March 2020 - Cassowary Sightings, Fitzroy Island and Lockdown

March started well with a couple of trips through the rainforest to Cape Tribulation and places in between. I had three cassowary sightings in one trip and another on a different day.

Male and Two Chicks Crossing Cape Trib Road

Adult Cassowary Fossicking on the side of the Road

The months of March and April were looking good with numerous concerts, shows and outings all planned and booked but then lockdown due to the novel Coronavirus pandemic happened - cancel, cancel, cancel. The Cape York Peninsular was locked down midway through March and the Daintree River Ferry was closed to all but Douglas Shire residents and essential workers from the 26/03/2020. And so life in isolation began for the Daintree residents.

The 8th March was International Women’s Day so about 60 north of the River women gathered at On the Turps restaurant for a celebratory lunch.

IWD2020 at Heritage Lodge, Diwan

We managed two Daintree Circle of Wisdom Seniors’ meetings before lockdown; one at the Daintree Wilderness Retreat motel and the other at Daintree Wilderness Lodge.

Seniors’ Meetings in the Daintree

I had a mini break in Cairns to see 10cc at the lovely Cairns Performing Arts Centre (CPAC). 10cc put on a very entertaining show.

Flying Foxes over CPAC

Fitzroy Island is a pleasant 50 minute boat ride from Cairns. There is a Turtle Rehabilitation Centre on the island which I was keen to visit. It is a small rainforest-clad Island with a major resort, Foxy’s Bar, Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, an equipment hire shop and a general store. The island offers a short walk through the rainforest as well as more demanding walks. Water sports abound - stand-up paddle boarding, snorkelling, glass bottom boat and fish feeding.

Trip from Cairns to Fitzroy Island

Fitzroy Island

A tour of the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre is interesting. We met Jules, a green sea turtle and heard about the work done by the Centre.

Jules, the Green Sea Turtle Eating  Lettuce

The peppermint stick insects are still hiding in their pandanus plants at Cape Tribulation.

Peppermint Stick Insects 

There are coconut palms fringing all of the beaches north of the Daintree River. It is common to find coconuts with neat holes in them. These holes are made from the giant white-tailed rat (Uromys caudimaculatus), a rainforest inhabitant that is fond of coconuts.

Coconuts on Coconut Beach (inset - chewed coconuts)