1 00:00:07,133 --> 00:00:10,493 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast 2 00:00:10,613 --> 00:00:11,453 Speaker 1: from News Talks. 3 00:00:11,453 --> 00:00:16,093 Speaker 2: A'b our travel correspondent is mister Mike Yardley. He's with 4 00:00:16,253 --> 00:00:19,533 Speaker 2: us this morning, Kilda Yielder. Jack, Well, we're looking at 5 00:00:19,613 --> 00:00:23,373 Speaker 2: tropical delights in North Queensland. This is a gorgeous part 6 00:00:23,373 --> 00:00:25,453 Speaker 2: of the world and Ken's is kind of the gateway 7 00:00:25,573 --> 00:00:28,373 Speaker 2: to the rainforest and the reef. Right, So did you 8 00:00:28,453 --> 00:00:29,173 Speaker 2: take to the water. 9 00:00:30,013 --> 00:00:31,933 Speaker 3: It would be very rude not to take to the 10 00:00:31,973 --> 00:00:34,613 Speaker 3: water in these past, Jack, as you know. So yeah, 11 00:00:34,613 --> 00:00:37,053 Speaker 3: what I love about cans is it's such a quick 12 00:00:37,053 --> 00:00:40,333 Speaker 3: and easy launch pad to the Barrier reef. And even 13 00:00:40,373 --> 00:00:42,853 Speaker 3: if you're a newbie to the reef, there are so 14 00:00:43,013 --> 00:00:46,253 Speaker 3: many easy options from cans. So, for example, if you 15 00:00:46,973 --> 00:00:49,333 Speaker 3: are traveling as a family and you want to take 16 00:00:49,333 --> 00:00:51,493 Speaker 3: a day trip out into the big Blue I would 17 00:00:51,493 --> 00:00:55,413 Speaker 3: suggest going to Fitzroy Island. So that's only a forty 18 00:00:55,453 --> 00:00:57,933 Speaker 3: five minute very right away. You can actually stay on 19 00:00:57,973 --> 00:01:01,053 Speaker 3: the island. But it's an awesome day trip because it 20 00:01:01,173 --> 00:01:06,053 Speaker 3: just seems to distill all the great elements into one day. 21 00:01:06,133 --> 00:01:11,413 Speaker 3: You've got superb walking trails, classic blonde beaches, you've got 22 00:01:11,573 --> 00:01:15,373 Speaker 3: vivid coral gardens to snork around, teeming with tropical fish. 23 00:01:15,613 --> 00:01:17,893 Speaker 3: And they've even got a turtle rehab center on the 24 00:01:17,893 --> 00:01:22,213 Speaker 3: island which essentially services all of the North Queensland coast, 25 00:01:22,493 --> 00:01:26,373 Speaker 3: so they'll get like damaged turtles from Cape York that 26 00:01:26,533 --> 00:01:32,013 Speaker 3: end up at Fitzroy Island. So yeah, a really really 27 00:01:32,053 --> 00:01:35,973 Speaker 3: good island to explore. And like a lot of the speckles, 28 00:01:36,053 --> 00:01:39,173 Speaker 3: these little islands off Shawjack from Ken's, it just amazes 29 00:01:39,253 --> 00:01:42,253 Speaker 3: me that before the last ice Age they were actually 30 00:01:42,253 --> 00:01:45,653 Speaker 3: connected to the mainland, So fitz Roy was basically Ken's 31 00:01:45,773 --> 00:01:48,333 Speaker 3: East ten thousand years ago. 32 00:01:48,533 --> 00:01:50,733 Speaker 2: Right, that makes sense, I guess if you look at 33 00:01:50,733 --> 00:01:53,973 Speaker 2: the map of the North Queensland cost Yes, so if 34 00:01:53,973 --> 00:01:56,693 Speaker 2: you get about further north in north of Kean's, why 35 00:01:56,893 --> 00:01:58,493 Speaker 2: is Palm Cove so popular? 36 00:01:59,053 --> 00:02:02,173 Speaker 3: Well, I think there is a hint of HAWAIII to 37 00:02:02,333 --> 00:02:09,253 Speaker 3: Palm Cove. There's just very tail in terms of vacation beauty. 38 00:02:09,453 --> 00:02:11,973 Speaker 3: So it's about half an hour up the Captain Cook Highway, 39 00:02:12,053 --> 00:02:15,693 Speaker 3: and so if you're trucking up to Port Douglas, just 40 00:02:15,813 --> 00:02:19,253 Speaker 3: calling to Palm Cove which is just off the highway, 41 00:02:19,413 --> 00:02:24,933 Speaker 3: and it is just so leafy, so languid, stretched along 42 00:02:24,973 --> 00:02:27,613 Speaker 3: the coral sea, and I've got all of these gorgeous 43 00:02:27,613 --> 00:02:31,053 Speaker 3: old paper bark mela luca trees flanking the beach front. 