Cairns and district trip - photos galore

[Walter John]

Moving on north just outside Mareeba, I noticed one home with a lovely palm garden so naturally I took a couple of photos.

Many species to see here, I don't know these people but I think I'd like them.

[Walter John]

Finally down from the tablelands, I stopped on the way back to the hotel and checked out one of the Northern beach spots of Cairns, this being Machan's Beach.

It's all about coconuts man, oh, I think I've said that already.

my new avatar

Here at Machan's beach, the residents leave their own outdoor furniture on the public area between road and beach, very nice touch I thought.

[ariscott]

Wal,

You were having fun, weren't you? Now you understand why I go there almost every year. I would move there, if there are decent job for me (that pays as well) . But then, now I get to like Darwin. Even though, things don't grow as well, the people are superb here.... very multicultural in the true sense... Nobody cares about your background, because there are so many people from different background. My kind of town :).

Regards, Ari

[Walter John]

Okay, I'll finish off with a sunrise pic from the hotel and return tomorrow night with our Monday morning last outing for the trip at the Flecker botanical gardens with Mikey plus some pics from Mikey's garden including some beauties in the shade house.

Thanks for viewing, your comments/questions are welcome, I'll get Mikey to answer them :lol:

[Daryl]

Lovely photos Wal, you certainly had that camera working overtime!

Makes me want to head north again..truly God's country! (or at least as good as it gets in Oz)

Daryl

[ariscott]

If you are heading north.... you should keep going... You will reach Darwin eventually :).

Regards, Ari

[Walter John]

Lovely photos Wal, you certainly had that camera working overtime!

Makes me want to head north again..truly God's country! (or at least as good as it gets in Oz)

Daryl

Maybe I'm trying to match the Costa Rican threads Daryl, not sure, just a thorough road test of my new camera I suppose, and yes, God lives there still, I saw him and passed on hellos from the ratpack, sorry Ari, but I did hear that he pops over to Darwin once every couple of years for a look see.

[Rusty on Pine Is.]

Nice new avatar, Wal...sorta epitomizes the palm lifestyle.

Thanks for the great pics.

Rusty

[SubTropicRay]

Nice photos Wal. Cairns is a wonderful place. I was amazed at the flying foxes that emerge at dusk. Some are as big as an old DC-9.

[OldNed]

Great pix Wal!

For anyone planning on a visit to that part of Tropical Northern Queensland, here are a few must-sees IMHO:

Flecker Gardens...North end of Cairns. Amazing place! The only tropical botanic garden in Australia-great for birds and the palms and other plants are wonderful

Cairns Esplanade...One of the best and well-known birding destinations in the Southern Hemisphere-Thousands of Shorebirds and more

Atherton Tablelands...Endless photo ops

The drive from Cairns to Port Douglas...This coast road is one of the world's most scenic-Two World Heritage areas side-by-side

The road from the Daintree Ferry up to Cape Tribulation ...Wow! (good place to see a Cassowary)

...and for the serious Palmophiles_

Helga's Nursery ...on the Mossman Mount Malloy Road off the Capt. Cook Highway north of Port Douglas. Just a small local plant nursery (sign on the road near Julatten) but around her carpark are 20 or more multi-branching "King" Palms...probably Archontophoenix alexandrae

Here's a few of Helga's branching Kings:

I grabbed a few seeds...have a few 3-foot next-generation palms growing here on Merritt Island. Helga said they begin branching at about 10-15 feet tall. She got her seeds from a branching palm in another place in Queensland-about 20% of the offspring branched.

[ariscott]

What about George Brown botanical garden???? We are tropical too

Regards, Ari

[OldNed]

What about George Brown botanical garden???? We are tropical too

Regards, Ari

Ari,

Sorry about the slight...this is from a Cairns Tourism website:

Flecker Botanic Gardens

Edge Hill, Cairns

"Welcome to Flecker Botanic Gardens, the only wet tropic botanic gardens in Australia. At Flecker Botanic Gardens, we..... "

Oh, I get it...."the only wet tropic botanic gardens in Australia."

Flecker used to advertize as "The only Tropical Botanic Garden in Australia"

Some info from Oz lists Darwin as being in the "Seasonal Wet Tropics" or the "Wet/Dry Tropics" (?)

I should have remembered the series of postings by Wal and others with all of those great palm pix from George Brown.

Never been to the Top End....my next trip to Australia will include Darwin

[Gbarce]

Happy anniversay Wal.

Looks like you really went nature tripping!

You have live in a beautiful country with an abundance of natural treasures. Its nice to see that its all set up for you to enjoy.

Love the sunset (or are those sunrise) silhouette shots. That curtain ficus is eye popping.

Say "hi" to the wifey.

[Walter John]

Happy anniversay Wal.

Looks like you really went nature tripping!

You have live in a beautiful country with an abundance of natural treasures. Its nice to see that its all set up for you to enjoy.

Love the sunset (or are those sunrise) silhouette shots. That curtain ficus is eye popping.

Say "hi" to the wifey.

Thanks Gene, posting fleckers pic tonight, Brisbane time.

