Day 14: 30/8/25, Mt Surprise to Cairns.
Day 14: 30/8/25, Mt Surprise to Cairns.
Today we continue our journey aboard the Savannahlander to Cairns. Whilst the trip would normally terminate in Cairns, unfortunately a bridge is out so the train will drop us in Mareebra and a coach will take us back to Cairns. We knew this when we booked but felt it was still important to support the efforts of the great people who keep this train operating. Maybe at some point in the future we will be able to do the final little bit.
Anyway, today's journey begins in Mount Surprise. One thing you do notice is that there are rails lines going in all directions along the currently use-able section of track and in it’s heyday the rail system out here must have been incredible.
Myriad of lines leaving the Mt Surprise rail yard.
The Brahman cattle watch our progress with curiosity
Termite Mounds (just a sample, some are much bigger)
Termite mounds are everywhere out here and out train drive come tour guide gave us a great talk on the much maligned Termite. It turns out that there are about 35,000 species of termites in the world and very few of them like wood (just the ones that eat our houses).
Of the 350 or so species in Australia, only 2 or 3 eat wood, the rest eat grass and other organic matter, providing food and shelter to a number of our native species. For instance, some birds nest in termite mounds, goanna's lay their eggs in termite mounds and many other animals such as echidna's and even some wallabies have adapted to be able to break into the mounds and eat the termites.
This bridge doesn’t look much better either but we actually cross this one
Here it goes
Group photo on the Sandy Tate River {I think, one of the Tate Rivers}(Day 2)
{Photo compliments of Will, Savannahlander driver and all round entertainer for the journey}
These are station horses not Brumbies, there are very few Brumbies up here and any found are removed
Male and Female Cycads who’s ancestry dates back 10’s of thousands of years
These are the steel sleepers
Returning the rail “key”, we have now entered the modern computer controlled rail system
Our drivers/ guides are very entertaining and have extensive knowledge of the area and it’s wildlife. Both are dedicated wildlife carers and mainly concentrate on the less desirable creatures such as snakes, lizards and even the occasional spider rather than the relatively adorable ones such as baby wallabies, although they get those to occasionally.
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