This
beautiful region is diverse and spectacular,
it has the relaxed, laid back, holiday feel
so that even a short getaway will make you feel like you’ve
had a refreshing break. There’s plenty to see and do
here too, and although Port
Douglas has a reputation for being expensive it
doesn’t have to be and families on a budget can
enjoy this special place too.
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Population
Port
Douglas 4000
Mossman 1800
Daintree 100
Cape Tribulation 600 Cooktown 2000
Just
an hour north of Cairns is
the beautiful resort town of Port
Douglas. Formerly a sleepy fishing
village, it was transformed into a world-class
holiday destination in the 1980’s
with the construction of the Marina Mirage resort.
It still has kept much of its relaxed village
charm and is a beautiful place
to explore and enjoy. |
Mossman is
predominantly a farming community that boasts
outstanding natural features such as the tropical
rainforest and Mossman
Gorge which is well worth a visit.
Daintree is
a small but beautiful place the main attraction
here is the spectacular World Heritage
listed rainforest where you can see
numerous species of birds, mammals, reptiles, insects and
plants found nowhere else in the world. Crocodile
cruises on the Daintree River are
popular here and children will enjoy the ferry
crossing as well.
Cape
Tribulation is about an
hour north of the Daintree
River and boasts pristine long sandy
beaches where
the rainforest meets the reef.
Keep driving north and you'll find the charming town of Cooktown where Captain James Cook and his crew arrived in 1770 and stayed for a number of weeks as they repaired their ship. Its an interesting place with so much history, the natural beauty and friendly community make it a popular destination for many visitors. Cooktown's major Festival the 'Cooktown Discovery' weekend is held on the Queen's Birthday long weekend each year.
Economy
The
region exists largely on the tourism
industry, as such the region is an
eclectic mix of locals and holiday-makers
from all over the world and sometimes you'll
even see celebrities enjoying
a break here.
The
outlying areas are largely rural farming properties
growing a variety of tropical fruits
and sugar cane.
Large
expanses of the rainforest north
of the Daintree River is protected
under the World Heritage Agreement. |
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History
Port
Douglas was originally inhabited
by the Aboriginal Kuku Yalanji people;
their language is still spoken today and
taught to the children.
Port
Douglas was established as a port
by gold diggers in the 1800’s. Port
Douglas had many names, including
Island Point, Terrigal, Salisbury and Port
Owen before being formally named Port Douglas after
the premier of Queensland at the
time John Douglas. |
At
the height of the gold rush Port Douglas
had 12 000 inhabitants and was a booming town. It wasn’t
until a railway was built from the
goldfields to Cairns bypassing Port
Douglas that many began leaving the region
and the few who remained turned to farming.
Most farms at the time were sugar cane plantations and
some of these farms and the farming families remain
today.
The Daintree region
was difficult to access for many years because of the
thick rainforest. In 1954 a barge was built to transport
timber but by the 1980’s environmental conservationists
had fought to have logging stopped. The Daintree rainforest was
declared a World Heritage protected
area in 1988 to preserve its natural beauty for the
generations to come.
Cooktown has a rich and interesting history. The Aboriginal people have lived here for many thousands of years and many of their cave paintings are well preserved in this region. In 1770 Captian James Cook ran aground on the reef just off Cooktown and Captain Cook and his crew spent 3 weeks in Cooktown making repairs to their ship, the Endeavour. It wasn't until gold discoverd 100 years later in 1872 that white settlement occurred in the region though. by the middle of 1874 the population of cooktown had grown to 4000 people, unfortunately by the late 1880's many of the gold claims had failed and people began to leave. Cooktown is now home to about 2000 people. |
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2
Day Reef & Daintree
Combine
these great activities and save! Day
1 Enjoy the magic of the Great Barrier
Reef with Sunlover Cruises
Day
2 Visit the Rainforest Habitat Wildlife
Sanctuary, beautiful Mossman Gorge, Cape
Tribulation for lunch and enjoy a crocodile
cruise on the Daintree River.
Guurrbi tours
Now listed as One of Australia's Ultimate Must-Do Experiences, these magical rock art tours are in the company of Aboriginal Elder, Willie Gordon. Willie takes guests to visit to his ancestral rock art sites, set in stunning countryside high in the hills outside Cooktown, North Queensland.
Alkoomie Station
A stay at Alkoomie Station is a uniquely Australian farm stay experience. Stay in the homestead accomodation or camp in the elevated tents. Kids will enjoy horseriding and experiencing life on a working cattle station.
Click
here for more attractions |
