1 00:00:07,133 --> 00:00:10,413 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast 2 00:00:10,613 --> 00:00:15,533 Speaker 1: from news Talks. That'd be Travel with Windy WU tours 3 00:00:15,733 --> 00:00:18,293 Speaker 1: unique fully inclusive tours around the world. 4 00:00:18,613 --> 00:00:22,213 Speaker 2: Mike Hardley has the man we all envia travel correspondent 5 00:00:22,253 --> 00:00:23,053 Speaker 2: on Saturday mornings. 6 00:00:23,093 --> 00:00:26,573 Speaker 3: Hey Mike, good morning Jack. I have no idea where 7 00:00:26,613 --> 00:00:28,453 Speaker 3: I am at the moment. I've been on the plane 8 00:00:28,453 --> 00:00:30,653 Speaker 3: and I just feel totally adult. But I do know 9 00:00:30,693 --> 00:00:32,453 Speaker 3: that the All Blacks will win today by about the 10 00:00:32,493 --> 00:00:36,333 Speaker 3: five points, oh five points. I think it'll be a squeaker. 11 00:00:36,613 --> 00:00:39,213 Speaker 2: Ah well, if look history has anything to go by, 12 00:00:39,213 --> 00:00:41,813 Speaker 2: at least this season, your calls have almost proved to 13 00:00:41,813 --> 00:00:44,533 Speaker 2: be universally wrong at every single time, at every single point. 14 00:00:44,573 --> 00:00:46,573 Speaker 2: So I'm not going to put too much stock and that, 15 00:00:46,653 --> 00:00:48,773 Speaker 2: except to note that you're being more cautious than I am, 16 00:00:48,773 --> 00:00:50,133 Speaker 2: which I think is a prudent measure. 17 00:00:51,013 --> 00:00:51,333 Speaker 3: Thank you. 18 00:00:51,453 --> 00:00:53,973 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it's a prudent measure. Anyway. Hey, we're 19 00:00:53,973 --> 00:00:57,253 Speaker 2: looking at the Atherton table Lands in North Queensland this morning, 20 00:00:57,293 --> 00:00:59,333 Speaker 2: so if you want a bit of a cool change 21 00:00:59,853 --> 00:01:03,133 Speaker 2: from the tropical heat of Kean's in the coast. What 22 00:01:03,573 --> 00:01:06,893 Speaker 2: is so distinctive about the table lands it's. 23 00:01:06,733 --> 00:01:10,093 Speaker 3: Eight hundred meters higher Jack, So if you're overcooking on 24 00:01:10,173 --> 00:01:13,053 Speaker 3: the coast, the Thames are generally five even ten degrees 25 00:01:13,093 --> 00:01:16,533 Speaker 3: lower in the table lands and this elevated slab of 26 00:01:17,013 --> 00:01:21,853 Speaker 3: fertile farmland and ancient rainforests is just the most extraordinary 27 00:01:21,853 --> 00:01:25,693 Speaker 3: place for some superb outdoorsy adventures. It's a real high 28 00:01:25,773 --> 00:01:30,253 Speaker 3: Lands escape and they've got like little scatterings of perky 29 00:01:30,293 --> 00:01:32,813 Speaker 3: country towns. There was this really cool town I went 30 00:01:32,853 --> 00:01:35,893 Speaker 3: to called Milanda, and it's home to the big pub. 31 00:01:36,413 --> 00:01:40,293 Speaker 3: Very self explanatory. This is a century old pub. It's 32 00:01:40,333 --> 00:01:44,333 Speaker 3: got the most enormous wrap around Verandah you'll ever see 33 00:01:44,373 --> 00:01:48,573 Speaker 3: in your life. And it's the biggest wooden hotel in Australia. 34 00:01:48,813 --> 00:01:52,293 Speaker 2: Oh wow. Okay, So if you're kicking things off and 35 00:01:52,373 --> 00:01:55,093 Speaker 2: exploring the Athenton table lands, would Younger Burrow be a 36 00:01:55,133 --> 00:01:56,013 Speaker 2: good place to start. 37 00:01:56,893 --> 00:02:00,373 Speaker 3: Yes, definitely. It's like cat and for tourists this place. 