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3 May, 2021

Wayne's World: Yungaburra: the village in the clouds

I was given the Anzac Day long weekend off, so was wondering, beside the regular ANZAC Day Dawn Service and March, what else could I do to make the most of my weekend.

By Wayne Marshall

Wayne's World: Yungaburra: the village in the clouds - feature photo

I read in this great newspaper that the once-a-month Yungaburra Markets would be on Saturday morning.

Well, it has been nearly 150 years since I have been there, so it was about time I paid another visit to the village in the clouds.

So up before the sparrows to pick a colourful shirt and paint the beard, and I am off to the bank for extra readies, then to the servo to give the Jeep a drink and me a cup of tar.

Pre-setting some good YouTube driving music with all windows wound down.

It’s off to and up the Gillies Range to the Atherton Tablelands.

Now this has got to be the best time of year to drive the Gillies because as you are going up or down you will smell, see, and hear all the fantastic roadside waterfalls coming off the rainforest mountain side after the rains,

Absolutely beautiful and refreshingly cool, 18 degrees air temp at 7am and driving in the mist was a bonus with hardly any traffic.

Such a magnificent day, so I took my time and enjoyed a great drive.

 Arriving at the ‘village in the clouds’, managing to find a good parking spot close by, I am walking amongst the huge amounts of market stalls and getting lots of fantastic friendly comments about this column from people introducing themselves.

To tell the truth my head was starting to swell big time that people recognised me, and as always, some great tips about future subjects.

Now I took my time wondering around and chatting and getting heaps of photos with some remarkably interesting characters, especially the two lovely ladies (pictured with me) at one stall where I found and bought an unusual driftwood walking stick that would be great for my Leprechaun mate.

 You will come across a lot of very local products that more often than not, you will not see at our markets down here; the jams and chutneys are tasty as, and if you’re into artwork, handcrafts, tools, plants, handmade clothes and bags there is heaps. 

Even met this old mate that made fantastic artwork out of old garden shovels and odd bits of iron and an Asian lady that made a huge range of oddities with beads.

Of course I could not go past the German sausage stand, stumbling away afterwards like an Oompa Loompa with a full belly leading the way, my hooter then was drawn towards a rich smell of roasted coffee beans that are locally grown that had me contemplating of doing a highland relocation. Oh, what a morning in natural air conditioning.

 This market is totally different from the ones at sea level as maybe it is the cool air that changes the atmosphere to a new level as I felt totally relaxed and vibrant at the same time.

 So, if you have some spare time or even you may need to make some time, get up and check out our great back yard because its bloody awesome.

Wayne

 

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