After two hours driving time and 3+ hours of airport time, it was wonderful to arrive in Palm Cove, just north of Cairns, and to a bed and a room with doors. Today I ventured out to explore the little town and found a stiff wind and big waves on the beach and warning signs about both jellyfish and crocodiles. The weather wasn’t suitable for sunning or swimming, but perfect for a stroll to the jetty and to see what the village was about.
During WWII, the Palm Cove beach area (known then as Palm Beach) was a training facility set up by the US Army and used by the Australian Air Force and Army throughout the war. After sailing from San Francisco in January, 1943, ‘B’ Company 532nd Engineer Amphibian Regiment traveled by truck from Townsville to Cairns and then onto a partly constructed camp north. The engineers first had to build a new road, complete with bridges, from the highway to Palm Cove. That regiment came to give the Australian 9th Division extensive training in amphibious boats and beach landings and the Americans were excited to learn they would be working with the famous ‘Rats of Tobruk’, a nickname the 9th earned in North Africa. The troops of the two countries cooperated in daily training maneuvers until they shipped out for operations in New Guinea in July, 1943. During this time the Americans used the vertical outcrop of Haycock and Double Island for training target practice and the damage done is still evident in scars on the islands today.
These days there are several lovely hotels and a few holiday apartment places and a caravan park down near the jetty. It’s an adorable village, and since my accommodation is a ‘self-catering’ situation I picked up a few staples and spent the afternoon on the balcony catching up on emails and reading a book. Sightseeing will begin tomorrow.
