Day 66: Thu 30 Jun - Mareeba to Mount Surprise

Day 66: Thu 30 Jun - Mareeba to Mount Surprise

Towed  265km 

19-27°,  It was an overcast morning, and it remained cloudy throughout the day, with some light drizzle at times. The wind picked up around mid morning, and helped us along the way heading west to Mount Surprise from Ravenshoe via Herberton. We were packed and on the road early, a little before 8:00am, and after a short detour, reached our first destination at Herberton by 9:00am. Herberton, also known as the ‘village in the hills' is a historic mining town nestled in the hills of the Atherton Tablelands. Historically it was a tin town with both a mine and a smelter nearby. We only had an hour wandering around town, but I would certainly like to return for a couple of days to have more time to visit the Historic Village and Mining Museum. We then continued on to Ravenshoe - the highest town in QLD. Historically, Ravenshoe was a  timber town. In the 1980s the town was the site of  battles between environmentalists and timber workers, which ultimately attracted a lot of ‘alternative lifestyle' folk to the area, and there remains a hippie feel about the place as you walk around the streets. By about 11:00am, we were on the way again heading towards Mount Surprise. After a short lunch stop along the Savannah Way, incidentally one of the nicest roads we've driven along, we reached the Bedrock Village Caravan Park in Mount Surprise by about 1:30pm. After setting up and having a short rest, we walked the 850m into town (not really even a town - it comprises a pub, a couple of caravan parks, a service station and a handful of houses). There is very little to see or do here (an old railway station, a small museum and a monument), the main attraction being the settlements proximity to the Undara Lava Tubes, Cobbold Gorge and Gem Fossicking at O’Briens Creek. We only have two nights here, so tomorrow, Noeleene and I are going on a guided tour from our caravan park to the Undara Lava Tubes, 49km away (visits are only by guided tour). After our short leg stretch this afternoon walking into town,  we returned to the van and had a our pre-dinner get together then, returned to our respective vans for dinner, and a quiet night without the sound of a TV (no reception), and light rain tapping on the roof.


Herberton - Mural depicting the towns history

Herberton - Heritage Cottage

Herberton - War Memorial

Herberton - Historic Railway Station

Herberton - Railway Museum

Herberton - Railway Museum

Herberton - Main Street

Herberton - Royal Hotel

Herberton

Herberton - Old petrol pump in the Main Street

Herberton - Main Street

Herberton - Main Street

Herberton - Main Street

Herberton - Lovely Old timber church

Herberton - Mining Museum

Herberton - Mining Museum

Ravenshoe - morning tea and walk around town

Ravenshoe

Ravenshoe

Ravenshoe - Main Street

Ravenshoe

Ravenshoe - Highest Hotel in QLD!

Ravenshoe - Highest Hotel in QLD!

Ravenshoe - Timber Town

Ravenshoe - Main Street


Mount Surprise - Railway

Mount Surprise - Railway

Mount Surprise - Railway Museum


Mount Surprise - Railway



Mount Surprise Monument

Mount Surprise Monument

Mount Surprise 

Bedrock Village Caravan Park

Our site at the Bedrock Caravan Park

Celebrating the end of another lovely day








 

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