The road south

After spending a night in Cairns visiting my mother and her husband Jock, we drove south, first passing through the southern suburb of Woree where we noticed the screen of the old Drive-In Theatre, still standing but abandoned. The screen was surrounded by high grass, broken bottles and a vandalised projection building with the ruins of the old cafe still there.

 Almost a scene from a war zone if it was not in a prosperous suburb in one of our most well known tourist centres. But surprise surprise, the screen has not been touched, I wonder why?

Just to bring back a few old memories we drove in and parked the car. I may not have been in the back seat of an FJ Holden but I could still see John Wayne riding across that screen with a hundred hostile Indians in hot pursuit. Not that we went to watch the movie back then, but that is another story from a time long ago.

Back to reality and we continued south until we drove into Cardwell. On our left, out to sea I could see the magnificent Hinchinbrook Island. A few years ago I walked  with the Three Troop Trekkers from the northern tip of Hinchinbrook to  the most southern point on The Thorsborne Trail .

 Walker's talk of the Overland Track in Tasmania being the jewel in the crown of Australian bushwalking but it has nothing on the Thorsborne Trail.  Fantastic beaches backed by high mountains with fresh water streams and waterfalls cascading to the coast. All this plus the best camp sites in the most pristine locations on the track. This is the old jetty that the ferry used to leave from before they moved to the new resort just south of Cardwell.

Cardwell is famous not only for being the departure point for the best walk in the world, but also for its meat pies. You have not eaten an Australian pie until you have tried a Jess's Pie.

 I was here once buying a pie and while waiting in line (you have to wait in line to buy a Jess's Pie) a truck driver was heard to remark that he was lining up for his fourth pie before heading north in his overloaded truck. I was pleased we were heading south.

 The pies are really good so do yourself a favour and always stop and buy a Jess's Pie. The beach on the other side of the van is a great place to eat it and wish you were over there on Hinchinbrook walking the Thorsborne Trail.  (Jess's pies are not available on the trail)