Most beautiful rainforest walk ...

Captain is fond of saying that here we are experiencing 'wet rain'. Once it finally arrived it has been wet indeed. Fabulous as the rain is, it's also good to have a regular break from it  to de-mould the boat. No amount of mould could be too high a price, though, for the rain that makes our beloved rainforests and waterfalls, and yesterday, leeches and wild boar notwithstanding, we discovered our best walk yet in Wooroonooran National Park.

With a few days of northerly winds last week we decided to venture south for a change of scenery. Stops on the way included Kings Beach, Normandy Island, and Mutchero Inlet, where the Russell and Mulgrave rivers converge before flowing into the Coral Sea. Then to Innisfail, where the North and South Johnstone rivers converge. Approximately thirty km west of Innisfail is the Wooroonooran National Park, where the run-off from the hills, including Henrietta Creek, flow into the North Johnstone River. We managed a dip in the Johnstone River, after following a mildly treacherous wet track down from Crawfords lookout. We also did rainforest walks to the gorgeous Tchupala Falls and Wallicher Falls, off the Palmerston Highway. But the best was yesterday, when we did the Nandroya Falls circuit walk. This winds around the valleys and almost every corner has a waterfall, some more dramatic than others, but each beautiful. Admittedly it was wet underfoot, and therefore some sections of the track were slippery, but we saw no-one else.

Captain helpfully points out North Johnston River from Crawfords lookout

First section of Tchupala Falls

The path further down was 'closed' and overgrown. So much effort went into building this, it's a shame not to maintain it (but needless to say it would cost a lot. The quality of the extensive walking tracks is often astoundingly good.)

Fairy path

Wallicher Falls

Fabulous buttress roots with gnome

Silver Creek Falls

Nandroya Falls

Native banana

North Johnstone River 

Cluster figs