The final day of our trip up to the tablelands was also busy and fun. The kids learnt a lot as the first thing we did (once we had finished cleaning our cabins) was head to Malanda where we stopped off at the Malanda falls and reserve. There is meant to be a range of animals there including platypus and tree kangaroos (although we didn’t see any). We really enjoyed walking around the rainforest walk as each forest we’ve been to is quite different from the next. This one was full of fungi (I love me some fungi to photograph!).
This was outside the falls area.
From there we drove up the road to do a tour of the ‘Dairy Farmers’ Milk Factory. We weren’t sure how much it would be but again, this turned out to be one of the cheaper options for families in the area. The cost was $30 for a family of four and you get a tour plus a milkshake (worth $4.50) each at the end. We weren’t allowed to take photos inside the factory but we got to see how they make the bottles (and recycle the ones they need to), bottle the milk, make mozzarella cheese and then wandered back over to the cafe next door for the milkshakes.
We all had to put on gumboots (unless we had closed in shoes on already). This is myself and my Mum.
The great part of this tour was that the kids got a follow on from the previous day when we had visited a dairy and watched how the cows were milked. That farmer sends his milk to this particular factory.
After lunch we headed off back towards Cairns but had two more stops along the way. The first was back to Lake Barrine to show my brother and sister in law the tea house. The second was to see the Cathedral Fig Tree on the edge of the Tinnaroo Dam area. This one was much bigger than the Curtain Fig Tree we had seen a few days before.
After this we all headed back down the very winding road that is the Gilles Highway.
What a great four days it was, very memorable and somehow we managed to an awful lot but still relax and sit still. Each place we visited we took our time, wandering, sitting, looking, exploring and enjoying. I love living in Australia where we have such a varied landscape and I have the opportunity to see God’s creation by stepping outside our door.
