This particular plant is the Leichhardt Bean – a native cassia named after the 19th century explorer Ludwig Leichhardt who explored much of central and northern Queensland. It is a striking tree found in much of the area we hope to travel through.

The drive from the Sunshine Coast along the Bruce Highway is mainly through farmland. The most interesting part of the trip is between Gunalda and Tiaro with the Mount Bauple National Park providing a long range capped by towering hoop pines.

Tiaro is a small country town that celebrates the inhabitants of the local Mary River through a display area – the Mary River Turtle, Mary River Cod and Lungfish.

This imposing Mary River Turtle on display is known as Mr T – MRT – get it? Its claim to fame is that it has the ability to breathe through small organs in its cloaca – a cavity where the digestive tract exits the body hence the name “bum breathing turtle”. I wonder how they smell.