I was left with a very odd, sad and unusual feeling this morning.

In 1969 when I was only 16 my mate Pete and I left home and headed for Cooktown.  Pete was a couple of years older than me with a licence and an old Holden.  Our aim was to capture snakes and other reptiles for a place called Marbuk Park at Port Macquarie in NSW.  Lizards we were paid so much each and snakes so much a foot or for exceptional specimens so much each.

We did that for three months sending all sorts of snakes and lizards down to the park by air freight.  It was an amazing time of my life.

We took very little with us. Basically an old open front lean-to-tent a couple of sleeping bags and some very basic cooking gear.  We both had rifles as did most people back then.  I remember my rifle was a 30-30 Winchester which was great for shooting pigs.  For three months we camped on the banks of the Annan River just south of Cooktown beisde the old wooden Annan River Bridge.

In the photos from today I am standing where I believe our little lean to tent stood during that time.  It is more overgrown these days.

We basically lived off the land eating a lot of fish from the river and game we managed to shoot.  I can tell you that little wild pigs are absolutely delicious when you are hungry.

After three months and with no real money to show we ended up at Lakeland Downs as labourers.  After a short time I was promoted to tractor driver.  I remember being paid $1 an hour when I was labouring and $1.10 for tractor driving.

Lakeland in those days was growing a huge crop of sorghum that was moved by truck to Archer Point where they had built a wharf and loaded straight onto small coastal steamers.

Sadly my mate Peter was killed by a horse in his mid 20’s while competing in a rodeo at Williamstown in NSW.

So as you can see, many fond and sometimes not so fond memories up here for me.  Quite amazing though sharing them all with Maggie as we move around up here.

What is left of the old wooden topped Annan River bridge.  It looks like a little more of it goes with every wet season.

Caught many a fish off here both by line and spear back in 1969.  Were many crocs there and I understand someone was taken from the boat ramp you can see in the first photo last year.

Maggie managed to salvage a piece of timber off it as a memento.

Quarantine Bay, just south of Cooktown.

I've driven the old timber bridge a few times. It's a wild ride.

Hi Derek
Thank you for the great stories and photographs
regards Kev