Fruit bats fighting over blossom in the tree above the Tvan were nature’s way of getting us up and about this morning. The squabbling started just prior to first light and continued for about 15 minutes before we’d had enough and they decided it was time to go and roost for the day somewhere else.
It was a cool morning, with the temperature just below 20C when we got up – requiring an extra layer of clothing on top until the sun appeared on our campsite. The plan for the day was to get the bed linen washed and hanging out to dry before setting off to explore two waterfalls in the region, as well as the Wujal Wujal community and art centre.
It was just after 9.00am when we headed off the short distance back to the art centre where two of the indigenous community ladies were positioned on the broad veranda greeting new arrivals to the gallery. Immediately we noticed the contrast in subject matter and colour pallet used in the art work when compared to the last gallery we visited in central Australia (on the edge of the Gibson Desert). A few of the locally produced post cards were purchased before leaving and heading deeper into the valley carved by the Bloomfield River.
We stopped at the end of the road and walked the short distance to the base of the Bloomfield Falls, which were cascading down a steep rock face. A tour group were being talked through the significance of the falls to the Eastern Kuku, Yalanji Warra people. Swimming near the falls is off the agenda, not because of any indigenous beliefs but due to the fact that a 2.5 metre crocodile calls this place home.
Next stop was Kija (Roaring Meg Falls) that has a safe swimming area (a rarity in these parts) upstream from the main falls. The drive to the falls was along one of the iconic tracks in this part of the country, the CREB Track, built to service the power lines that run north-south by the Cairns Regional Electricity Board. The track follows the ranges to the west of the coast – with many steep ascents and descents, creek crossings, pot holes and dust.
The side track into Roaring Meg Falls was a narrow, rough, single lane affair that restricted our speed to about 10 kph. We parked roughly 400 metres from the ‘beach’ and walked in. There really was a sandy beach beside a deep, safe swimming hole that soon had Linda and Chris enjoying the invigorating clear waters. Wendy balked at a swim and stood thigh deep in the cooling water like a football player in Port Phillip Bay for a recovery session.
The return journey retraced our steps from the falls back along the CREB Track to camp. When we returned to the sealed road on the northern side of the Bloomfield River it was noticeable the tide had gone out, leaving exposed sandbars that caught the midday sun – perfect for basking crocodiles. Soon enough, Chris had spotted a croc about 2.5 to 3 metres in length on the opposite side of the river, roughly 30 metres away. A further search along the river with the binoculars found another, slightly larger croc also enjoying the sun’s rays. The river must be in good condition to support these two healthy looking crocodiles.
The afternoon has had us attending to very little, while watching the world go by. New campers have arrived from the north and set up, warning of the corrugations and dust ahead. We have spoken to family and been updated on the Memorial Service conducted for our dearest friend Geoff today.