A full on day, possibly trying to cover too much ground, but we couldn’t find anywhere we wanted to stay in the Atherton Tablelands so we toured the whole area before heading back out to the coast and down to Mission Beach.
The tablelands are inland of Cairns, part of the tropical rainforest that includes Kuranda, and is a kind of high plateau (though not very flat, or like a table really), above and to the west of the narrow coastal plain. (Someone will correct me if I have got that wrong)
We had already spent a day in Kuranda so we headed straight for Mareeba, coffee growing centre of Australia, where we sampled the delights of Jaques Coffee. A family business that could be a byword for resilience - they had gone broke in the economic downturn of the 80s, and later, having recovered, had their entire crop destroyed by a government pest control diktat - but here they were, still a family business turning out quality coffee in the Queensland rainforest. I can vouch for that, and I know my coffee!
The scones (why were they not damper?) were good too! We got a chance to squeeze coffee cherries to reveal the two beans inside, and marvel at the number of processes that take place to turn those two little beans into the roasted nectar that is the drink.
Coffee is now the second most valuable traded commodity on world markets - after oil.
Full of both coffee and carbohydrate, we then dropped into Mt Uncle distillery, to sample some of the wares. I drew the driving straw so sips only, but the gin, made with Australian botanicals was worth transporting half way round the globe - so an extra bag is looking necessary for the trip home! The whisky was good too - but at $170 a bottle, a bit steep!
Then we found Atherton, the eponymous centre of the tablelands, a delightful outback feeling town, with more cafes and the largest amethyst crystal in the world (allegedly).
Followed by Lake Barrine, and two fabulous old Kauri trees overlooking the pristine waters of the volcanic lake, and then the waterfalls around Millaa Millaa.
As ever words do not do the place justice. But it was a beautiful day, ended with a quick stop (for coffee!) in Innisfail, the aforementioned Art Deco capital. A collection of photos will follow at some point.
We are now in Mission Beach, just south of Innisfail, and looking forward to s short driving day - and maybe some time on the beach!