LICUALA LODGE  -  11, Mission Circle, Mission Beach, Queensland  4852

Queensland Police are pretty hot on speeding, especially when entering and exiting small towns - be warned. The speed limit in suburban areas in Queensland is 50 kph unless signed otherwise - so watch your speed !!
Servo is Aussie for Petrol/Gas Station
Answer the questions correctly and you get an extra biscuit/muffin on arrival.

First set of instructions is from the airport to the turning for the Bruce Highway - distance 3 kms. There is just one exit road from the airport to Cairns. At the end of that road there are some traffic lights. Turn left at the lights. You are now on Sheridan Street/Captain Cook Highway. It is the same road - I'm not sure where exactly Sheridan St ends and becomes the Captain Cook Highway.

John Lazarus Park
Tobruk Memorial Pool
Sugarland Car Rentals
A BIG Captain Cook. If you are new to Oz, then you will find out on your travels that quite a few towns have a 'big thing'. The first and most famous being the Big Banana at Coffs Harbour, NSW which was built in 1964. Cairns has a big Captain Cook, approx 7m tall. He used to have a big sextant until someone nicked it. Mission Beach has a BIG cassowary, and if you are travelling in the Atherton Tablelands, Tolga has a BIG peanut (well biggish).

What is the Cruising Car wearing ??
You need to get into the right hand lane pretty soon - be warned !
Cairns State High School
Billabong Car Hire
Get in the right hand lane if you are going to Mission Beach.
Turn right - signposted BRUCE HIGHWAY Innisfail, Townsville

OK - so far so good. The next leg of the journey is 88 kms - so re-set your tripometer (or whatever it is called). You should now be on Florence Street, which turns into Mulgrave Road which turns into the Bruce Highway. Not sure exactly where the changes take place, but essentially just stay on this road for the next 88 kms.
And be warned that this road changes from 2 lanes to 3 lanes to 1 lane at various points, and that in a couple of places the left hand lane MUST turn left - so just keep your wits about you. The speed limit along here is 60 kph, and in some places is 80 kph and doesn't become 100 kph for quite a while. And it is a favourite haunt of the speed police !!
Due to Cyclone Larry (2006) and Yasi (2011) some of the creek signs are still missing - so don't fret too much if you miss one or two of the creeks
 

Beaurepairs
Cairns Showground
Cash Converters
Good Guys
Cazalys Club  (R)
Earlville
Stockland Shopping Centre, which has a BIG Marlin

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What is the name of the Racecourse for Greyhounds and Horses ?
Gordon Creek
Cairns Golf Club
Forest Gardens - an upmarket suburb of Cairns  (R)  Sawpit Gully
Skeleton Creek
What is the Fitness Club for Everybody ?
Edmonton - a suburb of Cairns
Blackfellow Creek
HHH ? (on the right near some traffic lights)
Collinson Creek, Stoney Creek
What is the name of the Sikh Temple ?? (opposite a billboard) As it happens it is the first Sikh Temple to be built in Queensland.
Wrights Creek
Sanlay Boarding Kennels and Cattery
Quite a pretty looking Mosque/Temple (R)
Gordonvale Golf Club
How much to play at the golf club on Monday or Tuesday ?
Gordonvale. This town used to be called Mulgrave, and also Nelson at one stage. It is infamous for being the town where the cane toad was first introduced to Queensland in 1935. Despite the fact that the cane toad has proved to be the worst disaster ever to hit Australia, our beloved politicians are still making similar witless decisions concerning the eco-system.

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After the traffic lights at Gordonvale you will go over a new bridge. If you look out of the passenger side you will see the old bridge below. What is the name of the bridge, which incidentally was built on time and on budget - amazing in this day and age !

If you look to the right you will see a large hill in the shape of a pyramid. Funnily enough it is called Walsh's Pyramid. It is claimed to be the highest free-standing pyramid in the world. In August of each year there is a race called 'The Great Pyramid Race', which starts in Gordonvale, and you have to go all the way to the top of the Pyramid, back down again, and back to Gordonvale.

Behana Creek Overflow, Behana Creek, Camp Creek, Hobson's Creek
Creeks - Walkers, Snake, Rusty, Mill, Shepherd's, Blind

Fishery Falls
Where is it 'Peaceful and Private' ??
Fishery Creek and Jack Creek
McDonnell Creek State School  (R)
Who owns the Pest Control ??
Fig Tree Creek
Deeral
Sorenson Creek
Byrnes Ck, Dinner Ck, Harvey Ck Overflow, Harvey Ck, McPaul Ck
Bellenden Ker is the second highest summit in Queensland and in Jan 1979 recorded 3847 mm (12 feet and 7 inches) of rain in an 8 day period.
What is the number for the Roadside Cafe ??

Junction Creek
Start of a Speedometer check - goes on for 5 kms
Gallet Creek
Whose place is it just after the 1km sign (look on the back and the front)
Codfish Creek, Frenchmans Creek
Slaughter Yard Creek
A couple of immaculate gardens (R), Corroborree Creek
End of speedometer check
Babinda
This town is always in competition with Tully for being the wettest town in Australia - both towns are often accused of doctoring their rainfall measurements. How sad is that ??
What is the phone number for WaterFarms Australia ??