38 00:02:00,493 --> 00:02:04,733 Speaker 3: Jacket's a chocolate box, pretty pint sized town. It's got 39 00:02:04,733 --> 00:02:08,973 Speaker 3: a really proud village barn, restored heritage buildings, another grand 40 00:02:08,973 --> 00:02:12,093 Speaker 3: old parb, gorgeous gardens. I reckon I would have to 41 00:02:12,173 --> 00:02:16,933 Speaker 3: be one of Queensland's most immaculately maintained villages. But aside 42 00:02:16,933 --> 00:02:20,213 Speaker 3: from the esthetics, I've got to mention the platypus. Oh 43 00:02:20,253 --> 00:02:24,053 Speaker 3: my goodness. Just out of the main street, there's this 44 00:02:24,293 --> 00:02:28,333 Speaker 3: creek called Patterson Creek and they have the local community 45 00:02:28,373 --> 00:02:33,093 Speaker 3: have done the most amazing riparian replanting project along this creek, 46 00:02:33,413 --> 00:02:36,413 Speaker 3: which is in the population Boom. So I went down 47 00:02:36,453 --> 00:02:39,213 Speaker 3: to the creek and within minutes I was a gog 48 00:02:39,293 --> 00:02:42,493 Speaker 3: watching all of these playful platypus having a bit of 49 00:02:42,533 --> 00:02:46,573 Speaker 3: a morning swim. And they have the most unusual critics 50 00:02:46,693 --> 00:02:51,413 Speaker 3: because they are mammals but they lay eggs. How does 51 00:02:51,413 --> 00:02:56,933 Speaker 3: that work? And the mothers they don't have teats, so 52 00:02:56,973 --> 00:02:59,653 Speaker 3: the young just fuck on their chests and the milk 53 00:02:59,773 --> 00:03:01,653 Speaker 3: is excreted, very unusual. 54 00:03:01,733 --> 00:03:05,013 Speaker 2: They're so weird, am I? This is one of those 55 00:03:05,013 --> 00:03:07,773 Speaker 2: things you know Bill Brights like it writes a book 56 00:03:07,773 --> 00:03:09,893 Speaker 2: about everything, and they're always amazing, and you can never 57 00:03:10,013 --> 00:03:12,293 Speaker 2: quite remember the anecdotes that he shares in the book, 58 00:03:12,333 --> 00:03:14,333 Speaker 2: and you can only remember about like three quarters of 59 00:03:14,373 --> 00:03:18,573 Speaker 2: the detail. So that's that's my that's my little warning 60 00:03:18,613 --> 00:03:20,533 Speaker 2: with this note. But am I right in thinking that 61 00:03:20,613 --> 00:03:24,453 Speaker 2: when they first tried to return a platypus to to 62 00:03:24,493 --> 00:03:26,533 Speaker 2: the to the UK and take them back to Britain 63 00:03:26,573 --> 00:03:29,213 Speaker 2: to show you know, these are these crazy animals in 64 00:03:29,213 --> 00:03:32,893 Speaker 2: Australia that no one would believe that it was real 65 00:03:33,253 --> 00:03:35,573 Speaker 2: that they like, then they looked at a platifus scout 66 00:03:35,613 --> 00:03:37,293 Speaker 2: and everyone was like, nah, you've just glued a bit 67 00:03:37,333 --> 00:03:38,533 Speaker 2: of that and a bit of that and a bit 68 00:03:38,573 --> 00:03:40,453 Speaker 2: of that together. Like no one believed that it could 69 00:03:40,493 --> 00:03:44,453 Speaker 2: possibly be a real animal because it was so unusual. Yeah, anyway, 70 00:03:44,493 --> 00:03:47,133 Speaker 2: they are, as you say, just just absolutely remarkable so 71 00:03:47,253 --> 00:03:50,333 Speaker 2: to other wildlife. Then is the table lands a hot 72 00:03:50,373 --> 00:03:52,013 Speaker 2: spot for birders? 73 00:03:52,693 --> 00:03:55,213 Speaker 3: Well, the thing about the table lands which the locals 74 00:03:55,213 --> 00:03:58,533 Speaker 3: are so proud of, they have nearly half of Australia's 75 00:03:58,573 --> 00:04:03,453 Speaker 3: seven hundred bird species. So yeah, booting, Nirvana, twitching, it 76 00:04:03,573 --> 00:04:07,013 Speaker 3: is curiously and divis you know, jack. And it's the 77 00:04:07,213 --> 00:04:12,773 Speaker 3: crazy sounding birds in the tablelands that really left me enthralled. 