nature

The Hinchinbrook Channel is a channel between the Australian mainland and Hinchinbrook Island. It runs for 50 km between Oyster Point, just south of Cardwell, and Lucinda in Far North Queensland. The Aboriginal name for the channel is Bolan Milbirmi. The Herbert River flows into the channel's southern point. The Hinchinbrook Channel is protected within the Hinchinbrook Island National Park, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, and the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Dugong feeds and seeks habitat in the seagrass patches along the channel seafloor. The channel is bordered by extensive, deltaic mangrove forests.[1] The residence time of the channel is roughly 50 days.[2] This long period is due to the lack of mixing of water in creeks and mangrove forests with offshore water. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinchinbrook_Channel

" Flanked by The Great Barrier Reef, Queensland waters offer the smoothest sea trip in the world". A fantastic sentence is written in the photo.

PIONEER ESTATE John Spiller of Mackay started the Pioneer Estate in 1882 named after a property that he held on the Pioneer River in the Mackay district. Henry Brandon had selected the adjoining block of land and soon joined in with Spiller. When the two partners had sufficient land planted with a cane, they placed an order in the Old Country for milling machinery. Mr. George Russell Drysdale, a Scot who reached the Burdekin in 1883 went to Mackay and negotiated with Mr. Brandon who was the manager of the Joint Stock Bank there, for the purchase of the Pioneer interests, and he acquired them for Drysdale Bros. Mr. David Donald who had been connected with Mr. MacKenzie at Seaforth joined Mr. Drysdale with whom he had traveled from Melbourne. Mr. Donald's first job was to receive the milling machinery and see it erected, and it commenced crushing in 1884. the sugar manufactured was carted to the landing at Baratta Creek by horse and bullock teams, where it was shipped by lighter to Townsville. Mr. Donald took over the management of the factory and Mr. Louis Hoey, father of Mr. L. W. J. Hoey, at present chairman of the Ayr District Canegrowers Executive tendered to the plantation work and cane cultivation. Mr. Donald later retired from the mill to become an accountant at Townsville and an agent there for Pioneer. Source: Townsville Daily Bulletin 01 Sep 1938 trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/62169472

Byrne the elder looks to be holding a bottle??

This group of wonderfully picturesque backdrop-laden waterholes surrounded by wild rushes and paperbark trees is a main feature of the Wongi State Forest. Over the years the Tannins have slowly seeped from the paperbarks trees gently staining the water into a deep rich brown color. The water can be what is referred to as a mirror gently reflecting at you from its still waters. At the waterholes, you will also find a small rainforest mainly consisting of hoop pine with splashes of eucalypt trees and vast open woodlands due to there the water source found at the Waterholes the understorey looks quite healthy too. Source: www.discoverherveybay.com/wongi-waterholes/