Page 31 - Flipbook

Bloomfield Falls
PORT DOUgLAS AND AROUND
Sandwiched between Daintree National Park and the Great Barrier Reef’s Lizard Island, flashy Port Douglas makes for a perfect launching pad for further exploration of the region. The town is a great place to splash out on some of the best food in the region.
Book a meal at Harrisons (22 Wharf St): here, chef-owner Spencer Patrick uses his Marco Pierre White training to whip out reasonably priced degustation menus. On Sunday mornings, tip back a perfect espresso at Origin Espresso (cnr Grant and Warner St) before a spot of craft shopping at the Port Douglas Markets (Anzac Park, end of Macrossan St).
From Port, strike north towards the
Daintree region. Mossman Gorge, has a superb 2.4 km walk around the idyllic gorge and surrounding rainforest or you can sign up for one of the Kuku-Yalanji Dreamtime Walks at the visitors’ centre. For a bite to eat, Mojo’s (41 Front St) serves delish fusion Aussie-French fare.
Continue on 24 km north towards Cape Tribulation – cross the Daintree River cable ferry for lush, rainforest-covered hills that tumble coastward. There’s plenty to see and do in this region: sign up for kayak fishing tours via Cape Tribulation Paddle Trek and spot dugong along the way.
The Daintree Discovery Centre (Tulip Oak Rd) has a fantastic aerial walkway that gives visitors a bird’s eye view of the rainforest and its animal species. On the topic of animals, keep your eyes peeled for elusive cassowaries while touring the region. This large prehistoric-looking flightless bird is endangered and a rare sight.
Port Douglas overview
The stretch of road has abundant turn-offs into creeks and stretches of pristine beaches: just take a chance on one and be surprised. Another surprise is the Daintree Ice Cream Company (Lot 100, Cape Tribulation Rd), which serves up ice cream made with fruit and produce from its orchard.
This stretch of coastline is part of the Great Barrier Reef and much less visited than the islands off Cairns and The Whitsundays. A gem (pun intended) in the region is Jewell Reef. This pristine reef is popular for sport fishing and well worth the trouble and cost to access. Try a tour through Nomad Sportfishing Adventures.
If you’re driving a 4WD, you can push on to historical Cooktown via the Bloomfield Track (otherwise you’ll have to go the long way round inland via the Peninsula and Cooktown Developmental roads). Stop by the impressive Bloomfield Falls (aka Wujal Wujal Falls) and book a tour run by the Walker family. You can also book some well-regarded tours on the site. The tours, run by indigenous elder Willie Gordon from Cooktown, take in Aboriginal rock art, history and Dreamtime stories.
Cooktown is famous for being the site of Australia’s first non-indigenous settlement. In 1770, then-Lieutenant James Cook struck a reef offshore and had to set up camp at Cooktown to make repairs. The crew was on the ground for 48 days and pre-dated the First Fleet by eight years! The town today is popular with anglers looking to hook barramundi and trevally. Visit the James Cook Museum (50 Helen St) for an in-depth history of Cooktown.
Cape Tribulation
Cassowarry
ENDLESS HoLIDAY 29