44 00:02:32,173 --> 00:02:35,293 Speaker 3: Then I've got a few waving palms and dispersed. But 45 00:02:35,493 --> 00:02:39,213 Speaker 3: there's just this really nice shaded village at moss About 46 00:02:39,213 --> 00:02:42,173 Speaker 3: Palm Cove, as I say, very reminiscent of some of 47 00:02:42,253 --> 00:02:46,093 Speaker 3: Hawaii's beachside villages. And there's just some you know, little 48 00:02:46,173 --> 00:02:49,493 Speaker 3: casual eateies and cafes dotted through the trees. It's just 49 00:02:50,333 --> 00:02:52,453 Speaker 3: lazy day heaven, I reckon Jack. 50 00:02:52,773 --> 00:02:53,013 Speaker 1: Yeah. 51 00:02:53,133 --> 00:02:56,813 Speaker 2: Nice. If you're up for an indigenous experience, what can 52 00:02:56,853 --> 00:02:58,533 Speaker 2: you expect? At most and gorge? 53 00:02:59,413 --> 00:03:03,293 Speaker 3: This was my runaway highlight. I joined a dream time 54 00:03:03,373 --> 00:03:06,173 Speaker 3: walk with a cuckoo yalongy guide called Ben. He was 55 00:03:06,493 --> 00:03:09,693 Speaker 3: twenty years old, and oh my god, he had the 56 00:03:09,733 --> 00:03:13,413 Speaker 3: wisdom of a ninety year old. So we rocked into 57 00:03:13,453 --> 00:03:17,973 Speaker 3: the rainforest and Ben just prized open all the secrets, 58 00:03:18,053 --> 00:03:20,773 Speaker 3: the food sauce, to the pharmacy, the hardware store inside 59 00:03:20,773 --> 00:03:25,093 Speaker 3: the rainforest. It was just mind blowing. Best of all, 60 00:03:25,133 --> 00:03:28,853 Speaker 3: we passed by some enormous strangler fig trees and I 61 00:03:28,893 --> 00:03:32,333 Speaker 3: could tell Ben was getting sort of quite spiritual which 62 00:03:32,333 --> 00:03:34,693 Speaker 3: he was looking at these trees, and he said to 63 00:03:34,693 --> 00:03:37,693 Speaker 3: me that when he dies, he's going to be buried 64 00:03:38,213 --> 00:03:42,013 Speaker 3: under that tree, and he pointed to a particular tree. 65 00:03:42,373 --> 00:03:45,413 Speaker 3: And apparently, after his body's placed at the bottom of 66 00:03:45,453 --> 00:03:48,493 Speaker 3: the tree, the figs, the strangle of figs will sort 67 00:03:48,493 --> 00:03:51,453 Speaker 3: of weave their magic. The vines will wrap around his 68 00:03:51,533 --> 00:03:54,493 Speaker 3: body and can consumers remains and return them to the 69 00:03:54,533 --> 00:03:58,453 Speaker 3: earth as you do. The other thing, Jack, is that 70 00:03:58,533 --> 00:04:01,893 Speaker 3: Ben said to me that on Fraser Island the traditional 71 00:04:02,013 --> 00:04:06,933 Speaker 3: burial still practiced today. There entails putting the bottom high 72 00:04:07,053 --> 00:04:10,373 Speaker 3: up in the tree because otherwise the dingoes will get 73 00:04:10,413 --> 00:04:13,533 Speaker 3: to them. Wow, which would not be a good way 74 00:04:13,573 --> 00:04:17,973 Speaker 3: to go. No, then there are the bouncing stones. Have 75 00:04:18,013 --> 00:04:22,093 Speaker 3: you knew about these bouncing stones? No? So cuckoo yellonge. 76 00:04:22,213 --> 00:04:26,533 Speaker 3: They've got these legendary bouncing stones, and as been demonstrated 77 00:04:26,573 --> 00:04:30,133 Speaker 3: to me, they do bounce off each other like bouncing balls. 