Wallaman Falls to Digger Creek Rest Stop
Distance Travelled - 185 km
After waking to a very cloudy and slightly drizzly morning I got organised and was at the falls by 7 am. Unfortunately the falls were completely enveloped in cloud, so much so that you could not see the waterfall from the lookout as I had done yesterday.
I went for a quick walk and then settled back into the car to read and listen to music while I was waiting for the cloud to clear. Got out several times to go and check the viewing of the falls only to find each time it was still covered by cloud. I spoke to a ranger on one of these occasions and he was not hopeful that the cloud would clear at all today given the forecast wind direction.
About lunchtime there had been a wind change and the view to the falls from the lookout was clear so I grabbed my camera and water bottle and began the trek down to the base of the falls. It was a steep but relatively easy path to follow on the way down and gave way eventually to a quite spectacular view of the water coming off the fall and crashing into the pool below.
The climb back quite was significantly more strenuous and I between a few brief showers, the humidity and my sweating from being so unfit, I was thoroughly soaked by the time I reached the top. I dried off as best I could, changed shirts and went up the road to the National Park campsite that I was unable to camp in last night as I hadn't booked or paid. There was no one there at all when I got there so I sneaked in and made use of the cold shower to freshen up and de-smell from the sweaty walk up from the falls.
By the time I had finished it was nearly half two so I headed out of the park. On the way down through the very winding road (makes the road to Aunty Jan and Uncle John's look almost straight) I spotted one of the elusive Cassowary birds. It had just finished crossing the road when I came around the corner and it was standing just inside the line of bush. I stopped and tried to take a photo without getting out of the car or disturbing it and managed to get one, not very clear shot, on the Olympus camera before it disappeared into the bush.
Continued down and into Ingham where I was able to post the blog before heading off towards Innisfail. Got as far as Digger Creek, maybe 35 km from Innisfail, before the feeling of tiredness dictated that I pull over for the night, about 5.30 pm. Found a spot to park in the already near full rest area and got things ready for a night in the car probably, given the look of heavy clouds and a light but steady rain falling already.
Tomorrow I will continue through to Innisfail and then head off towards the Millia Millia Falls along with a few others and then head round on the Kennedy Highway towards Cairns and Mossman.
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