78 00:04:12,893 --> 00:04:17,213 Speaker 3: They've got like the spotted cat bird, and it's very 79 00:04:17,213 --> 00:04:21,213 Speaker 3: well named because he sounds just like a mating feline, 80 00:04:21,853 --> 00:04:28,293 Speaker 3: even wackier Victoria's rifle bird. He screeches that distinctive metallic 81 00:04:28,453 --> 00:04:31,493 Speaker 3: sound of someone joining a zoom call. You know that 82 00:04:31,653 --> 00:04:35,413 Speaker 3: sort of sound when someone joined him, So that's exactly 83 00:04:35,493 --> 00:04:38,653 Speaker 3: how he sounds. And then there are the wildly colorful 84 00:04:38,693 --> 00:04:41,413 Speaker 3: local heroes like my favorite bird of all on the 85 00:04:41,453 --> 00:04:46,253 Speaker 3: table lands, the blue faced parrot finch, who should really 86 00:04:46,293 --> 00:04:47,133 Speaker 3: be in the circuit. 87 00:04:47,293 --> 00:04:49,533 Speaker 2: Yeah, and hey, it's not just birds that you can 88 00:04:49,573 --> 00:04:50,293 Speaker 2: spot in the trees. 89 00:04:51,373 --> 00:04:54,573 Speaker 3: No. Actually, down by Patterson Creek where you see the platypus, 90 00:04:55,013 --> 00:04:59,333 Speaker 3: it adjoins Marbi Forest and it's this little tract of trees. 91 00:04:59,373 --> 00:05:02,013 Speaker 3: Already it's a mini forest, but this is the most 92 00:05:02,053 --> 00:05:06,133 Speaker 3: amazing spot to look up at the tree dwellers. Of course, 93 00:05:06,173 --> 00:05:11,013 Speaker 3: they have plenty of Australia's cherists, treasures possums in those trees. 94 00:05:11,413 --> 00:05:15,773 Speaker 3: Then is the spectacled flying foxes dangling upside down looking 95 00:05:15,813 --> 00:05:22,373 Speaker 3: at you rather imperiously. But best of all jack tree kangaroos. 96 00:05:22,693 --> 00:05:26,173 Speaker 3: These guys are adorable. So they've got a light break coat, 97 00:05:26,453 --> 00:05:30,973 Speaker 3: a big black mask on your face like Batman's mate, 98 00:05:31,133 --> 00:05:34,253 Speaker 3: and super long tail. So if you want to try 99 00:05:34,293 --> 00:05:38,853 Speaker 3: and spot a tree kangaroo, big tap, look for a 100 00:05:39,053 --> 00:05:42,773 Speaker 3: dangling tail in the branches and just keep your fingers crossed. 101 00:05:42,773 --> 00:05:43,693 Speaker 3: It's not a possible. 102 00:05:44,413 --> 00:05:48,053 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, what are the natural attractions are worth checking out? 103 00:05:48,733 --> 00:05:50,973 Speaker 3: There are so many great sites. There are so many 104 00:05:51,053 --> 00:05:54,493 Speaker 3: cranking waterfalls, and they've got these beautiful little lakes that 105 00:05:54,573 --> 00:05:58,373 Speaker 3: are actually vulcanic craters and they just brim with all 106 00:05:58,413 --> 00:06:02,773 Speaker 3: sorts of interesting wildlife like freshwater turtles and water dragons. 107 00:06:03,173 --> 00:06:06,293 Speaker 3: But it's the rainforest that kept pulling me in again. 108 00:06:06,453 --> 00:06:10,053 Speaker 3: Deck lots of old specimens in those forests. They've got 109 00:06:10,053 --> 00:06:15,653 Speaker 3: the Cathedral fig tree, which is this monstrous, truly monstrous tree. 110 00:06:16,133 --> 00:06:21,013 Speaker 3: Its crown is as big as two Olympic sized pools 111 00:06:21,733 --> 00:06:26,053 Speaker 3: fifteen meters above you. This enormous crown, I know. And 112 00:06:26,093 --> 00:06:29,053 Speaker 3: then they've got the Cuson fig tree, which is like 113 00:06:29,173 --> 00:06:34,013 Speaker 3: a lettuce like screen of vines cascading down to the 114 00:06:34,053 --> 00:06:37,853 Speaker 3: ground from fifty meters high, so it looks looks like 115 00:06:37,893 --> 00:06:41,853 Speaker 3: a giant curson. It's the most excellently named tree. But 116 00:06:41,933 --> 00:06:44,133 Speaker 3: they're both about five hundred years old and they are 117 00:06:44,173 --> 00:06:46,653 Speaker 3: just the most amazing artworks of nature. 