Rain and cooler temperatures made for a misty mountain hop across several sites in the ranges west of Innisfail and on the Atherton Tableland. This is the Nucifora Tea Plantation growing in one of the wettest parts of Australia.

The tea bushes were flowering – tea is a type of camellia and the small flowers were numerous and beautiful.

Further up the Palmerstone Highway is the Mamu Skywalk in Wooroonooran National Park. The 2 km walk includes a cantilevered lookout off the edge of a steep rainforested spur, an elevated boardwalk and a sky tower literally towering above the canopy.

The view was sensational – the constant rocking of the tower a bit disconcerting considering we were 37 metres above the forest floor and the tower was built on the edge of deeply cut valley.

The view halfway down – this is a must-do for anyone travelling to Far North Queensland.

Many canopy fruits were easy to see from the canopy walk like these Flindersia pods.

The highway cuts several creeks like Henrietta Creek.

The rainforests gave way to the rich dairy country of the tablelands – these cows at Millaa Millaa.

The rain freshened up the local waterfalls – Millaa Millaa Falls.

Zillie Falls

Ellinja Falls

Malanda Falls

The Malanda Hotel is the largest timber hotel in Australia – built in 1912, it is famous for its local rainforest timbers and magnificent Queensland Maple and Silky Oak staircase. Malanda is a family history site – family members read Goanna Tracks from Page 58.

Onto Atherton and the Sunday night roast dinner at the Atherton Hotel.