WEDNESDAY 9 SEPTEMBER     WONGA BEACH

This is our last day here, and I am quite sad about it.

We drove up to the Daintree Village and looked through the wood gallery and other shops. John bought a small piece of turning conkerberry for $2. It comes from Hughenden – not a tropical timber, but definitely one from the open savanna woodland country.

Refuelled at Wonga – 70cpl.

Did some pre-departure preparations – took down the awning roof, packed away the outside furniture.

We went and had a final happy hour with C and T. Had quite an extensive chat with them about their “new” life, caretaking here. T says the only thing that worries him about the laid back life style here is the prospect of a tidal surge or tsunami from a cyclone. The idea of strong winds do not concern him, but big waves do. I can see why – the campground is at the level of the beach. T pointed out the narrowness of the coastal plain and lack of roads to get away from the coast. Hmmmm, yes – do see his point. He cited the 1899 cyclone, a Category 5 one, that wrecked the pearling fleet in Princess Charlotte Bay – the coast near Silver Plains – where the tidal surge was over 40 foot high and reached 5 kms inland ! A scary thought.

Tea was pumpkin soup I made earlier in the afternoon, then pasta with garlic crumbs.

To farewell us, on this last night, it rained.

Tomorrow, the van will move on, for the first time in three months. It too must be feeling like this place is home! Maybe when somewhere starts to feel this comfortable, it really is time to move on? But the mountains and the coast here really are magic. It has been great. Coming to this park was such a fortuitous accident.