You drive and drive and drive, and there are still more beautiful places to see and more fun to have along Australia's east coast.
Jourama Falls
At the recommendation of Sonja, we detoured on our way north to Jourama Falls--a hot trek through dense forest and huge boulders that led us out to a really lovely collection of rock pools fed by one main waterfall. We took a quick swim to cool off but it seems our old friend, the leech, was determined to crash our party. A few frenzied minutes of pulling leeches off and we were back on our way north. We stopped overnight in Mission Beach and by morning we were en route to Cairns.
Cairns
Cairns was the town we had been waiting for--after weeks of going off the beaten path, Cairns was the place, the spot where backpackers start and end their Australian journey. Cheap internet cafes all claiming to have the fastest service in town sit in between bars offering free meals to backpackers and nightspots that draw Europe's youth. The crowning jewel of Cairns is an endless blue lagoon stretching from the center of the city to
the edge of the coast--a big pool where tourist and locals, young and old alike, come to frolic in an effort to escape the ever present heat.
All in all, we spent 4 or 5 days lounging around Cairns, emailing, swimming in the lagoon, diving, and making new friends. We spent a night eating and drinking with a pair of German brothers, another night barbecuing with a mix of Israelis, Irish, Austrians, Colombians, and even a girl from Trinidad. Everyone is on a different path--many have been living and working picking fruit in Australia, others are driving around Australia just like we are, while others are still looking forward to locations ranging from Singapore to Argentina. It is not hard to understand why most travelers come to Cairns for a few days and stay longer than intended.
Cape Tribulation, Mossman Gorge & the Daintree National Park
In the midst of all the fun, we took a hiatus from Cairns and headed even farther north to the Daintree National Forest, an area that includes Cape Tribulation and Mossman Gorge. The drive up was among the most beautiful drives I have seen, falling right in with the Pacific Coast Highway, the Oregon Coast and I hope the Great Ocean Road. We set out early after spending the night close to the Daintree River. The area and specifically Cape Tribulation are known for lush rainforests, gorgeous beaches, and cassowaries--a large turkey like animal with a blue head and a slow, loping walk. Going extinct, if you actually spot a cassowary, you are lucky. We saw two!
We took four walks through the rainforest, each one different from the next. Bi
g fan palms shaded one walk, while large grass and twisted tree barks lined another. Roots stuck out all along the edges of one walk and rain accompanied us along the way, just to make sure that the experience was authentic. We ended the stretch of walks at Cape Tribulation itself, a spot made famous because it is the only place in the world where the rainforest meets the reef. It is a beautiful and jarring sight. We ended the day with a dip in Mossman Gorge, one of the many waterfalls and swimming holes along the coast.
Port Douglas
We spent the next morning recharging in the posh town on Port Douglas. Just 60K north of Cairns, this town is the Nimbin of the north minus the hippies. Cafes, art galleries, and expensive coffee is for the taking. We each sipped $4 coffees and relaxed in the air conditioning before taking in the Marina and quaint avenues.
Kuranda
With many recommendations to check out this tiny town just west of Cairns, we ventured out there on our way back from the far north. Full of markets, wildlife and a lovely jungle trek, we wasted the better part of an afternoon looking around. Seeing as the town closed at 4 pm on a Saturday (no joke), we headed to a waterfalls a few minutes away from the center. At this point, I am reluctant to go to waterfalls--they are always pretty and usually not terribly impressive. This one was so worth it--huge, volcanic, full of little pools at all levels and surrounded in bright green moss and ferns. Created by some sort of shifting of plates that is too complex for me to understand at a glance, the beauty was unmatched and such a treat.
To see photos of Far North Queensland, please click me
Jourama Falls
At the recommendation of Sonja, we detoured on our way north to Jourama Falls--a hot trek through dense forest and huge boulders that led us out to a really lovely collection of rock pools fed by one main waterfall. We took a quick swim to cool off but it seems our old friend, the leech, was determined to crash our party. A few frenzied minutes of pulling leeches off and we were back on our way north. We stopped overnight in Mission Beach and by morning we were en route to Cairns.
Cairns
Cairns was the town we had been waiting for--after weeks of going off the beaten path, Cairns was the place, the spot where backpackers start and end their Australian journey. Cheap internet cafes all claiming to have the fastest service in town sit in between bars offering free meals to backpackers and nightspots that draw Europe's youth. The crowning jewel of Cairns is an endless blue lagoon stretching from the center of the city to
the edge of the coast--a big pool where tourist and locals, young and old alike, come to frolic in an effort to escape the ever present heat.All in all, we spent 4 or 5 days lounging around Cairns, emailing, swimming in the lagoon, diving, and making new friends. We spent a night eating and drinking with a pair of German brothers, another night barbecuing with a mix of Israelis, Irish, Austrians, Colombians, and even a girl from Trinidad. Everyone is on a different path--many have been living and working picking fruit in Australia, others are driving around Australia just like we are, while others are still looking forward to locations ranging from Singapore to Argentina. It is not hard to understand why most travelers come to Cairns for a few days and stay longer than intended.
Cape Tribulation, Mossman Gorge & the Daintree National Park
In the midst of all the fun, we took a hiatus from Cairns and headed even farther north to the Daintree National Forest, an area that includes Cape Tribulation and Mossman Gorge. The drive up was among the most beautiful drives I have seen, falling right in with the Pacific Coast Highway, the Oregon Coast and I hope the Great Ocean Road. We set out early after spending the night close to the Daintree River. The area and specifically Cape Tribulation are known for lush rainforests, gorgeous beaches, and cassowaries--a large turkey like animal with a blue head and a slow, loping walk. Going extinct, if you actually spot a cassowary, you are lucky. We saw two!We took four walks through the rainforest, each one different from the next. Bi
g fan palms shaded one walk, while large grass and twisted tree barks lined another. Roots stuck out all along the edges of one walk and rain accompanied us along the way, just to make sure that the experience was authentic. We ended the stretch of walks at Cape Tribulation itself, a spot made famous because it is the only place in the world where the rainforest meets the reef. It is a beautiful and jarring sight. We ended the day with a dip in Mossman Gorge, one of the many waterfalls and swimming holes along the coast.Port Douglas
We spent the next morning recharging in the posh town on Port Douglas. Just 60K north of Cairns, this town is the Nimbin of the north minus the hippies. Cafes, art galleries, and expensive coffee is for the taking. We each sipped $4 coffees and relaxed in the air conditioning before taking in the Marina and quaint avenues.
Kuranda
With many recommendations to check out this tiny town just west of Cairns, we ventured out there on our way back from the far north. Full of markets, wildlife and a lovely jungle trek, we wasted the better part of an afternoon looking around. Seeing as the town closed at 4 pm on a Saturday (no joke), we headed to a waterfalls a few minutes away from the center. At this point, I am reluctant to go to waterfalls--they are always pretty and usually not terribly impressive. This one was so worth it--huge, volcanic, full of little pools at all levels and surrounded in bright green moss and ferns. Created by some sort of shifting of plates that is too complex for me to understand at a glance, the beauty was unmatched and such a treat.
To see photos of Far North Queensland, please click me
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