Hartley's Crocodile Adventures - Our day with the Crocs!

Hi Everyone!

So thought while I had a chance when the kids and Trent are having a rest that I would blog some more. We had a great day at Hartley's the other day, feeding and having our photo's taken with the crocs! Kids had such a wonderful time. Pheobe said her best part of the day was feeding the chicken to the croc's, Maurice said the whole day was great!
When we arrived we went to see the Croc feeding show. The keepers told us lots of useful information about crocodiles in general, them some more info about some of them in Queensland and then of course some more info on all the ones they had in their park. Pheobe and Maurice both had a chance to throw some chicken to the croc's, Maurice's didn't quite make it over the fence, so Pheobe gave him a helping hand. Next we went on our boat tour around the lagoon that was man made and designed for the croc's. It had 19 in total, 4 males and the rest female. It was mating season so we also saw some of the 16 nests built up around different places in the lagoon. We managed to see their biggest croc who was Ted, he measures about 5.4 meters, so rather LARGE! The tour guide was really good telling us again lots of cool info about the croc's. We even found out that when an egg is laid its neither male of female and it's temperature in incubation is how the sex of the croc is determined.
After some lunch we went and had our pic taken with an 18month old croc. Pheobe even held him by herself which she is very proud about. Next we took the farm tour. Here we went and saw all the croc's that they breed each year! They go and collect the eggs from the nests as soon as they are laid, incubate them at the right temp that they desire to have male or female crocs (they mostly have males because they grow quicker of course!). Once hatched they put them into completely closed tanks for a year where its dark and nothing can attack the little buggers! Next when they are old enough they go into purpose built pens that's where they stay until it's time to have them made into belts, purses, keyrings and anything else. They also grade the skins, a little like wool classing I guess! When the man who took the tour got one of the crocs out for everyone to touch, he didn't have anything to keep it's jaws shut, so I gave him my hair tie, this did the trick!
After this we went to the snake show, kids got to see a venomous snake and learned a little about fist aid when it comes to snake bits etc... They also saw a python. The man who did this show was very good and seemed a wealth of knowledge. Last but not least we went to the croc attack show. We saw the keepers with a pretty big croc who went over all the things we learnt through the day about crocs. They got the croc to demonstrate the notorious death roll and head shake, this was pretty good. Pheobe and Maurice were very impressed.
Overall, a great day and the kids had a fantastic time. If you ask Pheobe what a croc is called they are called crocodylie!
I don't have the pic's on our camera of us holding the croc's because that's how they get more money out of you, they have to take the photo! I do have some of the other photo's so I will add them on now.

Maurice with his head inside the croc's mouth!

Pheobe patting the croc on the farm tour with tour guide Tom!

The snake show.

The croc attack show

The death roll

The end of the croc attack show

Pheobe & Maurice sitting at the croc feeding

A croc

Another croc

Pheobe throwing out her chicken to the croc

Maurice doing the same

Pheobe now doing a bigger throw of Maurice's chicken to the crocs

Good head shot!

The kids behind the bars

Out on the Lagoon a croc jumps out

Another croc in the lagoon

Pheobe with her head in a crocs mouth

Pheobe and Maurice riding a croc!

There you have it, our day with the croc's!
Until the next blog, hope everyone is well and we can't wait to catch up when we get back.
Cheers,
The Guye Gang! xo

Last few pic's from trip back down the cape.

Hi Everyone!

These are just the last few pic's that we took coming back down to Cairns from Cooktown. Just at the start of the Bloomfield Track from the Cooktown end is this Pub called The Lions Den. It's a really cool pub, full of history. It's one of those pubs that you want to go with your friends for a big weekend on the turps! Ken Duncan has a puzzle out with a pic of inside it that I will try and purchase one day too. Anyway, here are a couple of pics we took.

Krista just at the entry to the Lions Den.

Some of the inside of the pub.

This is the bar!

An area outside.

This is a river crossing that we did on the Bloomfield Track before heading up into the Daintree.

This sign was photographed especially for the Mason Family!

Kat, Mas and Tayla - Mas, Trent tried to see how hard it would be to get it home to you but it proved too trying, esp. when the traffic was going past all the time!!!! At least you have the photo!

This was just a quick & cute pic I took of Flick on our bed this morning that I thought we would share with everyone. Don't get her hair up too often, so it's nice to show a pic with her hair done.

We have managed to get the car in for a service today, so just waiting for the call to pick the car up. Have got some more washing done, did the car seat covers too.

