Daintree Rainforest Hikes, the Great Barrier Reef and other stunning places

We hiked the Daintree rainforest, explored the Undara Lava Tubes, and snorkelled at the Great Barrier Reef.

Port Douglas

Port Douglas in Far North Queensland has beautiful beaches and a tropical climate. A wonderful place for swimming, hiking the nearby Daintree Rainforest, playing golf and cruising the Great Barrier Reef. The main strip of Port Douglas, dotted with stores, cafes, restaurants, and galleries, has a relaxed atmosphere.

During our week in Port Douglas, we enjoyed swimming and walking at Four Mile Beach and exploring the nearby attractions.

In the evening, we walked to the Wharf and had drinks or dinner at one of the restaurants or clubs. This time, we were at Port Douglas Yacht Club.

Later in the evening, we walked to the wharf for drinks or dinner at one of the restaurants or bars. We enjoyed refreshing drinks at the Port Douglas Yacht Club while enjoying the stunning views.

We had a great time exploring the World Heritage Daintree Rainforest in Mossman Gorge. There are various short walks and the 45-minute Rainforest Circuit Track.

There are large buttress roots along the Daintree rainforest circuit track.

The Mossman Gorge Swimming Hole , in the daintree rainforest,is a great spot for a swim after a walk through the George on a hot day.

The Mossman Gorge Swimming Hole is a great place to cool off after a walk through the George on a hot day.

Then, we went on a 90-minute cruise on the Daintree River with the Daintree River Cruise Centre, where we saw crocodiles and snakes.

Daintree

The Daintree is millions of years old and home to a diverse range of plants and fauna, many of which can be found nowhere else in the world. The Daintree Rainforest is home to around 30% of Australia’s frog, marsupial, and reptile species, as well as 65% of bat and butterfly species. It’s an excellent site to spot animals such as cassowaries, tree kangaroos, and saltwater crocodiles. In addition, there are excellent hiking trails.

Then, we took The Daintree River ferry to explore the northern Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation.

We stayed at the Daintree Rainforest Retreat at Cow Bay for two days. It was quiet, and the owner was helpful and nice. We were puzzled by the parked cars, with all doors wide open, and the large number of incense sticks in the room when we arrived. It's the humidity, with any airflow, everything would become mouldy. — Photo from Daintree Rainforest Retreat

The two days at the Daintree Rainforest Retreat in Cow Bay were lovely.

We were lucky to see a cassowary near our accommodation, in the daintree rainforest. These remarkable birds can live for up to 40 years, living in solitude, and only come together during the mating season.

We were fortunate to have spotted a cassowary near our place of stay. These magnificent birds can live for 40 years and only come together during the mating season.

Cape Tribulation’s Madja boardwalk, meaning ‘rainforest’ or ‘jungle’, is a 45-minute circuit through the Daintree rainforest and muddy mangrove at Noah Creek.

Dubuji (meaning ‘place of spirits’) boardwalk, is another nice walk through mangrove swamps with many signs about plants and animals.

The Dubuji, meaning ‘place of spirits’, boardwalk offers a pleasant stroll through mangrove swamps, with many signs describing the wildlife and plants.

The Jindalba (meaning ‘foot of the mountain’) is an easy walk through the Daintree rainforest at the foothills of Mount Alexandra.

While walking at Cow Beach in Cape Tribulation, we found this wonderful piece of art.

Atherton Tablelands

The Tableland, inland from Cairns, is famous for its lush rainforests, waterfalls, and crater lakes. It was a strong farming sector. Growing coffee, tropical fruit like bananas, lychees, and mangoes.

The next three days we stayed at the Cedar Park Rainforest Resort near Kuranda. We enjoyed exploring the 10-acre property and watching the wildlife. The restaurant, which is surrounded by rainforest, was beautiful, and the food was excellent.

Then, we checked in at the Cedar Park Rainforest Resort near Kuranda for the next three days. The restaurant, surrounded by rainforest, was stunning, and the cuisine was excellent.

The Granite Gorge Nature Park is near Mareeba. You can walk through the granite, with is beautiful, but can be challenging and involves scrambling and jumping over large rocks.

We walked through Granite Gorge Nature Park near Mareeba. While the park is beautiful, it can also be challenging, involving scrambling and jumping over large rocks.

There are many rock wallabies, and you can hand feed them, but I think it's not a good idea.

There are many rock wallabies, and you can hand-feed them, but I don’t think it’s a good idea.

The historic village of Herberton is a museum with between 50 and 60 original buildings, including a post office, pharmacy, car repair shop, and a lot of timber, farming, and mining history.

We then visited the historic village of Herberton. It is an open-air museum with 50 to 60 vintage buildings. You can explore a post office, pharmacy, and car repair shop, and see timber and farm machinery as well.

The village is so interesting and beautiful that you could easily spend a whole day there.

We stayed at the Atherton Tablelands Holiday Park for three days to explore the area. The curtain fig tree, near Yungaburra, is over 500 years old, 50 metres tall, and has a trunk circumference of 39 metres.

Later, we went to the Atherton Tablelands and explored the area. One attraction there is the curtain fig tree. It is near Yungaburra and is over 500 years old. It is 50 meters tall and has a 39-meter-long trunk.

Today we booked a tour to see the stunning Undara lava tubs

Then, we did the Lake Barrine Circuit Track. It’s a 2-hour, grade 3 hike in Crater Lakes National Park’s Atherton Tableland. The trail goes through the rainforest and provides a great lake view. A tea house and a short side track lead to the twin Kauri trees.

