CROCS to CATTLE

Mar. 30, 2011

We began the day with a meeting of our group, since the rest of the tour has now joined us.  We are now 42 strong…or sort of strong, this is an old group!  We boarded the bus at 8:45 for a crocodile farm and nature center.  Duncan, our local guide talked about the crocs they have in their lagoons and we saw the farming process they employ.  A croc, with good skin can be worth $1000 for skin and meat.  The prime time for sale is 2.5 years before the skin gets too thick and the meat begins to toughen.  From egg to ‘sale size’ there were about 40K of them.

We also took a pontoon boat ride in another lagoon where they fed some of the crocodiles by stringing chicken heads on long bamboo poles and showing us how the crocs can jump out of the water.  It was easy to see why Captain Hook so feared the croc.  When they closed their jaws trying to catch the chicken, the sound reverberated like a shot.  Very loud!  We were also able to feed some kangaroos by hand – but they didn’t seem too hungry.  We finally saw some kookaburras  – but not in the old gum tree.  The highlight may have been the koalas sleeping on the branches.  We were able to have our picture taken with one of the handlers holding a koala.  Sad to say that these animals too are in jeopardy as diseases are running though the wild population. 

Back on the bus with a stop in Port Douglas – which is a seaside resort.  A cute little resort town is often enjoyed by international luminaries,  The Fondas have been spotted there.  Interesting note, on 9/11 President Clinton was vacationing here.  Quite a bit of drama getting him out of town.

Our next stop, a bit of an added surprise, was up in the hills at a small town (pop. 250) for a Golden XXXX beer.  A small glass of beer is called a pot – so we ordered a “pot of gold”.  The pub and hotel were a step back into the early American west, as we can only imagine.  Rooms rent for $40/nite.  Mismatched bed covers and furniture and the ‘separate’ baths down the hall just added to the charm.  The pub owner gave us a little background on the town and the pub and regaled us with stories of snakes that find their way into the pub.  From the many pix on the walls, this seems like the place to be for any celebration.

We continued on the Wetherby Station – a working cattle ranch.  Owner John met us on horseback and explained the operation and the history of the station.  These are all grass fed beef – nothing artificial used to promote growth.  Most of his beef go to Japan and Indonesia for consumption.  After his talk, we were invited to the large veranda that surrounds their home for dinner.  We had roast beef, marinated chicken thighs, potatoes, salad and the most wonderful desserts.  They had an apple/peach crumble, ice cream and a Pavlova cake – which was a decadent combination of whipped cream, meringue, and fruit.  We had a 1 ½ hour ride back to our hotel, and they showed us a DVD about life in a “family” of kangaroos.   After a hot and humid day, a shower and a drink in our room topped off a great day.