78 00:04:30,453 --> 00:04:34,453 Speaker 3: It's just wacky. And many of them are sourced from 79 00:04:34,453 --> 00:04:37,733 Speaker 3: a beach called Thornton Beach. Some are stolen because this 80 00:04:37,893 --> 00:04:41,533 Speaker 3: is like sacred terf for cuckoo yellowingy and most that 81 00:04:41,613 --> 00:04:45,253 Speaker 3: are stolen generally are returned toward off bad luck. But 82 00:04:45,453 --> 00:04:49,413 Speaker 3: they are a geological phenomenon. So these stones have been 83 00:04:49,453 --> 00:04:53,653 Speaker 3: studied by academics. They're as big as rugby balls, but 84 00:04:53,733 --> 00:04:58,173 Speaker 3: they're actually classified as pebbles. They're very fine grained pebbles 85 00:04:58,693 --> 00:05:02,933 Speaker 3: and the geologists say that it's hardened silica celtstone. But 86 00:05:02,973 --> 00:05:07,013 Speaker 3: they've got this incredible bouncing quality, wide wacking. 87 00:05:07,133 --> 00:05:10,453 Speaker 2: That sounds amazing. Yeah, and what an experiences that sounds 88 00:05:10,493 --> 00:05:14,493 Speaker 2: really incredible. Okay, yeah, Now, chocolate production is big business 89 00:05:14,533 --> 00:05:15,693 Speaker 2: in North Queensland. 90 00:05:15,373 --> 00:05:18,773 Speaker 3: Right very quick mentioned about this Jack. Yes, chocolate fans 91 00:05:18,973 --> 00:05:24,893 Speaker 3: rejoice because the region around Mossman, Port Douglas Daintree Rainforest 92 00:05:25,173 --> 00:05:29,813 Speaker 3: it's become a phouse producer of Australian cocoa and there 93 00:05:29,813 --> 00:05:32,773 Speaker 3: are various commercial plantations all engaged in the bean tabar 94 00:05:32,933 --> 00:05:37,213 Speaker 3: chocolate making bizo. So in the Shannonvale Valley which is 95 00:05:37,333 --> 00:05:39,013 Speaker 3: just north of Port Douglas, you can go to the 96 00:05:39,013 --> 00:05:41,973 Speaker 3: Australian chocolate farm and they give you the most amazing 97 00:05:42,213 --> 00:05:45,933 Speaker 3: and very generous farm to her and tasting experience. Oh yeah, 98 00:05:45,973 --> 00:05:47,013 Speaker 3: so that's the list. 99 00:05:47,133 --> 00:05:50,173 Speaker 2: Definitely, No, that sounds good. And speaking of treats, what 100 00:05:50,253 --> 00:05:51,573 Speaker 2: about tropical fruit. 101 00:05:51,333 --> 00:05:56,453 Speaker 3: Wine well, it's in a quiet taste admittedly, but worth 102 00:05:56,453 --> 00:05:56,933 Speaker 3: a devil. 103 00:05:57,053 --> 00:05:57,133 Speaker 1: So. 104 00:05:57,293 --> 00:06:00,533 Speaker 3: Also in the shannon Vale Valley there is the Tropical 105 00:06:00,573 --> 00:06:02,773 Speaker 3: Fruit Winery and the Woodhall family have been running this 106 00:06:03,213 --> 00:06:05,973 Speaker 3: for about twenty years or so. I sipped and swirled 107 00:06:06,013 --> 00:06:09,613 Speaker 3: my way through all sorts of interesting flavors like mango wine, lime, 108 00:06:10,613 --> 00:06:15,093 Speaker 3: passion fruit, ginger, even a fortified chocolate wine. But the 109 00:06:15,133 --> 00:06:18,813 Speaker 3: best one of all was a particular flavor I had 110 00:06:18,893 --> 00:06:23,093 Speaker 3: never come across. It's called Jawbo Chaca bar. And if 111 00:06:23,133 --> 00:06:26,973 Speaker 3: it sounds Amazonian, that's because it is. It's an Amazonian 112 00:06:27,133 --> 00:06:31,453 Speaker 3: great Jabo Charca bar. And the reason they growing this 113 00:06:31,613 --> 00:06:36,613 Speaker 3: in Shannon Vale is because it's the only reliable, red, 114 00:06:37,133 --> 00:06:42,133 Speaker 3: sort of tasting wine that they could produce in the area. 115 00:06:42,293 --> 00:06:46,253 Speaker 3: So yeah, very very interesting taste. By the way. The 116 00:06:46,893 --> 00:06:51,493 Speaker 3: passion fruit, it's kind of like a semion. It's really interesting, 117 00:06:51,613 --> 00:06:55,493 Speaker 3: very dry, full flavored, really good with cheese. And the 118 00:06:55,573 --> 00:06:59,213 Speaker 3: dry mango wine. If you're a Shardona drinker, you will 119 00:06:59,293 --> 00:07:02,733 Speaker 3: love the dry mango. So yeah, something certainly worth dabbling. 