Christian Creek
Babinda Sugar Mill  (R) - sadly for Babinda closed March 2011.
Babinda Railway Station
Babinda Visitor Information Centre is on the right, and has toilets. The building used to be the Police Station, and it was moved to its present position and converted to the VIC in 1995. I reckon the original Police station would not have been painted so brightly. If you do turn right, then it is worth visiting The Boulders. A freshwater swimming hole and interesting rock formation. Several walking tracks and good picnic and BBQ facilities.

Babinda Golf Club  (R)
Giddins Creek, Babinda Creek
Niringa Creek
Mirriwinni. As you drive through this village some places spell the name with double 'r' and some with a single 'r'. I wonder which is correct ?
Brad Beven was champion at which sport ??
Pugh Creek, Moolaba Creek
Josephine Falls - well worth a visit

Josephine Creek, Russell River, Canal Creek (the sign for the latter creek often has the initial letters missing - I find it amusing)
What should you do in the Cassowary Coast region ??
What is published three times a week ?? The writing on this sign is fading so don't worry if you can't see it very well
Victory Creek, Cherry Creek, Fitzgerald Creek
What creature is sitting on a banana ??
What is the name of the bridge over the Johnstone river ?
Palmerston Highway leading to the Atherton Tablelands  (R)
A Driver Reviver Station on the right. Toilets are open most of the time and are clean enough. If it is manned (usually long weekends and school holidays) then you can get a free cup of tea or coffee and a couple of biscuits.

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Innisfail
What is the name of the Oval ??
Entrance to Innisfail Turf Club - Pease Park  (R)
As you go over the Railway Crossing, you can gaze in awe upon the steaming metropolis of Innisfail.
What is 'still' on the roof of the Toy Shop for Big Boys ?
The second set of traffic lights to be installed in Innisfail (July 2007), but they are the first set that you come across, if you see what I mean.
KFC  (R)
The road bends 90 degrees to the right
The first set of traffic Lights (Jan 2007) to be installed in Innisfail (second set as far as you are concerned).
Maccas  (R) Say goodbye to fast food chains
The biggest roundabout in Innisfail.

This is the end of the second leg of the journey from Cairns to Mission Beach. The third and final leg (from the roundabout to Licuala Lodge) is 51 kms.

Just before the roundabout is Roscoe's Piazza. If you are arriving late you may wish to consider eating at Roscoe's - they do an excellent buffet style meal most days of the week. Food outlets in Mission Beach close at about 9pm (or earlier !!).
 

Bamboo Creek
Cemetery (R). Normally, one or two fruit and veg stalls underneath the big tree on the left. Mangoes (Nov - Apr) are highly recommended
Now what do you think of these Palm Trees - tacky or class ???
Murals - Innisfail State High School (R)
Turn right to stay on the Bruce Highway (signposted Tully, Townsville)

What is the name of the bridge over the South Johnstone river ?
What new country do you pass ??

August Moon Caravan Park
Ninds Creek
Mourilyan, home to the Sugar Museum (which I have yet to visit)
Moresby River, Tawalla Creek
What is the number for Bruce Highway Hazards ?
Daru Creek
Boobah Creek, Little Moresby Creek

Liverpool Creek

What event occurs on the first Sunday in May ??
If you fancy visiting Murdering Point Winery, turn left - Kurrimine Beach. Excellent wine - made from tropical and rainforest fruits, not grapes. Red Emperor (c $20) is a favourite of mine, as is the Port (c $25).
Turn right for Silkwood if you fancy seeing the smallest museum in Queensland (in fact it may even be the smallest museum in Australia).

North Maria Creek
Giant Bus Stop
Bells Creek
Council Tip - or, to be PC, 'Waste Transfer Station'. Beautiful free mulch here, so if you have some room in the car, pop in and grab a load for me - thanks.

What is the name of this Creek ?? - Be Careful !!

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Digger Creek, and Diggers Creek Motel (R)
El Arish
Servo, El Arish Golf Club (R)
Turn left for Mission Beach
What is the name of the bridge at Big Maria Creek ??
Stagnant Creek

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Tropicats Cattery.
What creature lives in Mt Edna ?
South Maria Creek
Fruit and Veg Stall - Honesty Box (R)
Silly Cassowary sign suggesting that a car will come off second best if it collides with a cassowary.
Lacey Creek (signage missing ??)
For the next 3.5 kms the road twists and turns and has rainforest on both sides

Mitre 10 Hardware store (painted blue) and Autospares Shop (R)
Then 100 metres further on turn right (signposted Tully, Wongaling Beach, South Mission Beach - although at present the signage is missing. If you miss this turn and begin to see buildings on either side of the road you have gone too far.)
Whose Park is it ??
Licuala Lodge Road Sign
Turn right into Mission Circle (if you come across Woolworths roundabout, you've gone too far)
Are we there yet ??? YES !!!