As we wrap up 100 days of road tripping north from Melbourne, Victoria, to Cooktown, Queensland, we’re reminiscing about all the experiences and all the places we’ve stayed. As I wrote the latest edition of our newsletter ~ Thru the Garden Gate ~ I found myself smiling at the fabulous AirBnBs we’ve stayed in. Of course, the actual accommodation is really only part of the experience. It’s also the location and the people who make it wonderful.

These are a couple of my favourites:

“Critters” at Gleniffer, NSW.

This little cabin is secluded from the main house, a tiny oasis in a rainforest. The kitchen has the most basic of basics, but the bed is gorgeously comfortable, and the bathroom is spacious and includes a washing machine.

The environment was most compelling. Outside the kitchen door was a nook where you could sit and eat or indulge the swing seat and watch the birds in the rainforest. The hosts are particularly knowledgeable about the breeds which visit ~ we saw both a male and a female Bowerbird ~ and the other animals that frequent the property. The airbnb is located just a few minutes drive from Bellingen, NSW.

“Tropical Joy” at Wongaling Beach, Queensland.

Our one “long stay” was a town house in the Mission Beach area of Tropical North Queensland. Located almost midway between Cairns and Townsville, this townhouse was originally going to be the host’s main home so it was beautifully kitted out.

Two bedrooms, two lots of outdoor seating (front patio and upstairs balcony), air conditioning and fans throughout, with a tiny front yard completely enclosed by tall hedges and parking ‘out back’, this complex of 6 units also came with its own pool.

The host is fabulous, the townhouse is located across the road and down a short pathway to the beach, and the locals are super friendly!

We’ve learned about Dinosaurs in Australia and witnessed people working on fossils from 95 million years ago. We’ve indulged in fabulous dinners at the Australian Hotel accompanied by favourite Aussie Rock Songs from ‘back in the day’. We’ve explored this little town and checked out all the tourist attractions (except for the Opal stuff) ~ David had a fun time at the Musical Fence and did an impromptu ‘concert’ on the drums!

We loved, loved, LOVED the opportunity to Indulge Sunset ~ in 3 different locations! And, we loved seeing brolgas and bustards and lots of kangaroos and birds, in their natural environments.

Huge thanks to Boulder Opal Motor Inn for our stay. It feels like home, right now! Fabulous to meet Lovely Annette!

So, the ‘head’s up’ scoop about the town:
– the Australian Age of Dinosaurs is expensive but worth the investment; do the 3 tours and sit for a while in the cafe space … the outback is really quiet.

– if you want to know about Waltzing Matilda, check out the fabulous display in the Waltzing Matilda Centre … and grab a coffee at the Tuckerbox Cafe (really nice people and lovely environment).

– Do allow yourself a little bit of time to “play” at the Musical Fence attraction! It’s quirky and a lot of fun (especially when you watch your husband play ALL the instruments!).

– Arno’s Wall is a must see: a long fence made of stones and old pieces of machinery ~ my description won’t do it justice, you need to see it for yourself.

– We’ve checked out a bunch of cafes: the Bakery is fabulous and simple (as is the way with country bakeries), but not open on Sundays; the Lost Poet Cafe is a gorgeous space to sit and read or have coffee inside, not overly fabulous food; the Musical Fence Cafe … I don’t recommend at all (unless you are in need of breakfast and a space to work and are a bit desperate); Tuckerbox Cafe is great!

– Go for a drive out to Bladensburg National Park: wow, just wow! We saw kangaroos (grey and red, which surprised us); amazing landscape; had discussions about what the area would be like in flood (there are flood warning signs everywhere); spent a lot of time In Awe of just how incredible the outback is.

– Watch the sunset from a variety of locations: the WINTON sign, on the road to Longreach; the WINTON WAY OUT WEST sign, on the ‘other side’ of town; and drive out to the lookout on the road to the Australian Age of Dinosaurs ~ AMAZING!

Thanks for having us, Winton!

This is the guide we found that offers a LOT of fabulous self-guided drives in this area: Great Tropical Drive PDF.

We decided to do a ‘short’ tourist drive: Mission Beach to Tully and back again (route #10 if you look at the pdf), focusing especially on Tully Gorge.

Like most of this area, the foliage is lush, the clouds are low on the mountain tops, and the scenery is stunning. The Tully River is filled with rapids and interesting rock formations, and winds its way through breathtaking canyons.

There are some great scenic lookouts but there is also a LOT of bush and trees that block views. Tully Gorge Road ends at a hydroelectric power station, so the drive is one way in and one way out. Definitely worth a look, though!

By the way, did you know that the Kareeya Hydroelectric Power Station has the capacity to generate enough renewable energy to power 70 000 homes – a year?! Mind-blowing how a river can be beautiful and incredibly useful at the same time.