Port Douglas

We have spent the last three days in the adventure wonderland of Port Douglas, Queensland.  It is an hour north of Cairns and a much smaller resort town at the south end of Daintree National Park.  The area is know for two world famous natural areas.  On one side of you is the Great Barrier Reef.  It is the largest reef in the world and over 8000 years old.  On the other side is the Daintree Rainforest, which is the oldest rainforest in the world.  The town of Port Douglas is a quaint beach town on a peninsula.  A short walk from anywhere in town is 4 mile beach, a beautiful expanse of beach boarded by lush tropical hills and mountains.

We spent our first day getting to know the area.  We did a one hour “croc cruise” on the Daintree river.  The trip was fun with lots of birds, but we did not get to see the fabled saltwater crocodiles.  The afternoon was spent on the beach.  We walked 4 mile beach and took a swim in the “stinger free” enclosure.  The water was a very tropical 82 degrees in the Coral Sea.

Four mile beach 

Daintree River

It was early to bed for us because we has a Great Barriers Reef snorkeling tour planned for the next day.  We got up at 5 AM and made the drive up to Cape Tribulation.  It was a 2 hour drive, including the ferry across the Daintree river.  Once you cross the river, you drive 30 miles along deserted beaches on one side and jungle on the other.  There are few services north of the ferry and all electrical power is from generators.

The tour was on a fast pontoon boat that took us 15 miles out to the reef in 30 minutes.  We went to two snorkeling sites.  The color and variety of the sea life was fabulous.  We swam with sea turtles, all variety of fish over colorful coral structures.  There were giant clams of all colors that were 3’ across.  Some of the other folks saw white tipped sharks, but we did not.  I must say that in all the places that we have snorkeled, this was the best.

The coast near Cape Tribune 

A Cassuary crossing sign

Why it is not such a good idea to swim at gorgeous beaches in Northern Queensland 

For our last day in Port Douglas, we went to Mossman Gorge.  It is a beautiful river flowing through the rainforest.  We took a “Dreamtime” tour with an aboriginal guide.  He told us the stories of his people while teaching us about how they have survived in this part of the world for the past 40,000 years.  It seems like everything in the harsh environment can sting, bite, cut, poison or kill a human being.  Yet, the aboriginals survived and thrived until the arrival of European settlers.

Gorgeous Julie at Mossoman Gorge

Another day, another swimming hole

An Ocre paint demonstration by our guide

A Praying Mantis

A poor example of a aboriginal warroir

After the tour, hike and jump in a swimming hole, we headed back to town.  We had one more jump in the ocean before we headed to bed early in preparation for our 4:30 start tomorrow.  We are headed to a completely different environment in the “Red Center” of Australia.  From Crocodile Dundee to the Thornbirds.