Well this is our big summer holiday, or should we say... winter holiday. Even after being in Australia so long it is difficult to get your head around the fact that the seasons are the opposite. Monday will mark our half way point to the time we leave Australia... how time flies!
We have finally went up to Cairns (pronounced Cannes to Aussies) in north Queensland to see the Great Barrier Reef! Thanks to the Hylands, our trip was a great success! It was also lovely to meet other exchangees on our journey.
On the evening when we arrived we did a Reef teach class.
It was a 2 hour presentation with a marine biologist talking about things we would see on the reef, how to identify them and what things to be careful for while we are out. We learned some interesting stuff like the mistakes in the movie ‘Finding Nemo’. Had Nemo’s mother had died, his father would have turned into a female. It seems as though from the discussion, that tourists are not bad for the reef, as long as they remember to take only picture and leave only bubbles. The recent increase in people that have come to the see the reef has brought about an awareness to the preservation of it. Until only a few years ago only 3% of the reef was protected, now it is 30%.
On the evening when we arrived we did a Reef teach class.
It was a 2 hour presentation with a marine biologist talking about things we would see on the reef, how to identify them and what things to be careful for while we are out. We learned some interesting stuff like the mistakes in the movie ‘Finding Nemo’. Had Nemo’s mother had died, his father would have turned into a female. It seems as though from the discussion, that tourists are not bad for the reef, as long as they remember to take only picture and leave only bubbles. The recent increase in people that have come to the see the reef has brought about an awareness to the preservation of it. Until only a few years ago only 3% of the reef was protected, now it is 30%. The reef is the only living entity that can be seen from outer space... I really have to check this out now on Google Earth.
Warming temperatures of the ocean and its bleaching effects on the coral is another story though... Watching the Live Earth Show today is reminding us of this.
We had to wait until the weather conditions were right to do the reef ... but there was plenty to keep us busy in the Cairns area. We decided to take the scenic railway up to Kurunda as everyone suggested. From this we got a lovely view of the rainforest as well as these lovely falls . 
The shops in Kurunda were interesting. There was lots of aboriginal art and some beautiful photography by an Australian Photographer Peter Jarver.
To get back we took the skyrail. This was a gondola ride for 7.5 km over the rainforest… beautiful. I tried not to look down too much because at times it almost reached 40 m high… somehow I survived.
On the drive up to Cape Tribulation, we passed a lot of sugar can fields. Tom stopped to get a picture for you to get a perspective of how big these canes grow... not much of a snack.
In the Cape, we went on a river cruise tour in the Daintree rainforest. We saw 4 crocs bathing in the sun.
In the Cape, we went on a river cruise tour in the Daintree rainforest. We saw 4 crocs bathing in the sun. 
We also visited an Organic Exotic Fruit farm. We tasted lots of interesting fruit and learned about permaculture. My favourite fruit was a soursop, otherwise known as a custard apple, smooth creamy and sweet. It would make excellent shakes. The kids liked the breadfruit and pommelo. We enjoyed the campground in the Cape and interesting people we met from around the world.
We walked the beach and went on a hike around the campground and learned about the mangrove. The roots of these trees are especially designed for the saline conditions of the tropics. When the tide comes in, and it is the wet season, the trees remain stable.
We were told that the tide going out washes organic matter back into the sea to feed the Great Barrier Reef. Nature looks after itself.
We were told that the tide going out washes organic matter back into the sea to feed the Great Barrier Reef. Nature looks after itself.We got this great shot of Jocelyn at the campground, and could not resist to put in on the blog
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.Well we should post this so we will have room for the next photos.
Send us your photos. We would love to see them.
Ta for now,
Ginette. Tom, Avery and Jocelyn