Anyway, that's all the news for today and I will blog again when there is more to tell.

Cheers! xo

Our 'Quick' trip back down Cape York & Cooktown.

Hi everyone!

So what do I mean by quick trip - Trent bolted for home like a horse! We drove from 8.15am until 7pm in one day. 820km's, most of it over the corrugations that you have to drive over to believe how HUGE they are! We drove from Loyalty Beach to Cooktown in that time. Caught the Jardine River Ferry and our first stop was at Bramwell Station for fuel and a snack. Next we hot tailed it Archer River Roadhouse for lunch, it was 1pmish by this time. We originally thought that we would only make it here for the day but because we knew we could get further, we decided to keep going. We drove through Coen and decided to keep going from there. On to Musgrave Station where we stayed the first night, we needed to get more fuel, it was 4pm. Trent and I looked at each other and because we knew the sealed road wasn't that far away, we decided to keep going after getting the kids a drink and letting them have a little run and toilet stop. The kids were being soooooo good, the DVD player helped too! On to Laura, we had made it to the sealed road by 5.30pm, we called the caravan park at Cooktown and booked in. It was a strange feeling not to hear the bumps, but all we could then hear was all the rattles and new noises that the car was making!!!!!
We arrived at Cooktown Big4 in the dark at 7pm. Did a quick set up, had a bite to eat and then showers and bed by 9pm for everyone. We made it!

The next day we had a day of RNR. The park was really great. We did our own tour of Cooktown. Up to the lookout, a really great view. Down along the river/esplanade. The kids had a play in the musical ship. We also had a look up and down the main street, had a cuppa in a cafe.
  Back at the park we had some lunch by the pool where the kids had a ball for a few hours! They are becoming fish I think! By about 3pm we went back to the camper and they all had a sleep for a couple of hours. I blogged, Trent checked out the car and all the red dust and even the bat poo we scored on the car that we can't seem to get off!!!
Anyway, had showers and then went to a restaurant on the jetty for dinner. Great food! Back to the Camper and into bed.

The next morning we had breaky in the camp kitchen, packed up and we were on our way! We decided to take the Bloomfield Track, just for something different. Climbing the mountains into the Daintree. Another couple of creek crossings here too. Anyway, we made it into the Daintree and stoped for an early lunch at a place along the track. Back onto the sealed road and we caught the ferry across the river. We then drove the coast road back to Cairns. WE DID IT!!!!!!!
So, yesterday afternoon was spent cleaning out the camper trailer and as much red dirt that we could get out of everything we had taken with us! Washing was also done. Had takeaway for dinner, we were all so very tired.
 Today we took the camper to the car wash before taking it back to the place we hired it from. The lady was very happy that we brought it back nice and clean - or as clean as you could get it. I don't think you could ever get rid of all the red dust no matter how much you tried! Did some grocery shopping, back to the van and shopping away, lunch, mopped the floors. Flick went down for a sleep, Trent, Pheobe and Maurice had a swim in the pool. I've been blogging as much as I can to catch up.
For dinner tonight we made Taco's in the camp kitchen. Trent has also this afternoon cleaned out the car so that tomorrow we can try and get it serviced and cleaned and detailed. The poor car, I think the corrugations really took it's toll on it. Hopefully not too much damage when we get the bill for the service I guess!

Back across the Jardine River Ferry.

Going across the river in the car on the ferry.

The long and dusty and corrugated road!

Some more locals on the road that we have to watch out for!

A road train!

A big 'Tonka Truck'!

Yet another Local!

Pheobe at camp in Cooktown.

Flick at camp in Cooktown.

The view from the top of Cooktown

Another view

This is looking over Cooktown itself.

Out to the East.

The Lighthouse at the top!

Krista, Pheobe, Maurice and Felicity at the top of Cooktown.

Flick, Phe and Maurie.

Trent, Pheobe and Maurice

Krista, Felicity, Pheobe and Maurice.

The James Cook statue in Cooktown.

Trent with James Cook!

Pheobe playing in the Musical Ship.

The Musical Ship.

Maurice playing in the musical ship.

Pheobe and Trent in the pool at Cooktown Big4.

Maurice and Trent in the pool at Cooktown Big4.

Having a great time in the pool.

Well that's about it for the Cape Trip everyone! I do have a couple of pic's that I haven't loaded on to the laptop yet, but when I do I will be sure to post them on for you to see.

Hope everyone is well,

Love the Guye Gang! xo