Walkamin

Dear Family and Friends

We are now camped in a caravan park at Walkamin. Its a small town pretty much in the middle of Atherton and Mareeba. The park caters for grey nomads and although it's is now past the busy season there are about 25 - 30 vans here. They have a sign up at the entrance saying "no tents" and there are no children here also. There is a huge shed here that allows large groups of people to gather. In the shed they have a huge open fire (which we had going last night as it cooled down a bit) with a variety of single chairs and lounge chairs surrounding it. There are the normal things that you find in a camp kitchen, plus they have the largest array of books, puzzles and games that I have seen in any van park (probably because people come here for a week and stay three months). The chap behind us came for a month and stayed for 4 years. He got a job picking avocados and is now a surperviser.

The night before we left Mt Surprise a couple we met who live in northern Queensland told us about this park and recommended it for a long term stay. Our intention had been to go to a freeby at a War Memorial Park just a few klms down the road where they allow you to camp for 72 hours only. Our neighbours at Mt Surprise (Steve and Sonja, Bob and Nyari) also intended on coming to this spot so we knew we would meet up them again. Because we didn't stay there (and it was a great spot) we went back late on Sunday afternoon to see them and tell them where we were. They've now joined us here at Walkamin and like us they are thinking of making this a long term stay. If you book for a week it costs just $105 so that also makes it a great spot and they have the cleanest toilet and shower blocks we have yet seen on this journey.

There is just so much to see and do around here. Cairns is about an hour away, the Atherton Tablelands are here to explore, there are forests, gorges, waterfalls, dams and lakes. There is also the Kuranda Scenic Railway as well as The Sky Rail. There is a butterfly sanctuary, a bird park, Koala and other aussie wildlife sanctuary and the Hartley Crocodile farm is up this way too as is Paronella Park.

We are thinking that we might drive up to Cooktown (without the van) and stay in a cabin for a couple of days so that we can have a look around there.

This last weekend we noticed that the Rotary Club were hosting a venture called "The Taste of the Tablelands" So on the way home from church on Sunday we found a parking spot not too far from the entrance and decided to take a look. All stalls and produce were local (44 in total) and there was a range of stalls ranging from goats milk soap to doggy treats to Indian, Thai or Greek food sensations to nuts, wine, dried fruit, jams, honey and much, much more. This is its second year and well worth going to. Parking was horendous as it usually is with events like this. We think this was probably the main fundraiser for the local Rotary Club and it looked to be a huge success.

That's about it for now so I shall say goodbye untill next time.

Love to all and God Bless.

Ken and Lyn