Barrier Reef | Cairns | Brisbane | Australian Rainforest | Airlie Beach | Sailing Whitsundays |
Belatedly realizing that this one of Australia's greatest assets:
for the diversity of species in the remnants remaining;
the spectacular scenery; and the tourist dollar.
In 1985 listed as a World Heritage site.
Stretching from Paluma near Townsville in the south,
beyond Port Douglas, north of the Daintree River,
as far as Rossville near Cooktown in the far north.
From the mangrove swamps lining the coastal fringes and estuaries, to the flatter lands now often occupied by cane fields, to hills and mountains of the hinterland.
The rainforest is stunningly beautiful but definitely
not the place to venture alone or unprepared, or ill equipped.
For example tropical fruits so colourful,
eaten readily by the wildlife would kill a human,
while-you-wait vines have spines so vicious old hunters
tell of them being pulled off their horse, to stinging trees one touch of whose hairs leaves will leave you in agony to the brownsman spider able to inflict a very nasty bite.
Best experienced along a boardwalk, or with a walk
lead by a ranger or local guide. A night
walk is particularly memorable, during one we saw:
boyds forest dragon able to change colour to match
its surroundings; a long nosed bandicoot scurrying
around the forest floor; wild feral pigs,
and dozens of cane toads. We also heard of the appalling damage
these toads are doing to the eco system,
now spread as far west as Kakadu and Katherine Gorge
in the Northern Territory thanks to careless humans.
Thornton Beach with its so white sand. Cape Tribulation National Park remarkable diversity and sheer number of species of plants and animals, take the Marrdja Boardwalk through the rainforest mangroves. Other activities include: Rainforest Walk 4WD Explore the Cape Coastline Nocturnal Walk Half Day Daintree Explorer Exotic Fruit Tasting Mangrove Discovery Cruise Sea Kayaking Horse Riding
Daintree Rainforest unique for its high concentration of plant and animal species all within the largest remaining piece of untouched and pristine rainforest wilderness remnant in Australia. Golden beaches, walking trails, look outs too. Daintree Ferry.
Daintree River 168km long of which 32km is tidal, lined by mangrove swamp,
over 34 species of mangrove just long athe Daintree, within the tidal reaches,
inhabited by the so so dangerous estuarine (saltwater) crocodile.
Daintree River the Ferry, 50km north of Port Douglas,
Beautiful Australia from the Rock to the Reef - a tourist guide with nice pictures.