Day 13 – Cooktown to Chillagoe

I set off early – back up the hills I’d come down yesterday, then on to Mareeba. There I filled up with petrol and sent a text to Brett to tell him I was about to plunge into the black hole of Optus non-coverage and should be with him in 2 hours.  Who is Brett? He is a friend of Kay and Hannah and is a ranger with the National Parks in Chillagoe.

It was quite a good road most of the way but degenerated into gravel at odd moments. But it was good gravel! I got to Chillagoe and went to my cabin that I had reserved the day before. It was basic, very basic. The lady who managed the reception was the sourest person you could wish to meet – never cracked even a smirk never mind a smile!

She directed me to the camp ground and told me to go round the big tree to my cabin. The campground is covered by very big trees so after circumnavigating most of them I came to a cabin the had a number on like mine, I moved in.

Then I went off to meet Brett which I did, then back to the cabin for a bite of lunch before driving out to the cave that I was going to tour with Brett as guide. This involved a short drive out of town then met up with the rest of the party - seven in all. Brett told us about the geology of the area and then led us into the cave. It was vast and fascinating. We all were given torches and at one point we switched them all off – total blackness, not a glimmer of light. I can imagine how horrific it might be to be stranded down there. I made sure to keep up with the party!

After the cave tour I went back to my cabin, wrote up the story of the caves and lost it somewhere, then went down to the pub where I met up with Brett and we went off on a tour of some of the tracks around Chillagoe to old abandoned mine workings and the sort of roads that I was glad I was in Brett’s car! We then picked up Amber, Brett’s wife, and went up to their sunset spot up a hill and into an overhang looking out over MMBA. Watched the sunset with a few cold beers and then went back to my place where we had dinner. It was surprisingly good and served by the woman who still didn’t smile. A very enjoyable day.