Chris n Shirley's 2026 Queensland Trip: Chapter 7 - Cassowary Coast

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.

Above: Our camp at Forrest Beach

Below: The beach about 75 metres from the caravan

It was a chill-out afternoon. Not much was achieved.

Around mid afternoon a strong breeze blew in from the east and eventually drove us indoors.

Day 40 – Tuesday 7 July - Wallaman Falls

Wallaman Falls was the bucket list item for the day despite the wind and the low cloud. It was a 70 km drive west - the last 20 km having many hair-pin bends and turning Shirley avocado green. The flat-lands - before the climb - had plenty of cattle on or beside the road.

Above: The magnificent Bull on the left was happy to stand within arms length as we stopped for a photo. The family to the right looked like they needed a good feed.

However the 20 km climb was a magnificent drive through dense 'wet' rainforest.

Above: Our rainforest drive

Wallaman Falls, located in Queensland's Girringun National Park, is Australia's highest permanent, single-drop waterfall. Fed by Stony Creek, it plummets 268 metres into a massive, mist-shrouded gorge. And that was how we saw it.

Above left: Wallaman Falls as we saw it on our arrival - cloaked in low cloud.

Above right: As we saw Wallaman Falls and the gorge 30 minutes later.

The waterfall would look absolutely stunning on a clear and sunny day.

The temperature had dropped from 24 degrees to 16 degrees by the time we had climbed 540 metres from sea level.

Above: The Stony Creek gorge below Wallaman Falls

Below: A view to the ocean from a lookout on the way down. On a clear day you would see lots of sugar cane, Ingham and the ocean.

There was a 4 km return walk to the bottom of the falls. However we decided that we did not pass the physical/age test to allow us to attempt it. So we didn't.

On the way back to town i scored a photo of a 'Spotted Harrier' flying through a young pine plantation - maybe looking for lunch.

Above: Spotted Harrier

As we were back earlier than expected we shouted ourselves to a pie at Mick's Bread Kitchen. I decided on a 'Smoked Brisket, Jalapeno & Cheese' Pie. Shirley had a beef & bacon pie. There were both superb.