The Mangroves of Cape Tribulation, Queensland

 A few of the beaches before we headed up Cape Tribulation.  See previous post.  There are many Mangroves within the beaches.  

Mangroves in Cape Tribulation, located with the Daintree National Park, are part of one of the world's most diverse estuary system, containing over 30 of Australia's 38 mangrove species.  These ancient, intertidal ecosystems have existed for millions of years, acting as critical nurseries of marine life and coastal protection where the rainforest meets the reef.

Mangroves have traditionally been used by the local Kuku Yalanji people for food (including crabs, fish, and fruit) and resources like timber for weapons and canoes.

The area, including its mangrove ecosystems, was added to the World Heritage List in 1988.

You can see Cape Tribulation area where the red dots are on the map.

The Oldest Rainforest in the World

Cape Tribulation, Queensland, Australia is a long way from home, 3,578 km (2,223 miles) as the crow flies.  Cape Tribulation is a renowned, biologically diverse headland in Queensland's Daintree National Park where the world's oldest rainforest meets the Great Barrier Reef. The Daintree was named by Captain James Cook on June 10, 1770, after his ship Endeavour struck a reef nearby.  The population of this area 123 people.  

The Daintree is of course tropical so has a dry and wet season.

We have been up this way a few times and these are the signs that greet you.  The road is gravel and some of the creeks do not have bridges so you have to drive through them which we did for couple of them.  We didn't go too far before we turned around and headed back to Cairns, Queensland, Australia.

The Chemist place is before you see a fair way from the signs.

You can see from the map where the State of Tasmania is to Cape Tribulation in Queensland, Australia.

Ashes

A poem I wrote about a war, no war in particular but having said that it's in the desert.  You can draw your own conclusions as to what it is exactly about and perhaps comment your views. 

 ASHES


i was their rainbow, but where is the sun,
where is the bright light
that's supposed to shine down?,
it's all gone now, it's gone.
the desert calls them in the night
angels come,
my body burns to have them near
to be their rainbow once more
it's not going to happen,
been used and abused
from afar.
now the sunlight shines for others
till that bright light goes out,
then I will be left alone
sorrow with grief
wondering why,
why I was abused and used
by men from afar who promised me all,
maybe some are dead and buried
in the war.
who knows if they are lost in the desert,
ashes by now,
so, I walk in the sand, sand between my toes
thinking of those men
from afar,
lost and alone I walked and walked,
bodies everywhere,
clothes tattered and torn
on bodies everywhere,
fire ahead, ashes hot ashes and sand,
all that was left were just ashes,
ashes and sand,
but I'm not there.
© jmd

Sunset out the back door!

 Sitting doing comments on my blog list and looked out the window to see this ever so orange/red sunset about 8.30pm remembering our days are becoming shorter as we head into late summer, grabbed my Canon Camera and headed to the back door.  The photos are the result, and I moved further into the yard and captured a rainbow included in the sunset over the next door house to the east. 

Above, looked south west. Below, looking east.

Below, looking north west. Sorry about the hydro wires but that is how it is.

Food

 Into showing what we eat sometimes.  

The first photo, new potatoes, carrot, beans, broccoli, pork and crackle with gravy.

I love cracked pepper, potatoes, seafood and pasta salad and salmon.

Lunch, salad and meat sandwiches.

Chicken kababs, chips, salad.

Below, seafood salad, potato and pork.

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to all.

Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14.  It originated as a Christian feast day honouring a martyr named Valentine, and through later folk traditions it has also become a significant cultural, religious and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world.

A sunset at Wynard

 Wynard is on the northwest coast of Tasmania, it's lovely little town and the hill is called Table Cape. Wynard has a tulip festival in the springtime.  Wynard has a sea view and many times we stayed in the caravan park there for a few days or more at a time.  This time I captured a calm sunset.

It's been cherry time here and we've been to the cherry orchard several times, these cherries are called Van.

Barron Falls,

We've been many times to Barron Falls near Cairns in Queensland, Australia.  It's a very long way from home here in Launceston, Tasmania, 3,429 km.  Cairns is in the tropics on the Eastern side of Australia. There is only one photo that I've shown before in past posts and that was in 2017, so many years have passed since then. 

Barron Falls is a steep tiered cascade waterfall in Kuranda, Queensland. The falls are created by the Barron River descending from the Atherton Tablelands to the Cairns coastal plain. 

You can travel there via Skyrail, Train or your own vehicle and take many of the walks in that area.  We always had a good time when there and always finding a different path with different views.  

In the wet season the falls below, photo from the Internet.

They seemed to be having great fun in their rafts. I couldn't get a better view than through the palms and trees.

The Hydro Power Station, it's been in operation since 1963

Mission Beach, Queensland

A pleasant area is Mission Beach, it's away from the cities and is much quieter.  Populations of about 1,000 people and several resorts to stay in if one wishes.

Crocodiles are present in the Mission Beach area, as it's considered 'croc country' in tropical Queensland, with both freshwater and estuarine species living in the region's waterways, around all water bodies, especially after high tides or heavy rain.  Swimming, yes you can but be aware of those 'stingers' that are in the sea water in the months of summer.  It's fairly safe to swim between the flags on patrolled beaches there. 

You can see Dunk Island, Bederra Island, Wheeler Island, Coombe Island, and Bowden Island, and I think there are a few more as well.  

Where all the markers are is where Mission Beach is.

Bluebottles.

The Bluebottle jellyfish, but not really a jellyfish, (Physalia utriculus) is a regular visitor to Tasmanian waters, especially the east coast.  Of course, they can be found in many parts of Australia too and in other parts of the world but mainly on the east coast of Australia.

Bluebottles live in the open ocean, and they drift along according to the winds. As they drift downwind, their long tentacles float beneath them.

While the tentacles can give swimmers a nasty sting, they are not dangerous.

In the past I've spent many hours at the beach and in the sea and I've only ever seen two!

How to treat a bluebottle sting.

1. Do not rub the sting area.

2. Remove any adhering tentacles.

Rinse the area really well with seawater (not freshwater) to rid of the stinging cells.

4. Place the sting area in hot water for 20 minutes (e.g. hot shower, as hot as can be tolerated).     

5. If the pain is unrelieved by heat, or if hot water is not available, apply cold packs or ice in a dry plastic bag.

6. Seek medical aid if symptoms persist.

The size of the bluebottle is typically 6 to 10 cm long, though it can reach 15 cm, with trailing tentacles that can grow up to 3 meters.

Photos from the Internet.

Lavender Time

A look back at Bridestowe Lavender Farm/Estate at Nabowla towards the north-east of the Island where I Iive in Tasmania, Australia.  Time for the lavender to bloom is December through to January making a pretty picture and attracting so many bees which is good.

Bridestowe Lavender Farm/Estate runs over 260 acres and is the world's largest privately owned lavender farm.  It is estimated 650,000 plants are growing there and the lavender stretches for approximately 200 kilometers in total. 

The Denny family from England settled in the Lilydale area, they brought with them Lavender seeds from the French Alps, Lavandula Angustifolia (the true French Lavender.) before their journey.  They chose Lilydale due to it's climate similar to where Lavender was grown in France.  Eventually the farm was moved to it's present site which is not that far from Lilydale at Nabowla.

There is a shop near the gate where you can have lunch, morning and afternoon tea or just a lavender icecream.  There is another shop there where you can buy many items relating to lavender such as soap, oil and so on. 

The red doted area is Nabowla where the Lavender Farm is in Tasmania, Australia.  It's not too far home Launceston and it's a lovely drive.