The magic of the wet season!

It’s a bit before 7am Boxing day…. a beautiful morning, a little overcast with the sun shining through the trees as it rises. The birds are singing to me, so many tunes. Are they talking to each other?

Jasper now just another cyclone to the locals who have been through a few, for me a first.

I would have to say that here in Cooktown it was a non event with some wind and rain…. slow in its approach and build up with the aftermath of torrential non stop rain the real disaster for low lying areas of Cooktown and the surrounding communities. The volume of water over the Wujal Wujal Falls into the Bloomfield river was by most never seen before and wiped out and damaged hundreds of homes in its wake.

How strong and resilient these people are, many of them back in there cleaning up the muddy mess, dozing in new tracks/roads and saving what they can of their possessions and homes.

The volunteer services, police, army have all worked tirelessly even on Christmas day to help the people affected. Christmas presents deliverred to all the children donated by the Cooktown people, businesses and many further afield.

So why do I live here? This is our 3rd Christmas and it just grows on you…. the unique, and yes, quiet beauty of Cooktown.
Where we are on the banks of the Endeavour River about 12 minutes North of town, its just magic!
We have worked hard to give our home a new lease of life and now openning it to guests as a BnB and loving it.
Sharing our passion for gardenning, our love of this amazing place with our guests, seeing and hearing them talk about how wonderful Cooktown is…… makes us smile!

We are dry, we are safe and yes we are oh so wonderfully happy here in this tropical paradise at Paperbark Retreat and Cooktown.

Come see us in the wet when the rain brings new life to the bush, the orchids flower, the white lillies bursting through the bush and gardens. Yes it rains, its like a tap being turned on full blast then it stops and the sun shines…. the gardens are smiling, the lush tropical colours, every shade of green, oranges, reds, yellows. Our lush tropial pool is an oasis and much used. The many birds and butterflies loving the warmth and sunshine…. so much beauty!!!

See you soon!