![\"\"](\"http:\/\/cewilson.offroader.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/Paluma-trip-089.jpg\" "\\"Paluma")
<\/a><\/p>\nIt isn’t long before you starting climbing up through the rainforest. You can feel the temperature drop quite substantively and it was a welcome relief for us. Approximately half way along the road to Paluma you come to an old bridge built in 1933. It is quite the feat when you consider where it is and what tools they would have had available back then.<\/p>\n
The beauty of this spot (other than history) is the river and falls. Also there are toilets; tables and BBQ available to use which would make it a great lunch stop. I think from memory it was called Little Creek or Little Big Creek – something like that anyway. But if you’re traversing the road there’s no way you will miss it.<\/p>\n Climbing out of the car we headed down the old pavement steps which lead under the bridge. The rock pools are perfect for the kids to have a play, and it’s not a bad soak for us bigger kids either. There are steps built in to the surrounding rocks to enable access to the various falls in the area.<\/p>\n Dragging outselves away from the (very) cool dip, we continued climbing up to Paluma itself. There is a great little lookout which gives views across the valley and on to the coast. Unfortunately due to the fires it made for some poor photographs which was a shame – but I suppose it is fire season up here at the moment.<\/p>\n We set up at the park to make some lunch and the kids had a good play. I noticed that there was information about Lake (Paluma) I think, were there is camping alongside the lake itself – it doesn’t look to far out of town. It did state that there was a fee – I’m hoping it isn’t too much!<\/p>\n Either way it gives me a good reason to go back with the camper trailer anyway – it’s close enough to get there on a Friday afternoon and it’d make a great weekend destination I’m thinking.<\/p>\n Packing up from lunch I jumped into the passenger seat and enjoyed the ride back down the hill to the Bruce Highway where we started. We turned south back towards home, but pretty much took every turn to the left to check out the various coastal towns. All of them had their small attractions, but ‘in my opinion’ nothing to really attract 4WDers.<\/p>\n Arriving back near home we decided to go and have a play. Mitch drove the first half up to the top of the hill. Taking over we started exploring to see what was around. I managed to give the Prado a good little work out, especially in the ‘articulation’ stakes.<\/p>\n On the last obstacle of the day we bent the passenger side step back onto the rear left tyre. Jammed it in good! I couldn’t do anything about it at the time due to being on a decent downhill section – I was in reverse heading down there. I managed to cut the plastic part off of the end of it, but the three brackets underneath are severely damaged. Guess I’ll be looking at making something a tad more substantive soon.<\/p>\n Overall it was good to get away from home and to explore the area a little. The majority of today was on the blacktop, but I can thoroughly recommend the road through to Paluma. It’s one bitumen road I don’t mind at all.<\/p>\n The day was rounded of nicely when my eldest decided to drink an egg raw – don’t know why he decided to, but I needed photos for his 18th!<\/p>\n Cheers P.S – the powerline trails in this area suck!!!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I’d had enough of work and setting up house, so the fridge and recovery gear were thrown into the Prado and we headed north out of Townsville. About 60km’s out of town we turned inland heading towards Paluma. It isn’t … Continue reading <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nChris<\/p>\n