Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival

Many months ago I was surfing with a mate Tony and mentioned he was keen to go to the Laura Festival in June up on Cape York.
June and I thought it might just be good timing, something I had always wanted to see.

Turns out the timing was absolutely perfect, an event that only happens every couple of years was on in Cape York, right when we were planning to be there. Just an hours drive from Cooktown and we knew we were on the Cape, it was 32 degrees, sunny and sandstone escarpment overhung the savannah woodlands. Just looking and you knew that every crag had hidden gallery of rock art, and they did!

The festival set up was really welcoming and family friendly, a drug and alcohol free event meant that everyone was relaxed and free to just enjoy the culture. With about 4500 people attending, there was every variety of camping set up amongst the savannah woodlands of the festival site. Whole communities made the trip from the  most remote Islands and outstations on the Cape as this is the biggest thing happening for 2 years. Plenty of grey nomads and a few other travelling families in camper trailers set up next to us so the kids had heaps of fun too.

Split Rock Art Site overlooks the Laura Festival

The dancing was amazing, with each community or island represented by a dance troupe who would perform their traditional dances accompanied by drums, clapsticks, didgeridoo and singing often by the elders. The diversity of culture and dance was extraordinary, the Torres Strait Islanders were distinctly Melanesian with their feathered headdress and intricate masks.

Amazing masks show the Melanesian
origins of the Torres Strait Islander culture

Torres Strait Islander dancers from Bamaga 

Blowing the giant Conch Shell to
announce the dancers

The aboriginal communes from Arakun, Pomperaaw and Coen were amazing, with the whole community involved, from toddlers, kids, teens, adults and of course the elders. The continuity of culture is given a huge boost with each community preparing for months, referring to the elders for the right songs and dances to represent their culture. Over 3 days it was the most extraordinary celebration of each unique culture, similarities were apparent amongst some dance styles of neighbouring clans but the diversity was very apparent in the songs and language.

I will let the photos tell the rest of the story.

The Wet Wet Tropics

Its one of Australia’s greatest destinations, and for good reason. There is the Great Barrier Reef, the mountains and the rainforest, the sugar cane, but… The thing the tourism industry doesn’t want to highlight is the rain. All that rainforest and sugar needs water and it comes from the sky, regularly! After about 2 weeks of showers, with occasional rain highlighted with downpours it felt like we had journeyed to a different planet when we hit the northern end of the Bloomfield Track to be drenched in sunshine!

Of course a little rain didn’t stop us at all. Touring around from Mission Beach we checked out Paronella Park, an extraordinary castle and gardens built in the rainforest in the 1930s. Now its a bit of ruin but perhaps even more stunning now the rainforest is taking over. 

A trip out to the Great Barrier Reef was essential and we enjoyed some good conditions for snorkelling. Charlotte was straight in to it and Aurora was slow to start but soon excited to be snorkelling around the coral. There were some huge giant clams, probably over 100 years old. 

The time in Cairns was not wasted either, with shopping, repairs, washing and reorganising to do. A mystery hole in the trailer water tank was located and repaired, a major service on the Toyota and we were soon ready for the next stage of our journey.

Crossing the Daintree River we headed up to Cape Tribulation and an awesome came on the beach. It was low tide and so the beach was wide and flat, perfect to get the bikes out. Exploring the beach on a bike with rainforest one side and the reef the other was one of those incredible experiences that has you grinning from ear to ear. Of course the rain returned for our last wet night under canvas for hopefully some time. Driving the Bloomfield Track these days is usually pretty straightforward, but after a fortnight of rain we discovered it still keeps you on your toes. Descending the Donovan Range the dirt road had been cut up to a slick of deep sloppy clay so we were in low range 4WD and taking it easy. However the weight of the trailer started pushing the vehicle forward and without any traction there was no backward pressure to engage the trailer brakes. The Toyota started slipping sideways and heading in to the ditch with the trailer threatening to jackknife, a gentle correction and we were ok for a few seconds before we started to slip sideways to the opposite side. The only option left was a touch of throttle and drive through it, this did the trick of straightening the rig out, but it was still long and sketchy descent through the clay before reaching the firm gravel beyond.

