit, then stopped at the "Frosty Mango" and bought mango smoothies (for now) and mango ice-cream (for tonight).

Dinner was a superb two-course meal of BBQd fresh local prawns and a dessert of local pineapple & local mango ice-cream.

Above: Birthday dinner - Prawns on the BBQ, prawns on the plate, dessert of local pineapple & mango ice-cream

Our stats after 37 days: 4246 km, 115 km/day, diesel $30 per day, accommodation $28 per day, time in car 2.1 hrs/day.

Day 38 – Sunday 5 July - Crystal Creek to Tyto Wetlands (Ingham) - 47 km

It was one of our shortest travelling days - 47 km to Tyto Wetlands just outside Ingham. We paid our $15 then established camp in the RV park.

One of Inghams claims to fame is that it possesses the 'pub' that apparently was the motivation of the famous Slim Dusty song - "The Pub with no Beer".

Immediately we headed into Ingham to check out the Sunday market. Not much there but we scored a good coffee and an excellent carrot cake.

After lunch we chilled out for a while then headed off for a 4.5 km walk around Tyto Wetlands.

Above: One view of Tyto Wetlands

We saw lots of flora but not a lot of birds. No turtles or snakes. I was pretty chuffed to get photos of the following two birds.

Above: Forest Kingfisher

Below: Juvenile Comb-crested Jacana

Then there was..................

Above: A raft of ducks

Below: Masked Lapwing

Bottom: A water lily with resident

Above: A sample of the many flowers that we saw in Tyto Wetlands plus one duck. Images approximately to scale.

While I was contemplating the start of Happy Hour an Australasian Yellow Figbird landed in the tree above me. I had to lay on the ground to get the following photo.

Above: Australasian Yellow Figbird

Day 39 – Monday 6 July - Ingham to Forrest Beach - 47 km

Early to bed and early to rise. You know the story.........

We were ready for the day by soon after 8am. We decided on a 800 metre walk to Coles to (re)buy some cereal that someone (no names here) had left on the roof of the car in Townsville (never to be seen - by us - again).

On the way we scored another couple of birds in Tyto Wetlands, then some art.

Above: A Peaceful Dove and a Pacific Black Duck

Above: Mosaics

Below: More art

We stopped at the (Italian) cemetery as locals had mentioned it to us. Ingham has a strong Italian community and until recently had an annual Italian festival. There was no doubt that the Ingham Italians look after their departed family members.

Above: A small section of the Italian part of the cemetery

Of course, whenever we are in or near Ingham we have to take a photo of sugar-cane being harvested.

Above: Harvested sugar-cane being tipped into a train

Yesterday was a short day. Today was shorter still, being a mere 29 km from Tyto Wetlands to Forrest Beach - including the detour to the cemetery. Camp was soon established and coffee was consumed. We had time for a walk on the beach before lunch.