Jean Muriel Falls

This was a 12km Sunday jungle walk with Colin and Jean Wilson, after whom Colin named the falls. Also Norms Falls. This may have been our first walk in our new Blundstone boots from TGT in Mareeba.
We started on the Maalan Road east of Ravenshoe, crossed a paddock and into rainforest, marked by Colin with his distinctive black and white tape.

I remember Buckinghamia celsissima flowering above the rainforest canopy in this area south of Ravenshoe.

Fishery Falls

Wednesday 22 August , 2001. This walk was led by Bluey. We climbed up the rocks in the creek above the water intake. It all got a bit dangerous. Bob Lewis and Marie pulled out. Others on this walk included, Sue, Noel and I, Noel's niece Linda from Gordonvale, the weather man and his daughter, Trish Vievers, Pat Gillespie, Karen?, Sue's friends from New Zealand, Kevin Hayes, the pilot guy.

 

The photos below were taken by Kevin Hayes with his digital camera and downloaded from his website.

Bluey

unknown, Sally, Linda

Pat Gillespie, Sally, Bluey

The water intake

Zig Zag track from Topaz

Wednesday 11th July 2001. Towalla Pocket and Zig Zag Track, TOPAZ. Features: views, goldmining, historic rainforest track. Leave: 7.00 am. Standard requiremens, high gaiters, leech repellent. Grade is moderate. Length is long, 15 km. Duration: all day. Track type: foot track and cross country. Contact Ian HALLS on 40937490.

Despite the early start, 6.30 at Sue's, I was keen to do this one. I wore panty hose to protect from leeches. We started at the end of the Topaz Road and walked out toward Broken Nose.

About 12 of us Ian, Noel, Sue, Steve from NZ, Brian, Steve Kilpatrick, Keith Halfpapp [57^th birthday], Jo, Marie [?], Trish Veivers, Pat Gillespie and another plump girl. We started walking at 8.20 and got back to the cars at 4.50. A long day. I ran low on blood sugar before lunch and struggled home, helped with barley sugar and glucose donations, but no leeches got me. It was a good walk. In future I must take high energy food and have a high energy breakfast instead of light healthy food.

no photos

McKenzie Falls

Wednesday 27th June 2001. MCKENZIE FALLS, Ravenshoe area, Features: cliffs, waterfalls, swimming holes. Leave: 8.30 am. Standard requirements. Grade is moderate. Length medium. Contact Sue SODA on 40922283.
It was wet and cool on the Tableland for this one but I was keen to get back after missing the previous one to Stannary Hills, while we were in Melbourne. I forgot to take leech repellent and tried to ignore them but after great self control for nearly the first week I started scratching and ended up with some nasty sores on the back of my legs. Pat Gillespie wore panty hose and did not get any. It was a good walk but a bit slippery. We had smoko above the falls then climbed around above them, descending to the Millstream which bent around the spur and returning up the other side of it. A nice variation of vegetation as we went. The views were limited by the weather.

Smoko - We climbed up to our left and followed the river down that side across the top of the photo. The third photo on this page shows the view looking back at the falls below here.

smoko and slippery rocks

looking back towards our smoko spot

I surprised myself by following the boys and leading the way for the girls across this log. Bob Lewis, 

Kellie Lewis [unrelated], Noel Brooks.

View back up the creek on our way back

Wooroonooran National Park

Wednesday 30th May 2001. PALMERSTON section, Wooroonooran National Park. Features: rainforest, waterfall-swimming hole, wildlife. Leave: 8.30 am. Standard requirements, togs. Grade is easy. Length is long, 11 km. Duration: all day. Track type: good track, creek crossings. 

Contact Karen LYNCH on 40517209 or Gillian FORSYTHE on 40551441.

This was Betty's 60th birthday which we celebrated at lunch at the Henrietta creek campground.

In the morning we walked to Wallacha Falls where we had smoko, 

then across the creek above the falls and along to Tchupala falls.

Looking back at Wallacha Falls.

 

Tchupala Falls

Nandroya Falls

Lower Nandroya circuit

top of Nandroya falls

Hann Tableland

Wednesday 16th May 2001. HANN TABLELAND. Features: views, old hut, waterfall, swim. Leave: 8.00 am. Grade is easy/moderate. Length is medium, 8 to 10 km. Duration all day. Track type: cross country, undulating. Contact Kathy KILPATRICK on 40954536.