These twin Kauris are estimated to be over 1,000 years old.

These twin Kauris are thought to be more than a thousand years old.

The wonder of the rainforest, with blossoms growing from a tree stem. Lake Barrine.

Then, at Lake Barrine, we found a wonder in the rainforest, blossoms growing from a tree stem. It is Syzygium cormiflorum, commonly known as the bumpy satinash.

Hasties Swamp, which is not far out of Atherton, is a large wetland with a large range of resident and migratory birds. There are bird hides where you can watch the birds without disturbing them.

Hasties Swamp isn’t far from Atherton. It’s a large wetland with many resident and migratory birds. Visitors can observe the birds from bird hides without causing any disturbance.

The best time to watch is at dawn or dust. We saw numerous Magpie Geese and Whistling Ducks.

The best time to watch the waterbirds is at dawn or dusk. We saw numerous Magpie Geese and Whistling Ducks.

The Mount Hypipamee Crater is a 30-minute drive from Atherton. The granite walls are 58 metres above the lake, which is 82 metres deep.

Mount Hypipamee Crater is located a 30-minute drive from Atherton. The crater features granite walls that rise 58 meters above the lake, which has a depth of 82 meters.

The Dinner Falls are a nice walk from the Mount Hypipamee Crater and are a good place to have a picnic or take a bath.

Dinner Waterfalls is a pleasant walk from the Mount Hypipamee Crater and a great picnic or swim spot.

Undara Lava Tubes

The Undara Lava Tubes, in the Gulf Savannah region of North Queensland, were formed 190,000 years ago. They are one of Australia’s most remarkable geological formations. The lava tubes are underground tunnels, some of which are large enough to walk through. Visitors can explore these natural wonders with a guided tour.

On our way to the Undara Lava Tubes, we stopped at the Big Millstream Falls, one of Australia’s widest waterfalls.

We stayed here for two days in Mount Surprise, not at the cemetery, in Bedrock caravan park. The accommodations were very nice, and from there we took a bus tour to the Undarra Lava Tubes.

While in Surprise for two days, we didn’t book at the cemetery but at Discovery Parks. The accommodations were very nice, and from there we took a bus tour to the Undara Lava Tubes.

Sunset at Mount Surprise.

It included a walk around the Kalkani Crater rim and a guided tour through three sections of the Undara Lava Tubes. Moderate fitness is required because there will be some climbing over rocks.

The guided tour included a walk around the Kalkani Crater rim. It also covered the three sections of the Undara Lava Tubes. You need to be reasonably fit for the tour. The tube walk involves some rock climbing.

Inside the Undara lava tubes we saw a colony of microbats.

While exploring the Undara lava tubes, we spotted a colony of microbats.

Another photo inside the Undara Lava tubes.

Waterfalls Circuit

The Waterfalls Circuit in the Atherton is a popular tourist route and is a must-visit for nature lovers. There are seven stunning and accessible waterfalls to discover.

On the way back to Cairns we visited the Millaa Millaa Waterfalls, which is close to the town Millaa Millaa, about 45 minutes drive from Atherton. The falls are surrounded by lush rainforest and have a nice picnic area. Take a photo or take a dip in the pool.

On the way back to Cairns, we visited the Millaa Millaa Waterfalls, which are near the town of Millaa Millaa, about 45 minutes from Atherton. The falls are surrounded by lush rainforest and have a nice picnic area. It is a nice place for taking photos or having a dip in the pool.

A short drive on the Waterfalls Circuit are the spectacular Zillie Falls.

After a short drive along the Waterfalls Circuit, we reached the beautiful Zillie Falls

Ellinjaa Falls is another beautiful waterfall of the Waterfalls Circuit, with easy access and a nice spot for a picnic or refreshing dip.

The Ellinjaa Falls is another stunning waterfall along the Waterfalls Circuit. It is easily accessible and a perfect spot for a picnic or a refreshing swim.

The Mungalli Falls are a short drive away from the Milla Milla.

The Mungalli Waterfalls are a short drive away from the Millaa Millaa Falls.

Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem. It is well-known for its spectacular marine life, which includes hundreds of different corals, 1,500 species of fish, sea turtles, sharks, and rays. It attracts millions of visitors each year for boat trips, snorkelling, and scuba diving. Unfortunately, it is under threat of extinction due to rising sea temperatures and pollution

We are now back in Cairns, where our trip began. We tried unsuccessfully to reach the reef from Port Douglas, but the wind was too strong. The weather is perfect, and we booked a reef tour on our last day before flying home.

We have finally returned to Cairns, where we started. We attempted to reach the reef from Port Douglas, but the strong wind prevented us from doing so. The weather was perfect, so we booked a reef tour for our last day before we flew home.

We had plenty of time before we arrived at the reef. We had morning tea and enjoyed the fantastic views.

We did two snorkelling sessions, one from our boat, and the other from a sand cay, which was full of seabirds.

We did two snorkelling sessions, one from our boat and the other from a sand cay full of seabirds.

View the underwater world

We enjoyed north queensland. The lava tubes and snorkel tour were fantastic

On the way back to Cairns, everyone was relaxed. The “Passions of Paradise” tour was well-organized. It included snorkelling gear, a guided tour, and a lovely tropical buffet.

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