There are RAMSAR listed wetlands close to Townsville and we spent the morning visiting two of these internationally recognised areas.

Magpie geese were in abundance – the multitude with their gentle honking adding to the experience.

Great egret and jabiru on the hunt for breakfast.

The pandanus of the woodlands and swamps of North Queensland are a distinctive feature.

Comb crested jacana walking on the lily pads.

Osprey, forest kingfisher and spangled drongo at Townsville Town Common.

A group of brolgas land in the swamps quite a distance from us.

A drive from Pallarenda through Townsville past some of the older areas of town near The Strand and Flinders Street.

The road to Cape Cleveland passes through Bowling Green Bay National Park. There is a great diversity in habitats. Salt marshes, mangroves, cabbage palm and Eucalyptus alba woodlands, hoop pine rainforests are found in the coastal flats and granite mountains.

Brolgas were common the grassy flats adjacent to the salt plains – the road an extended causeway in places across this landscape.

The brolgas put on a dance and show for us leaping up at least a metre into the air.

The contrast between the mangroves and granite tors.

Causeways passed through mangroves and saltwater crocodile habitat.

Crabs of several species including huge mud crab holes were present in the mangrove lined creeks.

Crabs including the king of the fiddler crabs were active.

A road to campsites on Cocoa Creek passed between the mangroves and granite slabs.

Hoop pine rainforests shrouded in misty rain were on the higher peaks.

Wedge-tailed eagles eyeing off some roadkill.

A black breasted buzzard in Bowling Green Bay National Park.

Ayr has a big snake – 60 metres long!

We cross the mighty Burdekin River between Ayr and Home Hill.

Mount Inkerman south of Home Hill is a short, very steep drive with incredible views over the cane fields to the coast – the mouth of the Burdekin River is visible. The vegetation is an unusual mix of dry bottle tree vine scrub with kapok trees and spiky tussock grasses.

Sunset from Flagstaff Hill in Bowen before our last stretch of road into Airlie Beach for the night.