~~~~~
This is a big place. Not quite sure where to start. Head out to the Great Barrier Reef tomorrow, then head for home.
It's an amazing place.
~~~~~
Update, 27 August 2008: According to "Plants of Tropical North Queensland: the Compact Guide" (John Beasley, 2006) this seems to be the Queensland Kauri or Kauri Pine, a primitive member of the Araucariaceae family linked to Gondwana.
This ancient supercontinent (according to Wikipedia): "included most of the landmasses in today's southern hemisphere, including Antarctica, South America, Africa, Madagascar, Australia-New Guinea, and New Zealand, as well as Arabia and the Indian subcontinent, which are in the Northern Hemisphere. The name is derived from the Gondwana region of central northern."
These are the largest trees in Queensland - and although the leaves are not needles, they do have parallel veins and the fruit are large cones.
You tease!
Posted by: Les | 20 August 2008 at 07:11 PM
How exciting! More! More!
Posted by: joan | 20 August 2008 at 07:54 PM
Enjoy!
Posted by: Layanee | 20 August 2008 at 08:35 PM
Enjoy!
Posted by: Layanee | 20 August 2008 at 08:35 PM
Enjoy!
Posted by: Layanee | 20 August 2008 at 08:36 PM
I look forward to hearing---and seeing---your impressions, Pam.
Posted by: Pam/Digging | 21 August 2008 at 12:47 AM
My son and his wife are in Cairns. Justine is supposed to meet up with them there.
Posted by: Mike | 21 August 2008 at 07:14 AM