CAIRNS – Heritage Boutique Hotel – 21/09/11

Cadet Reporter:  Michael Gavin

After a joint breakfast, Greg & Wanda went off to do their day tour of Fitzroy Island and its water activities.  They were catching up with Dean and Karen on this tour.

Tony, Jen and Peter C went off to Kuranda and bumped into Jill P wandering around.

Dot & Michael did the round trip – Kuranda – Mareeba – Atherton – Cairns.  It was a great day with breath taking climbs and descent over the mountain range.  First stop was Coffee World at Mareeba, where nearly 2 hours was spent tasting coffee and tea blends, tasting luscious chocolate and chocolate/coffee liqueurs, talking to the coffee roaster and wandering around their coffee and tea museum.  The fascinating collection of coffee equipment and tea pots etc. has been developed over past 38 years.  We could not leave without purchasing some chocolates and liqueur.

Next stop was the Tolga Timber works – very attractive pieces of furniture using a range of Queensland timbers rich in colour.  Prices for the large tables were in the vicinity of $8,000.00 to $10,000.00.

Onto Mt. Uncle Distillery, which was set on a working banana plantation.  The fruiting bananas were all encased in large plastic bags.  We saw the incoming fruit being processed and cleaned and split into hands for packaging a despatched to Coles.   In for a tasting, however no whisky in stock.   Instead we were tempted with a vodka infused marshmallow liqueur, which apparently becomes a gel when frozen.

Next stop was the Crystal Caves at Atherton, which had on display a vast range of precious and semi-precious cut stones.   There was an opportunity to pay extra and visit their special cave with a 3.5metre high amethyst crystal.  As other sections were upstairs for free viewing we declined going downstairs.

Then onto Yungaburra, where we visited a massive curtain fig tree – a seed is deposited in upper branches of established  host tree.  The seed germinates and sends roots down to the ground…..20-30metres away.  The fig develops a root system around the host tree and ultimately strangles the host tree.  The host tree falls and collapses into an adjacent tree, with the host over time rotting away.   Bush turkeys were scratching around the forest floor.

Next stop was the Gem shop at Yungaburra, specializing in pearls and opals….look no buy.

Then homeward trip down a very windy mountain with eye catching views when the trees opened up a bit.