COOKTOWN–BIG 4 CARAVAN PARK - 16/09/11

Cadet Reporter :  Michael Gavin  - Apologies for the change of style

Endeavour Falls Tourist Park, with everyone up early or another big day with Aboriginal rock art tour scheduled for 8.30am.

Everyone is in the routine with a prompt pack-up and breakfast.  As we are waiting or some of the others the Park Manager introduces us to the feeding of their 2 foot plus [700 – 750mm] barramundi in a glass display tank.  Dot is first cab off the rank to feed a prawn to the fish….taken with a very loud snap.  Tony arrives and is invited to feed the fish.  Michael is able to capture on video the very fast recoiling action of Tony’s hand & arm, plus the surprised expression on Tony’s face.  Others then share the experience.

The Tourist Park has a barramundi pond, a range of cattle breeds, including a Texan Longhorn with horns tip to tip being 6feet [1.8m] wide.   White bantam chickens that have had their heads and bottoms dyed pick, green and blue complement the menagerie.  We commented on how our Belle would love the pink coloured bantam.

A short drive to Guurbi Tour site-near Hope Vale, where our Greg Fitzgerald with a Rotary member team constructed a building in 2006 for their use.  We were met by Nugal-warra elder – Willie Gordon  for a four hour tour of their bushland site of sandstone escarpments and spectacular views.  He had other tour members from England, Germany & Australia.  He provided an overview of his aboriginal people’s way of nomadic life according to the seasons and areas – by the sea/coast during the dry months to the far inland during the cyclone/wet season.  Additionally he informed us of the family unit, with their customs relating to birth through to death and after.  This was accompanied by explanation and viewing of rock art some possibly as old as 15,000 years others as recent as 60-70 years old.  Willie was not only very informative but very thought provoking in regards to both spiritual and political matters relating to indigenous, immigration and current political agenda issues.

After the tour, lunch was taken on the site, using the steel cyclone proof facility Greg had assisted in constructing in 2006 – Greg had engraved his name & date in the concrete step in 2006.

After lunch it was off to the beach through the aboriginal township of Hope Vale – approximately 45 minutes drive predominantly on unmade roads.   5 minutes down the road, the group of six vehicles were all pulled over for a breathalyser and questioned over whether we had any alcohol on board.

The sand dunes either side of the road were spectacular consisting of pure white sand and the vista of the first glimpse of the ocean was stunning.  Upon reaching the beach frontman Greg led most vehicles along the beach for a couple of kilometres, before deep soft sand caused Dean to stop.  He needed to reduce his tyre’s air pressure dramatically to get out and turn around.  We managed to see a range of colours in the dunes – pure white, yellow, red ochre etc.

Threatening rain clouds made the decision for most to head for Cooktown – [1 hr+ drive] to seek cabin/camping sites.  Tony and Jen instead decided to camp at the beach site.  According to Tony they had a wonderful night around their campfire a couple of metres from the water, with a visit by aboriginal elder Eddie.  He provided a background of our morning guide Willie.

The Big 4 Tourist Park was selected in Cooktown, with Peter & Sue Daunton and Michael & Dot arriving first.  With the threat of serious rain, the last of the motel rooms were selected.  The rest of the group arrived and took camping sites.  Pre dinner nibbles & drinks at Michael & Dot’s porch facility, resulted in take-away pizzas being ordered [2 to start with, followed by a further 2 due to the sizes being – medium, not extra large].

Everyone resolved to stay a second night, so as we could all have a good look around Cooktown – named after Captain James Cook, who landed here to make repairs to his Endeavour ship on his discovery journey of Australia.

The wind blew all night in very strong gusts.