Pat & Kurt’s Cobbold Gorge Visit April 2016

Pat & Kurt’s Cobbold Gorge Visit April 2016

We set off by car about 9 am to drive the 500 kms from Cairns to Cobbold Gorge 

travelling through the sugarcane fields to the Gilles Highway 

that took us up the steep and windy range to the Atherton Tableland.

We had a light early lunch at Ravenshoe and then continued on the Kennedy Highway through the picturesque Atherton Tableland to Mount Garnet. From there, the famous Savannah Way continues via the Gulf Developmental Road to Mt Surprise and then onto Georgetown. From Georgetown, we headed south to Forsayth. Of the 42 kilometres of road between Georgetown and Forsayth there are only 14 kilometres unsealed, with a further 43km of formed gravel road from Forsayth to Cobbold Village. 

This gravel road is maintained by the Etheridge Shire Council from Forsayth to the front gates of Cobbold Gorge Village.

We arrived at 4 pm and after checking in with the friendly Kellie we made ourselves at home in our Station Suite in a block of 4 units, with shady timber verandas and split-system air conditioning, 

these semi-self-contained suites each have a toaster and kitchen sink as well as a flat screen TV, bed light, bar fridge and tea/coffee making facilities.

After having a drink on the veranda we headed off to the pool for a relaxing swim. We were so lucky as the season had just commenced and there were only about half a dozen other guests

Guests have access to a range of accommodation options and modern facilities and conveniences to ensure an enjoyable stay while they discover one of the rare natural wonders of Far North Queensland. Some of the facilities are:-

Private, air-conditioned ensuite cabins.

RV and caravan friendly camping area with clean and a well-maintained kitchen, bathrooms and laundry amenities.

Gas and wood-fired barbecues and fireplaces

Basic groceries, supplies (including ice) and souvenirs sold on site

Wireless internet access

Restaurant open for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as snacks during the day

Fully licensed bar

Swimming pool with deck area and outback Queensland's first swim-up bar!

Marked bushwalking tracks

We had a few drinks in the late arvo on the veranda and enjoyed a western sunset and were serenaded by the Kookaburras and other birds.

After a shower we headed down to the bar for a pre-dinner drink at the well-stocked bar overlooking the pool.

We enjoyed a very delicious home style cooked meal in the dining area adjacent to the pool in the evening. 

The clear night sky gave us a fantastic view of the Southern Cross and the other stars as we ate our meal.

After a big day of travel we called it an early night about 10 pm.

Tuesday morning we woke early and went for a walk to take some photos before we made some brekkie. 

We had cereal and made some toasted ham and tomato sandwiches, washed down with a coffee.

At 9.45 am we assembled at the reception area for the day tour, again we were very lucky as there were only 5 guests on the tour.

 This 4 hour tour allowed us to venture further into the sandstone escarpment, viewing towering sandstone arches and fossicking for agates. 

 

Learn about the history of the area, including a visit to the grave of pioneer John Corbett, before enjoying a relaxing boat cruise through Cobbold Gorge.

Cobbold Gorge was created by a series of geological processes. Sand and mud sediment was deposited on what was then the ocean floor until eventually layers built up to be more than 10 kilometres thick. Movement in the Earth’s crust caused the sediments to compress, forming the Hampstead Sandstone. Further movement caused the sedimentary rock to fracture. Torrential, wet seasons over many years spilled torrents of water through the narrow fractures, creating deep gorges and permanent springs and seepages.

Minor movement in recent times (estimated to be 10,000 years ago rather than millions!) have contributed to the formation of the lower reaches of Cobbold Gorge as it is today. The gorge itself is unique as it narrows to a mere 2 metres in places, and is set amid rugged sandstone formations occupying an area of about 80 square kilometres with spectacular, 30 metre cliffs. This narrowness indicates that Cobbold Gorge is the youngest known gorge in Queensland today. Evidence of the geological processes are clearly visible. The guided tour provides visitors with an unforgettable insight to an ancient geological story which continues to unfold each day.

Steve our tour guide did an excellent job and with his detailed knowledge and personality made it a fantastic tour as we walked through the bush and the boat trip through the Gorge.

We had a mid-arvo BBQ and used the Camp kitchen facilities to cook our steaks, snags and onions. Boy oh boy what a great feed it was.

We went back to the cabin and I had a nanna nap while Kurt went canoeing out on the lake.

After getting cleaned up we had a few sunset drinks on our veranda before going down to the resort bar and dining area for drinks and dinner.

Tonight we both had a Chicken Schnitzel, OMG what a huge meal; thank goodness Kurt was there to help me eat the chips and some of the vegies.

I must say the dinners on both nights were delicious and great value for money. 

Lyn and Kellie provided excellent and friendly service. They even doubled up as photographers for us. Actually all the staff we met were very friendly and very helpful.

We called it a night about midnight after Kurt cleaned me up by beating me 3 games of checkers to nil.

Wednesday morning we had some cereal and toast for brekkie before packing up and calling in to Forsyth for coffee on the way home.

It was so funny as we got heaps of dust caused by a cattle road train we had to follow on the way out over the 43 kilometres of unsealed road to Forsyth. We found a tap and hose in the park at Forsyth so Kurt washed the car to remove the thick coating of dust.

After a look around this small western town we had a great coffee at the pub before we set off for the 5 and a half hours back to Cairns.

We stopped at Mt Garnett for a picnic lunch in the park and then visited the local little museum. As we headed east we started getting rain and the closer we got to the coast the heavier the rain got.

We headed north when we got to the Atherton Tableland and came down to Cairns via the Kuranda Range.

Just as we arrived home at 5.30pm the heavens opened up with a tropical downpour. It was great to relax and have a special drink at my Papaku Crows Nest Bar.  

In summary it was a great trip to a fantastic and most interesting outback resort. Thanks again to all the friendly staff and especially Kellie. Lyn and Steve who made our stay most enjoyable.