Finally a summit shot!

The 4th October saw me in Townsville to visit my brother and family. 

Townsville is dominated by a 286 m, granite monolith, overlooking the city centre. I've long wanted to have the opportunity to add my name to the many, who have hiked its 'goat track'. The alternative is via the road or other more gradual routes.

We set off at 6am, as this is tropical Queensland and temperatures and humidity quickly rise. Alas, Townsville, like much of Queensland, is suffering from drought conditions, so the rising sun had to pierce the dusty skyline.

 Rowes bay, summit shot.

Magnetic Island view.

2 days earlier I had walked the length of Rowes Bay.  I was delighted to spot my 1st Rainbow Bee Eater bird with its distinctive tail.

The spectacular Curtin Fig Trees along the foreshore, brought welcome relief from the mornings very hot, humid conditions.

Although the midmorning light was not great for photography I did enjoy snapping Magnetic Island.

Below is my final destination of Pallarenda Beach, looking back to Castle Hill. I would have liked my swimmers with me at this point - sad to think that in a month's time, unless you have a full body suit, swimming is too dangerous, because of the marine stingers.

Baby summit - Little Crystal Creek. 

On my final day, my brother took me 60 k's north to drive up the Paluma Range, visiting Little Crystal Creek Falls, the town of Paluma and the Paluma dam and camping area. As we turned off the highway to climb the range, I was excited to realise that this was also known as Mt Speck. All visit, I had been trying to recall the name, as I had been told some 50 years earlier, it was a wonderful cool area to escape to from Townsville, to beat  the heat of summer. So very true.

Little Crystal Creek Falls

  View from the top of the range.

Another summit

 A most unusual sign to spot, as Australia became metric in 1968.

 Finally, the War Memorial section of the Townsville cemetery. My sister-in-law's Grandfather was  curator of this cemetery and Michelle told me how it was her backyard, when visiting her Grandparents as a child.

I've not previously seen a goanna crossing sign.

                                       

Thank you for visiting.

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