FLECKER BOTANICAL GARDENS, CAIRNS

We visited these gardens in 2007 and thought they were remarkable. The tropical plants are amazing and we saw lots of flora for the first time. This visit was at a different time of year so we saw a different selection of blooms.

Three stages of this particular plant are shown here. The large brown ball is part of the tree, then there are the buds and flowers. Below is a close up of a flower in full bloom.

There were so many plants in different colours to what I have seen previously



Amorphophallus Paeoniifolius -this amazing plant is actually indigenous and grows in the top end. The mis-shapened top is the flower and is filled with an abundance of pollen and spores and will eventually collapse. We were there when a nurseryman was collecting pollen from around the stem to enable manually pollination. In the wild it is pollinated by blow flies. This particular plant will flower again in two years. We saw it at its best before it releases a pungent odour.



Jade Vine

This creeper clung so closely to the trunk of the tree it looked like a pattern had been painted onto the trunk.






The photo does not show the vivid red colour of these large flower pendants

This trunk looked lethal with all the pointed barbs protruding. It is not native but we have a tree very closely related to it. It is a member of the capok family and has large fluffy bunches of capok at the tip of branches.

The head of this flower was so enormous it had bent the branch down and was facing the ground. I took this snap by putting the camera upside down under the flower head

These plant just pop up out of the ground.

CAIRNS

We enjoyed a week in Cairns, meeting up with Sam, cycling, spending a day in Karumba, a day travelling to the Daintree and Cape Tribulation and another at the Flecker Botanical Gardens, Cairns.

Enjoying breakfast in Cairns with Sam on her arrival to attend an international permaculture convergence

Sam the evening she flew back to Melbourne


We had a late night dip in the lagoon on the boulevard before heading for the airport




Cairns residents getting fit following the steps of the new exercise/dance craze sweeping the country



Fence and Letterbox we passed whilst cycling

Bush Stone Curlews at the caravan park

Entrance to Diane Cilento's Theatre & Gallery Cafe 'Karnak'


Karnak Theatre


David at lunch

Stained glass window in the gallery

Jack Fruit growing in the grounds

Banana Orchard

Choosing fresh veges and fruit from a roadside stall

We were held up to allow this sugarcane train to cross the road in front of us
The crocodile viewing train on the Daintree river

Faye on the beach boardwalk, Cape Tribulation

We saw this amazing sky just before sunset on our return trip from Cape Tribulation to Cairns

A view looking along the Esplanade toward the Cairns Pier.

Egret on the mudflats Cairns esplanade

Images of grafitti in one of Cairns' city laneways







One of the many street performances on the Esplanade. The pole is being held vertical by the performer's instructions to six members of the audience (all strangers to the performer and each other) whilst he performs balancing and juggling tricks.

Children having fun in the water playground running beside the esplanade.


The beautiful lagoon on The Esplanade, Cairns. We cooled off here after cycling around Cairns.
There are two vehicles in this video. The harvester and the truck catching the cane run alongside each other as they travel along the edge of the sugar cane field.

ST LAWRENCE - RED FACES

We enjoyed dinner and a lot of laughs at a Red Faces night organised by the local primary school as a fundraiser.

Tarzan & Jane Skit
John Travolta

Is it time yet?
Bubble Gum Skit
The Judges

ST LAWRENCE WETLANDS

The wetlands behind the St Lawrence Recreation Reserve were alive with birdlife. We spent a couple of hours, morning and afternoon in the birdhide and were rewarded with some very special sightings - Jabarus and Bustards in particular.

A Jabaru with an Egret flying above


There were hundreds of waterlilies across the wetlands.

A Brahman Cow photographed from the birdhide as it makes its way though the mud alongside a collapsed bridge. The caravan reserve is in the background.
Red Backed Fairy Wren (a special sighting)

A flock of Egrets approaching the wetlands at dusk.

ST LAWRENCE

St Lawrence was a real surprise. The town buildings are very old and have had very little maintenance. We thought these were worthy of a photo.


The Hotel

The Police Station (we loved the exterior framing of the weatherboards)

The beer garden

The General Store

A vivid purple Queenslander

CAIRNS

We are in Cairns. Sam flew up at 3.00am Friday, we picked her up at the airport, then after a short sleep we took her out for a delicious breakfast.


Sam & David looking very awake, bright and happy (Faye's behind the camera)