North Queensland

This would have been the Great Barrier Reef section, but Cyclone Ului had other plans. While devastating Fiji, she (he?) also found time to foil my plans to see wild sea turtles. No boats were leaving Cape Tribulation. No swimming at the beach either, because if the saltwater crocodiles don't get you, the box jellyfish will.

I had to content myself with the other World Heritage site in the area, the Daintree National Forest. No sea turtles, but I did see a cassowary, some scrub fowl, lots of bats and lots of spiders. Also some pretty spectacular butterflies, including my personal favorite though apparently not all that rare, the Ulysses butterfly.

I went on a crocodile cruise on the Daintree River (you're looking for them, not cruising on them, in case that was confusing) and saw a 4.5m long one, apparently known to the locals as Scarface. We didn't get too close. Saw any number of "logodiles", too. I think the one in the picture above is a pretty good example.

On the way back to Cairns - my launching point for the 3 day trip to Cape Trib - we stopped for a swim with the Jungle Perch (possibly the only non-lethal living thing in North Queensland) in Mossman Gorge, which was really spectacular. That was one of the best parts of the trip.

Over the 4 days I spent in the area, I amassed quite a collection of apalling amateur wildlife photography. Sadly that was all on the memory card I lost when I got back to Brisbane, so I won't be able to inflict that on anyone when I get home.