Tropical Queensland, Australia – Daintree Rainforest and The Great Barrier Reef

Our final days of our road trip in Australia took us for more adventure and fun in the sun. After leaving Townsville, we drove the 6 hours north to the Daintree Rainforest and camped for the night in a caravan park created from an old mining town. The owners of the park were some of the nicest people we have met. They took the time to show us where to find some of the beautiful birdlife they have in the area. I know… surprise more wildlife! The theme will continue we our travels go on. Hiking just before dusk allowed us to see some very cool birds. My favorites were the Rainbow Lorikeets and the elusive Tawny Frogmouth Owl.

The following morning we drove to the east side of the Daintree Rainforest to hike to the Mossman Gorge. The Wet Tropics area, including the rainforest and Mossman Gorge are on the list of World Heritage Sites. In order to get to the trails near the gorge, one must purchase a ticket for the shuttle bus. The ticket to the shuttle is the only cost required for a visit to the gorge. There are no cars allowed to drive through the area between the welcome center and the gorge because it is Aboriginal land. The shuttle drop off is at the beginning of the trails. We saw people hiking and swimming along the gorge. We walked the three kilometer path to experience the dense and expanse of the rainforest.

Along the path there were very few wildlife encounters other than a wild turkey and some wild pigs. The Mossman Gorge was captivating with the water rushing past.

At the conclusion of our hike we stopped for a picnic lunch. Soon after, the skies opened and it poured down rain. That put a damper on our afternoon plans to further explore the rainforest. There is much to see in the Daintree Rainforest as well as the visitors center and the town of Daintree. We drove through the rain until we reached the coastal town of Port Douglas. Instantly we were thrilled to have gotten the tip from our Australian friends to visit this lovely town. We found a free parking spot on the downtown shopping street and enjoyed the afternoon popping in and out of shops. After being in Port Douglas for the afternoon we wished to stay the night but the only two caravan parks in the area were completely full. That was a bummer because Port Douglas is the kind of town you want to stay a while in.  So much to our dismay we had to jump back in the van and head toward Cairns before dark.

The drive south is along the coast and the rain had ceased. We were able to secure one of the very last unpowered spots at a beach side campsite 20 miles north of Cairns along Ellis Beach. The place was packed but the view from our campsite awesome. The other campers were all set to be there for several months. We enjoyed the evening along the beach by watching sunset and playing some cards.

Since Ellis Beach isn’t a town just the coastline, there are alcoves along the road to pull off and take a trail to the white sand beaches. We did just that the next morning and spent hours laying in our handy “air sofas” we have along with us.

It was just us, the palms trees and the ocean waves. It was the perfect day at the beach.

Our last two nights were spent in a super packed caravan park in Cairns. It was the only place we spent more than one night on our entire road trip in Australia. We spent the extra night there because we wanted to take the boat trip to the Great Barrier Reef.

After some research, we discovered that the winds near Cairns have been very heavy over the past several months causing the seas to be very choppy and the water churned up, causing pour visibility. Therefore the farther away from land the better the visibility of the reef. Being careful to chose a boat trip that goes to the outer reef, we selected the company Down Under Dive. They have new boats with great facilities and a good lunch. We left the Cairns port at 8:00am. The trip to the outer reef takes approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. Within the first 20 minutes people were already sea sick. Remember when I asked “are your prone to sea sickness?” Well, I am! Knowing that fact ahead of time, I had taken sea sickness medicine and was wearing my wristbands that steady the equilibrium. Thank goodness because at least 75% of all the passengers had gotten sick by the time we made it to our first snorkeling spot. It was not pretty. Even the people that joked before we left that said “they don’t get sea sick,” we regretting it by the time we made it there. Of course, Robert was one of the lucky ones. He never felt the slightest bit sick.

Our words of advice should you get the chance to visit the Great Barrier Reef; do not under estimate the possibility that you may get sea sick. Always be overly prepared. You don’t want the sea sickness to ruin the experience.

The snorkeling was exciting with lots to see but the waves were so choppy that it was exhausting trying to swim around. Robert and I spent as much time as we could snorkeling. And since neither one of us felt sick, we got more time than most in the water. The visibility was not as good as the last time we snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef but was still an awesome experience.

The city of Cairns is much larger than you expect. They have a beautiful esplanade along the waterfront with fountains and picnic areas. As well as many shops and restaurants that cater to tourists. It’s a great place to visit and to experience some of the amazing water activities that can be done there. It is the most popular place to visit the Great Barrier Reef. However, the waterfront is not conducive to swimming or enjoying a day in the sand.

If given the chance to visit north Queensland, take it. Weeks can be spent exploring the tropical coastline, the rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. When deciding about where to stay, opt for the small town of Port Douglas, instead of Cairns. They offer all the same tours with smaller groups. You will be glad you did. But, don’t forget to make reservations.

Well, that concludes our amazing Aussie adventure. Thanks to all that offered suggestions about where to stay and visit. Australia is an amazing country. We look forward to returning for more adventure. We are off on a red-eye flight to Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. Can’t wait for the calm, relaxation and to sleep in a bed!