Explore I DAINTREE I DAINTREE

Daintree CAIRNS

Something old, something new DISCOVER THE PLACE WHERE THE WORLD’S LARGEST REEF MEETS THE PLANET’S OLDEST RAINFOREST

WORDS CHRISTINE RETSCHLAG

70 71

Getting there Jetstar flies to Cairns, under two and a half hours by car from the Daintree. Allow time for Daintree River ferry crossings, particularly in peak season. TOURISM PORT DOUGLAS AND DAINTREE, TOURISM AND EVENTS QUEENSLAND TOURISM AND DAINTREE, DOUGLAS PORT TOURISM PHOTOGRAPHY Explore I DAINTREE

he dying shards of daylight slice through the rainforest like a machete as I drive north, ruminating Ton my tour guide, who turned up in crocodile country this morning wearing a pair of lime-green and shocking-pink Crocs on his feet. Irony? They eat it for breakfast around Queensland’s oldest rainforest. My journey begins in Port Douglas along the Captain Cook Highway and part of the new Great Barrier Reef Drive, which runs from Palm Cove to the . I pass Bonnie Doon Road, but there are cane fields rather than the cast of The Castle here, before crossing the Daintree River and entering cassowary and croc country.

72 In the thick of the rainforest, TOP TO BOTTOM: A basking croc, which dates back an estimated 140 the Daintree River, a tree frog. million years, the trees appear to be closing in on you like a scene from a fairy tale. Paul Chantrill, Wet Tropics You’ll learn there are found anywhere else on the planet. Management Authority’s tourism “There are so many wow factors program manager, tells our 21 frog species and in this landscape. It’s full of hidden assembled group that despite 700 plant species secrets,” Paul says. appearances we are standing on the “They say in the Northern driest continent on earth. “This is that can’t be found Territory ‘you’ll never never know the great escape story of survival, anywhere else on the if you never never go’. In the we have a greater tree diversity Wet Tropics you’ll never never here than all of Europe and North planet know unless you’ve got a bloody America put together,” he says. good guide.” “There is a magic, mystery and A close encounter depth here but you won’t realise For those looking for a more its global significance without personalised experience, join good interpretation. This area Mason’s Tours’ private tour has survived ice ages, climate operator Lawrence Mason, who is cooling, climate warming and as colourful as his Crocs. meteor strikes.” On this journey, you’ll wrap your Paul is here to spruik the new tongue around place names such as Bloomfield Track Experience Guide Tachalbadga Creek and e-Book, which aims to teach visitors country, and wrap your soul around

about the significant spots in the the stillness. It’s where fringing AND EVENTS QUEENSLAND TOURISM AND DAINTREE, DOUGLAS PORT TOURISM area. Among other things, you’ll reef meets the rainforest and the learn there are 21 frog species and rust-coloured earth contrasts with

700 plant species that can’t be emerald-green trees. PHOTOGRAPHY Explore I DAINTREE

Port Douglas & Daintree Tropical North Queensland Where rainforest meets the reef

