SOLAR ECLIPSE FNQ STYLE – NOW THAT WAS WORTH THE EARLY START

I’VE SEEN SOME THINGS IN MY TIME – BUT TODAY’S TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE HAS ECLIPSED THEM ALL. LAST NIGHT I WAS LISTENING TO ECLIPSE CHASERS WHO’VE BEEN TO DOZENS OF THEM AND I WAS THINKING – WELL, WHY? NOW I GET IT!

We watched it from the Palmer RIver Road House with a group of seasoned eclipse chasers. We were all blown away. Click on the red arrow to hear the magic moment when totality arrived over FNQ.

CRITTER CONFUSION

GEE THAT WAS A SHORT NIGHT.JUST TWO MINUTES LONG!

 

All over FNQ today, people have been keeping an eye on the wildlife, to see how an eclipse might change their routine.

The eclipse came early in the morning, when some creatures are just getting up, others are trying to get to sleep. So does a sudden, unexpected two minute “night” confuse animals? Birds, flying foxes, even fish, could have their sleep and activity patterns mixed up.

AUDIO Click on the red arrow to hear our wildlife correspondent Martin Cohen explain how the eclipse affected the critters of FNQ.

 

THROUGH INDIGENOUS EYES

The path of today’s solar eclipse passes over country that’s been home to indigenous people for tens of thousands of years.

QUINKAN FIGURE – HE’S THE ONE WITH THE POINTY ELBOWS

The area around Laura is Quinkan country, named for the powerful spirit beings of the region. They’re central to the indigenous stories of this country. While you might not encounter one yourself, you will see them depicted in Aboriginal rock art at hundreds of sites all over Quinkan country.

AUDIO Click on the red arrow to hear Matt Trezise at Jowalbinna Station give an indigenous perspective on the eclipse. Was Halley’s Comet a visit from the rainbow serpent?

Read more about Jowalbinna Station at http://www.jowalbinna.com.au/

And for info on Quinkan rock art go to https://rdontheroad.wordpress.com/2012/11/08/watch-the-eclipse-from-quinkan-country-jowalbinna-station-fnq/

or https://rdontheroad.wordpress.com/quinkan-rock-art/

DANCE LIKE NO-ONE’S WATCHING – WELL ONLY 10 THOUSAND

FESTIVAL SITE PALMER RIVER FNQ

There’s a huge dance music festival underway just down the road from Palmer River, on the old Maitland Downs cattle station. There’s almost 10,000 people grooving their way through eclipse day, in what’s essentially a temporary town in the scrub. And there’s some great shopping opportunities, including Luke and Matt’s music stall. Some awesome musical instruments, but they’re more keen on teaching you to play than any hard sell. Click on the arrow to hear Phil Staley tuning up with Luke & Matt.

THERE’S MORE PICS AT THE EARLIER PALMER RIVER POST ON THIS BLOG. https://rdontheroad.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/solar-eclipse-2012-were-at-palmer-river-fnq/

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SOLAR ECLIPSE 2012 – WE’RE AT PALMER RIVER FNQ

SIGN OF THE TIMES MULLIGAN HWY FNQ

YOUR ABC FAR NORTH CREW HAS MADE IT TO PALMER RIVER FNQ FOR WEDNESDAY’S SOLAR ECLIPSE. WE’RE AT THE ROAD HOUSE, AND ACROSS THE ROAD WE HAVE ABOUT TEN THOUSAND NEIGHBOURS AT A DANCE MUSIC FESTIVAL. THEY’VE COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AND WE’LL BE INTRODUCING THEM TO YOU ON THE RADIO OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

WEATHER FORECASTS AREN’T GREAT FOR ECLIPSE WATCHING DOWN ON THE COAST, SO WE’RE PROBABLY IN THE BEST PLACE AND RIGHT UNDER THE CENTRE LINE OF THE TOTAL ECLIPSE.

CHECK BACK OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS FOR AUDIO AND MORE PICS FROM PALMER RIVER FNQ.

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SOLAR ECLIPSE 2012 — COUNTING DOWN AT PALMER RIVER FNQ

SUNRISE FROM GRASSY HILL COOKTOWN FNQ. CLOUDS OFTEN BUILD UP ALONG THE COAST BY SUNRISE

We’ve been hearing talk of the 2012 solar eclipse for years, but now it’s just three weeks away and Far North Queensland is the place to be on Wednesday November 14.

PATH OF THE 2012 SOLAR ECLIPSE ACROSS NORTHERN AUSTRALIA

Just after 0630 local time, the moon will pass between the Earth and the Sun, and we are in the heart of the very narrow band of land area that will experience the total solar eclipse. Large numbers of visitors are coming to FNQ from all over the world, and many of them hope to see the eclipse on the east coast at places like Cairns and Port Douglas. But cloud is common on FNQ’s east coast in November. As the picture above shows, it looks stunning, but could be enough to prevent a clear sighting of the eclipse.

ROAD SIGN OF THE TIMES. MULLIGAN HIGHWAY COOK SHIRE FNQ

Some folk reckon you have a much better chance of clear skies inland that morning, on the high country west and north-west of Cairns. It’s lovely country up there, and depending how far you go, it’s remote, and the limited accomodation options have been booked out for ages. One popular choice is a music festival on a cattle station on the old Palmer River gold fields. More info at http://www.eclipse2012.com/

The site sits close to the centre-line of the eclipse zone, where totality, the time the sun is completely obscured, will be longest. I hear six thousand tickets have been sold so far and it’s probably 150 years since the area has seen so many people all at once. Back then, thousands of fortune-seekers were trying their luck here in the Palmer River gold rush. Only a handful of people live in the area these days, and apart from the festival camping area, the only other place to stay is the Palmer River road house.

PALMER RIVER ROADHOUSE

It’s a camp ground, fuel and food stop, on the road between Mt Carbine and Lakeland. Andrew and Karen Stewart run the place, which is popular with travellers heading for Cooktown via the Mulligan Highway or on to Cape York Peninsula. The camp ground here is booked out for eclipse day and it’s expected many people attending the dance festival up the road will pull in here for meals and some of the souvenirs, like stubby coolers, t-shirts, tea towels and 3-D postcards bearing the 2012 solar eclipse logo.

AUDIO Click on the red arrow to listen to Andrew Stewart tell Brad Ryan about preparations for eclipse day.

PALMER RIVER ROADHOUSE FNQ

GONNA BE SOME THIRSTY DOGS ON ECLIPSE DAY

More about Palmer River road house at http://www.cape-york-australia.com/palmer-river-roadhouse.html or http://www.cooktownandcapeyork.com/stay/lakeland_and_laura/accom/palmer-river-roadhouse

Read about the eclipse in FNQ at http://www.trc.qld.gov.au/whats-on/solar-eclipse-2012 or  http://www.cook.qld.gov.au/

More about the Palmer River gold rush at http://www.cairnsmuseum.org.au/gold.htm

LOOKING IN DIRECTION OF THE ECLIPSE FROM PALMER RIVER ROADHOUSE FNQ