A secret treasure hunt!

After leaving Cooktown we headed inland again. Stopping at a fantastic roadhouse at Archer River, for one of the biggest hamburgers we have ever seen, then a quick walk down to paddle in the river. The boys spent some time searching for gold. They found some beautiful rocks but unfortunately - no gold!

We pulled up at a campsite next to Rifle Creek in Mount Molloy. It was a really busy little place as its one of the very few campsites in Far North Queensland that's free to stay at. 

 

We almost felt like we were returning home when we arrived back at the rodeo grounds in Mareeba. We have now been here for a combined total of four weeks. One of the longest stays on the trip so far!

 

While in Mareeba I discovered the world wide treasure hunt known as Geocaching! Geocaching is a free real-world outdoor treasure hunt. Players try to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, using a phone or GPS and can then share their experiences online.

Sam and I spent one afternoon driving and walking around Mareeba trying to find our first 'cache' but had no luck. We went on a wild goose chase through the local cemetery, getting clues and trying to figure out where the cache was hidden. We ended up at the hiding spot but it was very overgrown and filled with huge spiders in their tangle of webs.

We had to go back and forth to Cairns a few times to get the car repaired, and it was on one of these trips that I found my first Geocache. I was like a little school girl, jumping up and down on the footpath, and then remembering that I was supposed to be discrete. It was just like finding the treasure on a treasure hunt. I was hooked! Now wherever we drive, I look up to see if there's any 'caches' close by.

 

 

 

We caught up with the Cronan family, who are staying and working in Palm cove. It was great to see them again before we head inland and south through the centre. You never know when you will see fellow travellers again, so it's good to catch up when you can.

 

 

 

A day trip up to the Daintree was long but worth it! It was as beautiful and tropical as I had imagined.

 

 

 

 

The view from the lookout over Port Douglas was spectacular!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We left the caravan at Mareeba and spent the weekend of our 12th Wedding Anniversary at Chillagoe. We stopped at the campsite and set up our tent.

 

Chillagoe was once a thriving mining town for a range of minerals but is now reduced to a small zinc mine and some marble quarries.

It got quite warm so we found a beautiful little swimming hole to cool off in,

 

Just out of town is the Mungana Caves National Park containing limestone caves. There are between 600 and 1,000 caves in the Chillagoe-Mungana area. The caves, the spectacular karst landscape and the mining and smelting history are the main tourist attractions to the region.

 

Although mum and dad offered to babysit the kids for us, we decided we wanted to celebrate our anniversary with them and the kids. The Post Office Pub at Chillagoe was fantastic. Free pizza entrees were served, and for every pot of beer, you rolled a dice and if you rolled even, the drinks were on the house. We only ended up paying for one drink for the entire night!