September 2018 - Tropical North Queensland

We came to Queensland to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef (pictures here), and spent the next day doing some hiking in the tropical areas doing some hiking. Our goal was to see wildlife, and in particular two iconic Australian endemics: the platypus and the cassowary.

We went to the town of Yungaburra in the evening, which has a creek where platypus are sometimes seen. After 30 minutes or so of quiet looking, it was our lucky evening! We saw 3 platypuses. They are extremely cute, and much smaller than I'd expected.

The next day we went to Mt. Hypipamee, where we found some endemic birds, and then visited a few waterfalls before ending the day at Etty Bay. Cassowaries are occasionally seen at this beach, but no such luck for us. We did have a fabulous encounter with a laughing kookaburra that had just caught a frog, and so it did end up being a great stop.

This is what we're here for!	A false alarm with a turtle	Another turtle
This is what we're here for!	A false alarm with a turtle	Another turtle
Our first platypus sighting! Success!		A second platypus
Our first platypus sighting! Success!		A second platypus
	The sun setting in Yungaburra	The Milky Way was so clearly visible up there
	The sun setting in Yungaburra	The Milky Way was so clearly visible up there
We spent the night at this old church that has been converted to a studio apartment	Inside the church	The boardwalk trail to the curtain fig
We spent the night at this old church that has been converted to a studio apartment	Inside the church	The boardwalk trail to the curtain fig
The curtain fig	A grey-headed robin - endemic to Queensland!	An Atherton scrubwren - endemic to Queensland!
The curtain fig	A grey-headed robin - endemic to Queensland!	An Atherton scrubwren - endemic to Queensland!
Us at the curtain fig	A group of sarus cranes in a field around the corner	A flock of magpie geese
Us at the curtain fig	A group of sarus cranes in a field around the corner	A flock of magpie geese
I love this message: Your safety is our concern, but your responsibility	The Mt Hypipamee hike	The Mt Hypipamee crater
I love this message: Your safety is our concern, but your responsibility	The Mt Hypipamee hike	The Mt Hypipamee crater
A waterfall	Another gray-headed robin - Queensland endemic!	A pale-yellow robin - endemic to eastern Australia
A waterfall	Another gray-headed robin - Queensland endemic!	A pale-yellow robin - endemic to eastern Australia
	A pale-yellow robin with a spider web on its face. Poor thing!	An Australian golden whistler
	A pale-yellow robin with a spider web on its face. Poor thing!	An Australian golden whistler
A female Australian golden whistler	The incredible view looking down from the Tablelands	A laughing kookaburra - another Australia endemic
A female Australian golden whistler	The incredible view looking down from the Tablelands	A laughing kookaburra - another Australia endemic
Millaa Millaa falls	At the falls, an Australian brushturkey - another Australia endemic!
Millaa Millaa falls	At the falls, an Australian brushturkey - another Australia endemic!
Zillie falls	A gray-headed robin in the forest while hiking to Zillie falls	Ellinjaa falls
Zillie falls	A gray-headed robin in the forest while hiking to Zillie falls	Ellinjaa falls
Etty Bay		The beach is full of sand bubbler crabs that create small balls of sand while eating
Etty Bay		The beach is full of sand bubbler crabs that create small balls of sand while eating
	The sand bubbler crab responsible for it all	Another laughing kookaburra!
	The sand bubbler crab responsible for it all	Another laughing kookaburra!
Caught a frog!	He spent a while tenderizing the frog by wacking it against the log	The closest we got to seeing a wild cassowary
Caught a frog!	He spent a while tenderizing the frog by wacking it against the log	The closest we got to seeing a wild cassowary