[Walter John]

Righteeoh then, we're now into day 4, the final lap of a terrific short holiday. I rang Mikey up and asked if he would be kind enough to be our guide to the Cairns Flecker bg and he said, "nah, piss off Wal, I'd preparing some fresh roadkill for breakfast". Actually , that's not entirely true, he was great and came along and poured his expertise out without fuss. I picked him up and off we went to what is arguably the best small tropical garden in the universe. Quiet Ari, Darwin's in the big class okay .

This was my second visit to these gardens and I only wish I could remember all the palms in the following photos, please help out Mikey or Clayton or anybody if I get it wrong etc.

Enough of that crap, photo time, here we go after sneaking in from the side gate, Mikey showing his cards early:

General pic:

Donna looking splendid in purple next to one of her favorite plants, the Crows Nest fern.

[Walter John]

Licuala cordata with both regular whole leaf and the very rare split leaf form.

That's Mikey with Donna discussing plants apparently.

[Walter John]

Massive Attalea looms in the background here.

Me and the man at a Latan

Licuala peltata var sumawongii (must find the pic of me in the same spot 4 or 5 years ago)

[Walter John]

Next we entered into Calyptrocalyx territory, not sure on the species, sorry.

Pic one

Pic two

Is this a Welfia perhaps ?

[Walter John]

Arenga undulatifolia fruit, I wonder if anyone's interested in this harvest

More Calyptro red

Kerriodoxa leaf

[Walter John]

Happy as a pig in mud is Mikey next to a trail of Calyptrocalyx with Kerriodoxa overseeing.

Silver Joey palms were fabulous as usual.

Was this Dypsis amboza ?

[Walter John]

Physokentia dennisii showing spectacular shades of green.

Can you ID this one ? And while you're at it, what's the one to the right of the dennisii ?

[Walter John]

ID guessing time again

Large cone

Caramel leaf

Hanging claws

[Walter John]

Here's a lovely open area edging up to a spectacular jungle wall with tropical trees of all families and species

You may never see taller Wodyetias than these anywhere else in the world, absolute monsters.

[Walter John]

Speaking of monsters, check out these Metroxylon mothers. Mikey and I for perspective at a very spiny Salacca as show on the Spiny thread by Daryl.

Areca ipot is an attractive palm, I've killed mine in the past but am willing to try again, here's a row of ipots and a close up of the fruit.

[Walter John]

Now look very closely to these two very famous palms. Their story is palm legend.

Cyrtostachys are a dime a dozen in Cairns but you gotta love 'em just the same.

Large Pelagodoxa

Tall Calyptrocalyx albertsiana showing off her wares.

[Walter John]

One more post before I retire for a spell, this can be exhausting.

What could be better than a bunch of lipstick palms ? having a few tall Areca catechu cv alba form palms in fruit next to them, that's what.

Orchid house time

[Walter John]

do you want more ?

[calyptrocalyx&licuala freck]

Licuala cordata with both regular whole leaf and the very rare split leaf form.

That's Mikey with Donna discussing plants apparently.

Hi Wal,

There not L.cordatas Wal, thats L.orbicularis and I won't tell

you what Donna told me about you while you where

taking the Picture.

Cheers Mikey

[calyptrocalyx&licuala freck]

Next we entered into Calyptrocalyx territory, not sure on the species, sorry.

Pic one is C. "sp" 'Owe' (elegan's variation) and

Pic two is C. polyphyllus. keep them coming Wal

I'll leave a few for the guessing game.

Cheers Mikey

Pic one

Pic two

Is this a Welfia perhaps ?

[calyptrocalyx&licuala freck]

Happy as a pig in mud is Mikey next to a trail of Calyptrocalyx with Kerriodoxa overseeing.

Silver Joey palms were fabulous as usual.

Was this Dypsis amboza ?

Hi Guys

this one is Hydriastele kasesa, now the rest is now a game

Good luck will let you guess the correct names.

Regards Mikey,

Edited June 4, 2008 by calyptrocalyx&licuala freck

[ariscott]

Mikey & Wal... seemed like you were having fun!!!! I guess that is the difference between Flecker and George Brown Botanical garden... everything is so manicured at Flecker!! I think they are both just as nice in their own way...

Mikey, next time I want the private tour too. It seems a lot more fun that way!!! And then, we can have lunch/afternoon tea at the cafe after. How good is that????

Regards, Ari

[Walter John]

Can't help myself, here's more from the orchid house.

[Walter John]

And here's a few from the fern and exotics house

[Walter John]

more............

[Walter John]

and in the same house we have ...............

[Walter John]

last one tonight, going to bed...........more tomorrow

Can I borrow that stick Mikey ? I'm tired man.

Lipstick on your collar

told a tale on you ooh...

See how Donna appreciates my singing ?

[Walter John]

I loved this house..

[Gbarce]

What a great thread. you certainly saved the best for last (for now I hope)

Nice to see mikey up and about. I see the new leg is working pretty great.

I've never actually seen Licuala Orbicularis and Silver Joeys that large. That must be so awesome to behold. I wonder how old those are??

Thanks again Wal.

[freakypalmguy]

Excellent pics as usual Wal. Thank you,

Matt

[Walter John]

Here's a couple from back in one of the garden jungle zones.

These bronze leaves were amazing, sorry, not sure of the species again, just too many wonders to behold to remember names, could be my alczeimers settling in too, although I think it's yet another Calyptrocalyx.

King fern revisited