BABINDA Heading north to Cairns and after Innisfail we come across the small town of Babinda. Another sugar town. Babinda is noted for its proximity to two of Queensland's highest mountains Mount Bartle Frere (1622 metres) and Mount Bellenden Ker (1593 metres). Babinda and Tully annually compete for the Golden Gumboot, an award for Australia's wettest town. Babinda is usually the winner, recording an annual rainfall of over 4200 millimeters each year. Babinda was hit hard by Cyclone Larry in March 2006. The category four storm damaged 80% of the town's buildings, including the town's historic movie theatre and iconic coffee shop "Yum Yum's". Sugar cane crops and banana plantations in the region were decimated. At least twenty homes were completely obliterated down to their concrete foundations, their debris causing significant damage to other buildings. Vegetation, often full-sized tree trunks weighing some one to two tons, were ripped from nearby forest and flung into buildings by the winds. The Babinda War Memorial is located near the RSL. The Churches is Babinda are all in Church Street and Modern….As a result of ‘Larry’ The Hotel only just survived the cyclone and only the heritage listing allowed funds for repair. There is no Museum in Babinda but the Library does have a ‘beginnings’ poster board. At a minimum stop over for refreshment. Diary notes