We have never driven this far north before, but we are falling in love with North Queensland!
Saying this, our love doesn’t extend to the North Queensland Cowboys. We are still Manly Sea Eagles fans and proved it by daring to enter a pub at Mission Beach and demanding to see the Sea-eagles game!
The landscape here is absolutely amazing! From undulating farmland to lush rainforest extending across the mountainous background, the scenery is just stunning. Of course the cane fields still persist but banana plantations draw a close second. They don’t grow them in pyjamas though, sorry Jaxon and Ili, but in what seems like sleeping bags.
We enjoyed some really great walks with amazing sights behind every corner. There were the rock slides at Crystal Creek near Townsville. The Young and the Careless use the water cascades to slide down the smooth rocks or take daring jumps into the sparkling rock pools. More water fun was to be had at Josephine Falls and “the Boulders” near Babinda.
Around Mission Beach the rainforest is stunning and I particularly liked the Licuana Fan Palm Forest.
This area is also cassowary country.
On one of our walks we came across a nest with eggs.
A cassowary was keeping a watchful eye from his hiding place in the bush nearby. Disregarding my concern, Austin, of course, to have a closer look. It was amazing how fast he could run when the protective cassowary charged him. Only a nearby clearing stopped the ratite in his tracks and saved him from being attacked. 
A short inland drive from Mission Beach is Paronella Park where the Spanish immigrant, Joe Paronella built his dream: a castle in midst of a 5 ha park. He also installed in 1933 Queensland's first hydro electric plant which still powers the area including the adjoining caravan park and nearby hotel. 
His is a romantic story which makes the castle, now in ruins due to floods, cyclones and fire, come alive.
After walking above the tree tops on the Mamu Skywalk where we happened to see the dance of a juvenile rifle bird, a very rare sighting, we ended up in the small township of Babinda.
Above the rifle bird showing off in front of two females,
and a pale yellow robin.
Below the falls and suspension bridge at Paronella park lit up during our night tour.