At the North End of the Bloomfield track is Wujal Wujal and Cedar Bay National Park and the remote rain forested granite peaks of Mt Finnegan, Mt Boolbun South and North and some steep and wild country. I had been lucky to spend a few months waling through the backcountry of this region in 1991-92 when I Ied a geology survey group as part of and ANZSES Expedition, sort of like Outward Bound for scientists. Pulling in to the Lions Den Hotel at Helenvale I was pleased to see that the place had retained is original pioneering architecture (i.e. its a corrugated tin shack). The roads are much improved now so there was plenty of traffic, back in the early 90’s it was very much a backwater. This time I did enjoy a great cultural experience as as one of the few New South Welshmen in a crowd of rabid Queenslanders’ for the second State of Origin match. Great to see everyone get to together, from Aboriginal Countrymen, Grey Nomads, Miners, Truckies and randoms like me, heaps of fun.

Video Blog - Fraser Island

With plenty of technology and occasionally time on our hands, i have had a crack at the multi-media thing. Will keep working on it as we travel. A great time on Fraser Island over few days looks something like this!

Jirribal Country

Heading north again we suffered a slightly traumatic trailer park experience.
We broke the journey with a stop at a van park that we thought the kids might like. Unfortunately we discovered we were in an outer suburban wasteland of Townsville on Saturday night, and a block away they had outdoor karaoke with a high powered sound system. In between the noise of the highway and and train line, it sounded like the Karaoke carousers were right next door! Lisa was thrilled to hear every mangled note of the midnight finale, half a dozen voices joined in a drunken rabble's version of "That What Friends are For!".......



Thankfully, we soon made it a couple of hours up the road to Tully where were privileged to have very special cultural experience in the rainforest with friends, Sonya and Doug Jeffrey. They are proud Jirribal Aboriginal People, traditional owners of the rainforests and mountains of the Tully region. We drove deep in to the Misty Mountains, up the Tully Gorge to a rainforest camping area and our first night highlight of Barramundi cooked with traditional flavours of bush Ginger and Candlenut leaves. With no-one else around, we were camped in  World Heritage wilderness with only the sounds of the river and the birds to remind us where we were.

The day began with watching a Platypus paddle around a large clear pool in the river. These amazing creatures are so elusive I have never been able to snap a good photo of one, the gloomy rainforest light saved this platypus from the paparazzi and accidental fame on social media. Later hearty breakfast was interrupted by a young local, Bubba the Cassowary who want to see what we were up to.

A walk in the rainforest with Doug was great eye opener, learning of the sophisticated understanding the Jirribal have of their rainforest home. I have spent time on country with many Aboriginal friends, but never in the rainforest and not with a guide so passionate and committed as Doug. He is an educator and just wants share what he has learned about his country. For the girls it was awesome to be able to experience culture with such a friendly and hospitable host. 

You can check out their tours at http://www.ingan.com.au

Later we were joined by Sonya and her Dad Ernie, whose encyclopaedic knowledge of the rainforest was based on both millennia of traditional wisdom and a lifetime of hard work in the forest and mountains. We talked about treks and ways that we could share the Jirribal experience with others, hopefully this will evolve in to a trek based on Aboriginal knowledge of the rainforest.

In the evening we drove out in to the rainforest with a spotlight hoping to find some of the more elusive nocturnal species. Hanging off the back of the ute in driving rain, bouncing down a bush track  with a spotlight, I didn't have much luck spotting wildlife, but it was a great flashback to the old field trips and biodiversity surveys.

After an awesome few days in the rainforest we cruised down to Mission Beach and a few days of camping with constant showers and gusty trade winds. We did manage a few bike rides between rain squalls, at least I felt better off that the sea-kayakers out on Hinchinbrook Island with our friends Dave and Atty at Coral Sea Kayaking. It was great to catch with Atty again after decades of working together. While we were having a cuppa, Dave called in from out on the water, and despite the grim conditions the sea-kayakers were doing well and had safely made it to Goold Island.

The best thing for us to do in the rain is get on the water, so we returned to Tully to join Ingan Tours agin for a kayak expedition down a rainforest creek. Caroline Grant is another Jirribal Aboriginal guide who share her love of the country with as we paddled through the fun little rapids. Big smiles from Charlotte and Aurora after a great day on the river. (Some good video to come!)

