Maggie Thatcher and crocodile smile on the Bloomfield

The concrete slab decking has been fully installed. Drilling to anchor the 1 metre blocks has been in progress for over a week now. Importantly,the drillers’ work still allows plenty of room for vehicles to pass safely.

The Track from Cape Trib to Wujal Wujal, however, is still pretty awful with small boulders at Collins and Thompsons Creeks slowing down 4x4 travellers to a crawl. Just keep gritting your mouthgards, book the physio and hope that Cairns Regional Council is able to start maintenance work soon.

Cairns Council informs us that the CREB Track is also now open, so this provides a serious 4X4 option for people travelling from Daintree village.

At the top end of the Track, the Cook Shire has gone all out to make sure the road between Cooktown and Wujal Wujal is presentable to traffic, and it was in pretty good condition last weekend. They are also working hard on the road out to Archer Point, so it is becoming less harsh on tyres!

This week’s happy travellers along the Track are Russell and Roseanne Wolf from Christchurch.

Russell pointed out “ the scenery is reminiscent of the West Coast of the South Island, which we love, but the green, lush growth along the Bloomfield Track, and the leafy tunnel-like avenues are breathtaking.

“Then the contrast and diversity as you get up towards Cooktown is brilliant. Suddenly, you’re travelling ondusty red roadsamong eucalyptus trees.

“The Black Mountain is awesome. It looks like a big coal dump left over as a legacy from the Maggie Thatcher era in the UK”.

Well, I hope that Maggie isn’t offended by the comparison! We certainly aren’t, Russell. But then again, the Iron Lady always gave her opponents that big crocodile smile!

Around here,winter also brings out the best in our local crocs, as they look for sunny river banks and even rocks to warm themselves…and smile.

The Bloomfield River is undoubtedly the best spot in the whole region for the passing motorist to see crocs in their natural state. There areat least three vantage points, including;

• On the sandy bank at low tide at the river lookout on the Bloomfield Track from Cape Trib
• From the embankments or the Boat ramp on the Bloomfield River drive from Wujal Wujaltowards Ayton
• Lying on a warming rock on the other side of the river about 60 metres down from the Wujal Wujal waterfall, during the day or even late in the afternoon – rocks keep their heat for a long time!

So, take your cameras, but don’t even think about swimming in the Bloomfield River.

Always plan your travel with a tide chart. This weekend and the next week will see low tides in the middle of the day, which will give great colourful scenery and beach access.