A weekend in Chillagoe

Last weekend I took another mini-break and headed west to Chillagoe. It's a mining town that we visit quite often in our navigation flight training, being only 30 mins flight time from Mareeba, but it is also well-known for the numerous caves around the place.

There are three caves where guided tours are offered, so I decided to do them all over two days. I stayed at the Chillagoe eco-Lodge, which also offers an observatory tour that was booked out on the night I was there. But I had a stunning view of the night sky all the same.

First chamber in Trezkinn cave

Delicate formations

The pièce de résistance of Trezkinn cave: 'the chandelier'

Balancing Rock

The road out of town...

Group tour at Royal Arch

'Picnic cave' at Royal Arch

Sea fossils encased in limestone

Royal Arch cave

The old smelter site

Donna cave

One of the many passageways in Donna cave

Huge columns in Donna cave

Weathered limestone outcrops = caves

August achievements

Last week - after some delays due to aircraft paperwork and lack of instructor availability due to a short Covid lockdown in Cairns, I finally had my proficiency base check on the Caravan. This doubled as a flight review and gas turbine engine design feature endorsement on my licence.

Cessna Caravan flight training

My work permit and visa have arrived for PNG, I obtained a PNG aviation medical certificate, and also scored 93% on the PNG 'basic gas turbine' theory exam.

So the boxes are quickly getting ticked off! Now all I need is a date for going back to NZ for home assignment...

Gaining perspective... from movies

Lately I've been on a bit of an emotional roller-coaster waiting for news about the NZ travel bubble. Some days it's been hard to stay motivated as I once again contemplate the MIQ system.

But the other week, I was driving back from church in Atherton and marvelling at the array of colours painted across the sky from the setting sun, and thinking, this isn't such a bad place to have to stay for a while longer.

I'll normally watch a couple of DVDs on weekend nights, and over the last few weeks while enjoying some of the movies in my collection, have gained some perspective on how my current situation isn't that bad. Sure, I don't know when I'll be able to go back to NZ. But at least...

I’m not stuck on another planet with no way to get home
(The Martian)

I haven’t been kidnapped by Somalian pirates
(Captain Phillips)

I haven’t been forced into slavery with no hope of freedom
(12 Years A Slave)

My name hasn’t been drawn from a ballot to fight other people to the death
(The Hunger Games)

I’m not drifting in the middle of the ocean in a lifeboat with a tiger
(Life of Pi)

I don’t have a degenerative neurological disease
(The Theory of Everything)

My mission is not to evade all the villains of Middle Earth
and risk certain death from creatures ten times my size
(Lord of the Rings)