Back in time

After coming off Fraser island, we had bit of time in 1770 and Agnes Waters, north of Bundaberg and South of Gladstone. Its a classic little coastal town, development is happening but it hasn't taken over yet. Of course with a name like 1770, there is a little bit of history about the place. For me it its not a good history - as the last time I visited was in 1996 as crew on a yacht and it was our last port of call before being shipwrecked on the reef offshore of Gladstone. Not a great memory of the place!
It was great to come in with the family and create some new memories of a really lovely spot on the Queensland Coast.

There was no surf so I thought this was a great chance for the girls to try and catch their first fish. I had just cast Charlottes rod and was getting Aurora sorted when Lisa mentioned she thought Charlotte had become tangled. I went over to check and soon realised that the tangle was actually alive and putting up a bit of a fight. Soon after Charlotte had landed her first fish, a 60 cm Flathead, close to 2kg that fed then entire family!

Charlotte didn't want to do any more fishing after that! Perhaps its knowing it will be hard to beat, or maybe dealing with a large a spiky fish looking at her!
Tastes really good baked in foil with garlic and butter.

We also had a great bush walk out to the headland, and were surprised by the masses of butterflies in the rain forested gullies. An unexpected delight. Like all the Queensland North Facing Points, its also a stunning location at sunset too.

After a few great nights, we continued north, trying to take in some of the big distances, we chose to aim for a free camping site off the Bruce Highway near the town of St Lawrence. This small and struggling rural township has elected to attract some visitation by opening the show grounds to free campers - and they come, in droves! There were close to 50 vans, campers and tents in there and the combined extras probably more than doubled the populations of St Lawrence. Most were were grey nomads enjoying the low-cost lifestyle. It was cold overnight but for some reason we were out of bed before dawn and enjoying the walk to the nearby wetlands.

Another awesome surprise - a mini kakaadu to ourselves at dawn. Thousands of Magpie Geese, Whistling Ducks, Black Swan and Kangaroos frolicking in the wetlands in the dawn mist. Worth the chilled fingers!!

Fraser Island

Fraser Island is probably one of those places where it all started for both Lisa and I, that is a love of travel and wild places. Some time in the late 80's, we both got to have a 4WD adventure on Fraser Island with our families. This was probably an important time in Australian travel, when regular families just went out and explored destinations because it looked good. There was not the same need for all the right gear, just did it - with whatever could be hired or borrowed.

Now Fraser Island is just as important, if not more so - because the experience has not been diluted or dumbed down. From approaching the Inskip Point Barge across deep soft sand, you are either ready for it - or you don't even get there! The sense of space and openness as you drive up on 75 Mile Beach is remarkable. Its a cross between an open road and a 4WD obstacle course. I remember at 17 years old I was allowed to drive the Troopie on the beach and I hit Eli Creek at speed and everyone in the back almost ended up on the front seat, not a mistake I wanted to repeat.

Despite the Islands size and sense of space, you dont get it to yourself. Our visit coincided with the annual Clean Up Fraser Weekend, when all the 4WD Clubs come to the island and get involved in looking after their favourite destinations. This involved many hundreds picking this as their extended long weekend on Fraser, and a good choice too, the weather and conditions were perfect. 25 degree days, light winds - even good surf! But I chose not to surf -  surfing point breaks on Fraser on your own just isolates yourself as the largest and tastiest bait for the largest and hungriest fish. Despite hundreds of people on the Island I did not see a single human in the ocean! There were good overhead waves peeling from Indian head and Waddy Point, yet no one riding them. There is a good a reason!

All credit to the Queensland 4WD Clubs. While some of their fraternity were easily identified by maroon singlets, tremendous girth and outstandingly equipped off road vehicles, they were a friendly community and environmentally minded bunch. Well done Queensland! A successful community environmental event.

We also noticed we did not see a single Dingo in 5 days, yet decades ago they were always hanging around. Agin I credit an excellent awareness campaign by QNPWS to ensure Dingos are not fed or encouraged by visitors. Successful i would say as Dingo appear to have lost interest in Human activities - a good result for humans (especially kids) and for dingos!

We had so much fun on Fraser island we have recorded some of the awesomeness.  A youtube vid will be forthcoming soon as the fish the fish stop biting!!