North Queensland (19-25th November '06)

After the wedding we headed north to Cairns in tropical north Queensland for a week. The birdwatching was fabulous but once again the hotel curse struck and I was brutally savaged by a posse of angry bedbugs on the first night. We were moved ok though and the hotel shouted us dinner at a nice restaurant so it was almost worth the few days of itching. Well no, not really!

Cairns esplanade - top spot for waders when the tide is right

Coastal mangrove forest

We spent most of our time up on the Atherton Tablelands above Cairns which was nice as the temperature and humidity is noticably more pleasant up there. Once you pass through the rainforest, it opens up into farmland with the occasional wetlands and open woodland.

Atherton Tablelands

Mareeba wetlands

Cairns botanic gardens

We also managed to get out to the Barrier Reef for a day for a spot of snorkelling (as well as the nesting terns!).

Michaelmas Cay - Great Barrier Reef