Kathy, Bob Lewis, Sandy Keate, Sue Soda and her sister?, Noel Brooks, Trish Veivers, Pat Gillespie, Kelly and Jan Lewis, Kevin Hayes, Gillian Forsythe, Hilde, Angela? Marie, Pedro?, Daniel and Maurice Mitchell, Phil Murray

 Phil Murray came on this one with me. I told him about the club at May Day Regatta.

 

Bob, Sue and Kathy going down the creek from the hut for lunch

 

the creek slid down between these rocks.

 

Lunch spot looking east down the creek towards Black Mountain over Southedge dam

Lunch - Bob, Sandy, Trish, Pat, Kelly, Kevin, Gillian, Marie, ?, Jan, Sue, Hilde, Kathy

Mt Aunt

Wednesday 2nd May 2001. MT AUNTY, west of Mareeba. Features: easy climb, good views. Leave: 9.00 am. Standard requirements, 1 smoko and lunch, secateurs. Grade is moderate. Length is short, 3 to 4 km. Duration good half day. 100m climb, maximum elevation 1000m. Track type: cross country. Contact Blue and Faye on 40954037.

We ascended from the farm at the north end and walked along the top.

Smoko looking towards Mt Uncle. Lotus Glen prison and Walsh Bluff.

looking northwest to north across Arriga. Next photo is further north

north towards Hann Tableland.

Lighthouse Rock

Lighthouse Rock stands up on a hill to the west of Mt Molloy. This was my third walk with the club.
Wednesday 18th April
LIGHTHOUSE ROCK, Mt Molloy. Features: huge monolith, orchids, views. Rifle Creek crossed at beginning of walk. Leave: 7.30am Standard requirements. 3 litres of water. (May be deep creek crossing at start of walk.) Grade is moderate. Length medium/long. Duration all day. Track type:cross country. 
Contact Kathy KILPATRICK on 40954536
Eleven people on this walk, lead by Ian? Sue Soda and her sister Claire, Betty, Trish Veivers, Kevin Lennox, Bob Lewis, Noel Brooks, David [a visitor from near Oxford in England], Jan Lewis from Kuranda.

I think the photos are of my last walk in September 2003

Silver Valley

The next walk, a fortnight later, was to Silver Valley, on the road south from Herberton toward Innot Hot Springs.
Wednesday 4th April
SILVER VALLEY area. Features: old mines, rocks
Leave: 8.00am Standard requirements.Grade is moderate/hard. Length medium 5 to 6km. 
Duration to mid-afternoon. Climb 300m. Track type: old road and cross country. 
Contact Sandy KEATE on 40933993About 15 people on this walk. Sandy, Kathy Kilpatrick, Bob Lewis, Kelly and her Mum, Faye, Sue, Noel, Trish Vievers, Bernice, Betty,

Faye, Sue, Gillian,

My first walk with Tablelands Walking Club

Wednesday 21st March 2001
SPILLWAY LOOKOUT up to lookout onto Tinaroo Dam Spillway and back down (circuit). Features: good views, dam and surrounding hills. Leave 8.30am :Standard requirements (may need wet weather gear). 1 smoko and lunch. Grade is moderate. Length is medium 6 to 7km. Duration: good half day. Climb 200m. Track type: tracks and road. Contact Blue & Faye on 40954037.About 15 people on this walk. Bob Lewis from Mareeba, Kelly Lewis and her Mum, Jan from Kuranda, and I were all newcomers, Blue, Faye, Sue, Noel, Trish Vievers, Bernice, Betty, ..

We celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary at the sailing club with Sue and Peter Soda who we had been talking with at a rep play[?] the previous week. Sue had previously done a sailing course so we gave her a go on our laser. As a result of this, I joined her for the mid week walk on the following Wednesday. We had always been interested in the Tablelands walking club which had started when we were in Innisfail.
My first walk was led by Bluey and Faye and we started from the north side of the dam wall, climbing to a lookout then descending to the Barron River below the dam for lunch.
Other first time walkers included Bob Lewis from Mareeba, so we joined Sue and Noel Brooks in car sharing from then.
I also knew Trish Veivers from junior tennis.

Barrabadeen and Platypus, looking up Danbulla arm of Tinaroo from above the wall.

The sailing area of Tinaroo Dam when full.

Lunch on the Barron River below the dam. Sue Soda and Trish Vievers. 21 March 2001