Port Douglas 2013 - Wildlife Habitat

Wednesday was overcast and windy but still warm so we went for a 6 km walk along the beach. It was high tide so the amount of sand was greatly reduced. Much of the sand was covered with multi coloured leaves, pieces of coral, drift wood, palm fronds and coconuts.

Some had blown down during the night but many had also arrived via the waves.  

In the afternoon we went down to the marina to check out the Wednesday market with a variety of stalls – a smaller version of the Sunday market. We had a vanilla ice cream from the Vanilla Australia stall – very tasty.

At 5.25 we met Shannon from the Wildlife Habitat and with one other person went on a night tour of the sanctuary. It was brilliant. We saw a variety of birds including jabiru (James and Jabba and their offspring), a cassowary, herons, magpie geese to name a few.

We also met owls and a pair of tawny frogmouths.

 One of these, Audrey, sat on my arm for a time.  

We walked through enclosures feeding wallabies, meeting an emu, viewing eels and crocodiles and flying foxes. There were also frogs, the opportunity to meet a python and view koalas and a quoll. Wandering around the enclosures in a group of three with a guide viewing the animals as they went to sleep or woke up was a great experience.

Port Douglas 2013 - the beach

On Tuesday we walked along the path and road along the headland and then back through the park to the main street. 

Later in the afternoon we walked for a couple of kilometres along the far end of the beach. As it was low tide the size of the beach had expanded considerably with a large expanse of mudflats and sand bars now visible.

It was windy so some took the opportunity to fly kites and kite surf.

Port Douglas 2013 - Mossman Show

On Monday we spent a couple of hours at the Mossman Show.

There were lots of rides for different age groups and daring,

carnival games

and show bags were available.

 It was all very colourful and reminded me of the carnivals that used to appear in parts of Australia each summer in the 1950s.

There were three pavilions – one holding caged poultry and birds, plus guinea pigs one day, one with exhibits from community groups and local artists and the third showing projects undertaken by children from surrounding schools plus exhibits of items submitted for judging.

Exhibition items included vegetables and fruit, flowers, cakes and photographs, some of which had won awards.

Other community groups, particularly essential services, had tables outside.  It was very much a community festival that ran for two days.

On the oval a group of riders were putting horses through their paces.

Other activities listed on the sheet of paper we received on entry included a motor bike demonstration, a demonstration of blacksmithing and fireworks. Cattle were also judged at the show.

Back at Port Douglas, after a swim we walked to the park to watch some of the vessels return from the reef and also a group of kayaks, two sponsored by the Court House Hotel, training.