120 00:07:02,933 --> 00:07:06,213 Speaker 2: So is it quite dry? When you hear those fruits 121 00:07:06,493 --> 00:07:09,373 Speaker 2: passion fruit, mango, and automatically I think all that sounds 122 00:07:09,373 --> 00:07:11,133 Speaker 2: pretty sticky. That sounds kind of syrupy. 123 00:07:11,213 --> 00:07:15,213 Speaker 3: Are most No, No, Through the production process, yeah, they 124 00:07:15,253 --> 00:07:17,373 Speaker 3: do become generally drier than you'd think. 125 00:07:18,613 --> 00:07:21,853 Speaker 2: I reckon that could be a bit of me. What 126 00:07:21,893 --> 00:07:23,533 Speaker 2: about standout eateries. 127 00:07:23,973 --> 00:07:26,773 Speaker 3: Two recommendations In Ken's I went to a place called 128 00:07:26,813 --> 00:07:29,173 Speaker 3: Salt House, which is on the Arena Points, so, as 129 00:07:29,213 --> 00:07:32,893 Speaker 3: the name would suggest, you get mouthwatering views. I have 130 00:07:33,053 --> 00:07:38,693 Speaker 3: these halfshell roasted Queensland scallops which were just tubo charged 131 00:07:39,213 --> 00:07:43,973 Speaker 3: with what they were accompanied with curry sauce, pineapple relish, 132 00:07:44,053 --> 00:07:48,333 Speaker 3: my newfound favorite in Ventnamese mint that all together with 133 00:07:48,493 --> 00:07:50,813 Speaker 3: scallops and that's really good, and wash it down with 134 00:07:50,853 --> 00:07:53,853 Speaker 3: the Flying Fox cocktail, which was the drink of the trip. 135 00:07:53,973 --> 00:07:57,573 Speaker 3: Check and by the way, in Paul Douglas, I went 136 00:07:57,613 --> 00:08:01,853 Speaker 3: to a restaurant called Sea Bean, very Mediterranean leaning, but 137 00:08:01,933 --> 00:08:04,813 Speaker 3: I ate something I had never tried before. I don't 138 00:08:04,853 --> 00:08:07,653 Speaker 3: know if you've had ittinion costa. 139 00:08:08,453 --> 00:08:11,973 Speaker 2: Oh, okay, yeah, I think I probably have to be honest. 140 00:08:12,373 --> 00:08:13,893 Speaker 2: Was it lamb Yes? 141 00:08:14,293 --> 00:08:18,733 Speaker 3: So yeah, like baked lamb meat petty. 142 00:08:18,613 --> 00:08:21,613 Speaker 2: Yeah yeah, And and they're sort of like halfway between 143 00:08:21,613 --> 00:08:24,933 Speaker 2: a petty and a meatball. Ah, exactly, Yeah, yeah. 144 00:08:24,813 --> 00:08:28,853 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'll layer them with vegetables and hamas and tabuuli. 145 00:08:28,973 --> 00:08:32,133 Speaker 3: Oh my god, it's so good. The amazing thing is, Jack, 146 00:08:32,213 --> 00:08:36,173 Speaker 3: I never realized food could become so politicized. Apparently this 147 00:08:36,333 --> 00:08:40,933 Speaker 3: restaurants had protesters outside daring to put something Palestinian on 148 00:08:40,973 --> 00:08:41,373 Speaker 3: the menu. 149 00:08:44,613 --> 00:08:47,293 Speaker 2: That is ridiculous. Having spent a little bit of time 150 00:08:47,333 --> 00:08:49,013 Speaker 2: in that part of the world, I mean, this is 151 00:08:49,453 --> 00:08:51,093 Speaker 2: what makes that part of the world so good, is 152 00:08:51,413 --> 00:08:55,933 Speaker 2: all of those cultures have mixed. Surely anyway, Yeah, well 153 00:08:56,053 --> 00:08:58,773 Speaker 2: that sounds that sounds amazing. Okay, Hey, thank you so much, Mike. 154 00:08:58,813 --> 00:09:02,893 Speaker 2: We'll put all of your tips for indulging your way 155 00:09:03,013 --> 00:09:07,413 Speaker 2: through North Queensland up on the News Talks He'd be website. 156 00:09:06,573 --> 00:09:09,653 Speaker 1: For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame. Listen live 157 00:09:09,733 --> 00:09:12,253 Speaker 1: to News Talks ed B from nine a m Saturday, 158 00:09:12,493 --> 00:09:14,533 Speaker 1: or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.