Executive Retreats Indigo Sailing Charters Lazy Lizard Motor Inn

Lawrence, whose family arrived Executive Retreats are the specialists in  44’ Fountaine Pajot Cruising Rest and Relax at the friendliest Port in Cow Bay in 1927, has driven the CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Under Tropical North Queensland holiday Catamaran Douglas Hotel • Set in Lush tropical the rainforest canopy, driving the accommodation and wedding venues. gardens & an easy walk to the main Bloomfield Track more than 2200 Bloomfield Track, Daintree gelato.  Max only 12 guests Choose between unique and luxurious street and 4 mile Beach • Clean and times. destinations dotted along the northern  Family owned and run comfortable Queen, King and family 74 He says there has been a beaches, in the heart of Port Douglas or  Sunset Sailing Studios •Undercover parking at your shift in public opinion from the on private hinterland acreages. Stay in  Low Isles Snorkel Trips door • Rooms serviced daily • FREE: north being a ‘red neck area’ to a Luxury, Play in Paradise. Indulge in ‘The  Private Charters WiFi • Bicycles and beach towel hire • Outdoor Saltwater pool • BBQ area ‘conservation area’. Art of Tropical Living’.  Overnight and extended charters “When the Bloomfield Track +61 7 4098 1418 +61 429 901 250 (Colin) +61 7 4099 5900 was built in 1968 it really put the www.executiveretreats.com.au www.indigoportdouglas.com.au www.lazylizardinn.com.au Daintree on the map. That really was the awakening that here we have this amazing, ancient Salsa Bar & Grill Sweet Farm Tours Tropical Journeys rainforest. There are plants here that are extraordinarily rare. There is nowhere else like it in ,” he says. “As we drive north, the forests Executive Retreats start to change. On this side of the hill you’ll get thick lush rainforest That really was the Going wild and on the other side of the hill Back at Mason’s Cafe, also run by you’ll get gum trees and Moreton awakening that Lawrence, there’s a croc-free creek Salsa Bar & Grill is the epitome of dining Our unique Australian farm gate Family owned Tropical Journeys offers Bay Ash. in which visitors can pay $1 to swim in the tropics; fresh local produce, experience offers an educational first class experiences to the Great here we have this amazing views across the Coral Sea journey covering everything you ever Barrier Reef & Daintree Rainforest. “It is a great day for croc spotting after dining on one of his crocodile, and a fun, vibrant atmosphere wanted to know about Australian origin Calypso offers snorkelling & diving to because it’s overcast and cool. amazing, ancient buffalo, kangaroo, emu, boar or complimented by spectacular cocktails. cocoa and a working sugarcane farm, Agincourt & Opal Reefs & half day They don’t move around that often rainforest camel burgers. A local’s favourite and a ‘must do’ when Australian grown vanilla and a Koala snorkelling options to Low Isles, but when it’s wet they hunt for He says crocs are habitat-based so in Port Douglas. Food plantation. Aquarius’s exclusive outer reef luxury food. We’ve seen more and more that’s why they are found in some Australian Origin chocolate tasting and sailing, Twilight Sailing & Daintree Tours fresh sugarcane juice on all tours. cassowaries here but they are watering holes and not others. into the Daintree Rainforest. Bookings Essential just like everyone else. They are “They don’t like the cold or being ICE CREAM CO AND EVENTS QUEENSLAND , DAINTREE TOURISM Bookings Essential +61 7 4099 4922 +61 7 4098 8134 +61 7 4099 6999 generally not grumpy but they are exposed in clear water,” he says. www.salsaportdouglas.com.au www.sweetfarmtours.com www.tropicaljourneys.com wild animals who can turn as soon “You just need to know where as they feel threatened.” to go.” PHOTOGRAPHY #portdouglasdaintree discover more go to www.visitportdouglasdaintree.com Explore I DAINTREE

Getting ready to fly with Jungle Surfing INSET: On an Ocean Safari snorkelling adventure..

Fast facts STAY: Sleep among the rainforest at Cape Trib Beach House capetribbeach.com.au Keep on Or break up your journey in Port Douglas climbing at QT Port Douglas qthotelsandresorts.com/ port-douglas PLAY: For a private tour of the region join Lawrence Mason at masonstours.com.au Further south in the Daintree, Operations co-ordinator Abi Soar above the rainforest long-established business the Ralph says she has lived in the canopy with Jungle Surfing 76 junglesurfing.com.au Daintree Ice Cream Company, run Daintree for 20 years but is still by Jenna Rumney and her partner learning about the wet tropics. View the rainforest Dave Mainwaring, also operates “There are a lot of people who from every angle at the Daintree Discovery Centre day tours. come because they’ve heard about discoverthedaintree.com Visitors can take a self-guided the Daintree and want to come for walk through the 8.9ha orchard, the a pretty drive but there are also See where the rainforest meets the reef with a fruits of which are transformed into people who want to learn about the half-day eco tour and world-renowned flavours such as rainforest and why it’s so special. snorkelling adventure with wattleseed, jaboticaba and jackfruit. Our centre gives people the chance Ocean Safari “We’ve tried to make the business to do this,” Abi says. oceansafari.com.au as environmentally sustainable “I feel very privileged to live here. EAT: as we can. Our ice cream cups are There are not many places in the Taste the tropics mulched and go on the garden,” world where you can live and be at the Daintree Ice Cream Company Jenna says. surrounded by tropical rainforest.” daintreeicecream.com.au Visitors are more than likely to And crocodiles. Don’t forget the have a wildlife encounter during crocs, reptiles or otherwise. Eat a croc burger at Mason’s Cafe and have a their tour, as Jenna is part of a swim in a croc-free creek wildlife volunteer network and Christine Retschlag travelled to masonstours.com.au Port Douglas as a guest of Tourism specialises in caring for orphaned Port Douglas and Daintree, For a different croc and animals, particularly wallabies, visitportdouglasdaintree.com wildlife experience, kangaroos and pademelons. head to Hartley’s Open-air education Crocodile Adventures Travel info crocodileadventures.com Just down the road the Daintree Discovery Centre offers a multi- DISCOVER: Jetstar has great low fares to Cairns To download a copy of the dimensional experience from from across the network. Bloomfield Track eBook go the floor of the rainforest to its To book, visit to douglas.qld.gov.au canopy, via an innovative series of JETSTAR.COM

platform walks. JUNGLE SURFING, OCEAN SAFARI PHOTOGRAPHY