118 00:06:46,773 --> 00:06:49,573 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's incredible. As so where's a good place to stay? 119 00:06:50,613 --> 00:06:53,213 Speaker 3: Well, if you want to crank up the tranquility dial 120 00:06:53,333 --> 00:06:58,533 Speaker 3: too high, check into Rose Gumps Wilderness. Retreat. It's not expensive, 121 00:06:58,573 --> 00:07:02,173 Speaker 3: but you have got two hundred acres of pure tablelands 122 00:07:02,213 --> 00:07:05,773 Speaker 3: paradised to call home. They've got a cluster of secluded 123 00:07:05,813 --> 00:07:11,293 Speaker 3: treehouses scattered about the forest. It's deliriously good forest bathing central, 124 00:07:11,333 --> 00:07:14,853 Speaker 3: because they've got ten kilometers of private walking tracks through 125 00:07:14,893 --> 00:07:17,773 Speaker 3: the forest. And when I checked him, Dave, the manager, 126 00:07:18,013 --> 00:07:21,333 Speaker 3: he gave me a walking stick, which I thought suggested 127 00:07:21,693 --> 00:07:23,973 Speaker 3: I'm met, perhaps I look older than I am, But 128 00:07:24,253 --> 00:07:27,373 Speaker 3: actually it was because of the Kesserweries. And Dave said 129 00:07:27,413 --> 00:07:30,333 Speaker 3: to me, use the stick and just tap it a 130 00:07:30,333 --> 00:07:33,213 Speaker 3: couple of times on the ground if the bird comes 131 00:07:33,213 --> 00:07:36,333 Speaker 3: too close to you, and that will probably give it 132 00:07:36,373 --> 00:07:39,333 Speaker 3: the hint. But for God's sake, don't hit them, because 133 00:07:39,333 --> 00:07:41,453 Speaker 3: you will come up the second best as an American 134 00:07:41,573 --> 00:07:42,533 Speaker 3: did three weeks ago. 135 00:07:43,493 --> 00:07:50,093 Speaker 2: Oh, like, can actually kill you, I think, aren't they totally? 136 00:07:50,613 --> 00:07:54,453 Speaker 3: If the Cassawery was a candidate for a football team, 137 00:07:54,493 --> 00:07:57,013 Speaker 3: you'd want him to be taking the penalty shoots, because 138 00:07:58,133 --> 00:08:01,133 Speaker 3: my god, he has got the most breathtaking cac. 139 00:08:01,373 --> 00:08:05,973 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, they're not. They're incredible animals and so dinosaurian 140 00:08:06,133 --> 00:08:07,013 Speaker 2: not that's a word. 141 00:08:08,133 --> 00:08:12,013 Speaker 3: Yeah, he thank you. I'm sure I was just going 142 00:08:12,093 --> 00:08:13,693 Speaker 3: to say, Jack, I'm sure that there must be some 143 00:08:13,773 --> 00:08:17,293 Speaker 3: connection between the Kasawiri and the moa A, the mu, 144 00:08:17,413 --> 00:08:20,253 Speaker 3: the Moa, the k all kind of look like they 145 00:08:20,293 --> 00:08:21,453 Speaker 3: should be in the same family. 146 00:08:21,573 --> 00:08:23,253 Speaker 2: Yeah, they do, and they've all got that kind of 147 00:08:23,253 --> 00:08:26,773 Speaker 2: prehistoric vibe, don't they. He thank you so much. Mike 148 00:08:26,893 --> 00:08:29,573 Speaker 2: really appreciate it. We'll put all of Mike's tips on 149 00:08:29,813 --> 00:08:33,213 Speaker 2: taking an adventure in the Affeton Tablelands in North Queensland 150 00:08:33,373 --> 00:08:36,253 Speaker 2: up on the news Talk ZB website. New music from 151 00:08:36,293 --> 00:08:38,213 Speaker 2: Nellie Fotado for you in a couple of minutes. It's 152 00:08:38,253 --> 00:08:39,013 Speaker 2: called at twelve. 153 00:08:40,573 --> 00:08:43,693 Speaker 1: For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, listen live 154 00:08:43,773 --> 00:08:46,573 Speaker 1: to news Talk zed B from nine am Saturday, or 155 00:08:46,653 --> 00:08:48,573 Speaker 1: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.