Crocs, Cassowaries and the Rainforest - the Daintree 19 - 21 July

After Cairns we went further north and entirely away from urban population.  We were going to the heart of one of the most beautiful, amazing and oldest rainforests Australia actually the world has to offer – we were off to the Daintree.  The Daintree is divided into a number of sections but by far the largest and wildest is across the Daintree River north of Port Douglas, so we decided to head there.  

When you cross the Daintree River (which can only be done by ferry) it feels like you are leaving mainland Australia and entering a unique island far removed in time, back in prehistory.  We stayed in a caravan park about 16km from the ferry.  It is a unique property being surrounded by rainforest and run by people who are passionate about animals (and keep a number on the property), although I will say neither David nor I found them to be accommodating (in fact abrupt is the polite thought that really springs to mind). But the caravan park is lovely and has its own rainforest creeks and walks.  And in the end our kids ended up playing with theirs very happily.

Daintree discovery centre 

Some friends had recently visited up here and recommended the Daintree Discovery Centre so we started off there the next day.  This is a cool place with a complex network of boardwalks, educational centres and a 23metre high platform aimed at getting you into the canopy.  Part of the ticket price included an audio self-guided tour which the boys (and maybe the parents) loved.  There are two versions of the audio programme one for adults and a different shorter one for kids (I think theirs might have had more jokes because several times they burst out laughing).  We spent hours here and had not exhausted all the material when we left – but we had exhausted the kids.  Your ticket allows you to come back over the next few days but our itinerary didn’t enable us to do this.

For the rest of our time we did a number of walks, hung out on Cape Tribulation beach and took a drive up the 4WD Bloomfield track for a bit.  All of which was beautiful and (in true RAINforest fashion) damp, as we had overcast and rainy weather.

What no ball, no problem.  COCONUT SOCCER!

The best of our walks was the Marrdja botanical walk.  This was mostly boardwalk alongside Oliver Creek taking us from rainforest through mangrove back into rainforest.  The interpretative material was excellent with the signs actually in 3D – the boys were engaged in these and read every one.

 Mr L hung out on the back of a tour group and picked up a couple of really good tips.  The guide had pointed out a Boyds Water dragon and offered a unique aspect for a cool photograph.

This is the inside of a strangler fig tree, the guide had suggested you could put your camera in the tree and this is the result. 

Crocodile, Cassowaries, Musky Rats and Boyds Water dragons

Have you seen a cassowary there was one down the road a little while ago.  Did you see any cassowaries we have had quite a few near the centre recently. Did you see the cassowary that walked through the caravan park.  NO we did not see any of these cassowaries we missed them all! 

One of the things that brings people to the Daintree are the animals.  The big crocs, the reptiles, the birds, the mammals and of course the possibility of seeing one of the most amazing and rare birds – the cassowary – in the wild.  One morning we set out for a crocodile cruise on Coopers Creek.  The day was even more overcast than before with intermittent rain and for the tropics it was quite cool.  The boat driver did not add to this mood by telling us that the weather was not good for crocs and he wasn’t sure we would see any.  It turns out that when the water is warmer than the air and there is no sun to bake in, then the crocs, not surprisingly, stay in the warm water.  By the way this is also why you shouldn’t bother with croc cruises in the wet – the water heats up to a nice bath like temperature and the crocs just stay submerged.  It was our last day in the Daintree – I had this dread feeling maybe we would miss out on the Daintrees’ cool fauna (with the exception of the Boyd’s dragon of course).  But luck was on our side we saw 3 crocs, one little baby who literally fell off the bank into the water, a young adult and then at last a big male.  The boys were awestruck at the latter!

The boys with their CROC faces on. 

Yay at least we saw crocs.  We returned to the caravan park via the Daintree exotic fruit and icecream company where we tried some really different flavours, with mixed success.  David and I were getting dinner ready, packing to leave the next day, the kids had found other kids, it was business as usual in the van.  But then the boys ran up – cassowaries they called, and sure enough we were lucky enough to see not just one but 3 cassowaries that evening.  One individual adult and then later this amazing sighting, a father with his chick eating palm fruits near the cabins.  HOW COOL!

Then while eating our dinner a musky rat came out to join us (ok sort of ran across the back of our van which abutted the rainforest).

Where our caravan meets the a world heritage rainforest

The boys were over the moon.  They declared (in true BUSHWACKED fashion - an ABC 3 television program for those not in the know) this was Daintree mission success!!!!!!!!!!