For a seaside day trip, nothing can beat the scenic Cook Highway from Cairns up to Port Douglas. Along the way you’ll drive along the coast as well as through large sugar cane fields. Just outside of Cairns you’ll pass through a wonderful network of beaches with fabulous accommodations, restaurants, and golf courses. Swimming here is very popular, although beware of stingers and jellyfish from November to May when swimmers should stay inside netted enclosures.
Further up the coast you’ll see the quaint Palm Cove with its palm tree lined streets and grassy, landscaped beachfront properties. Palm Cove is a relaxed beachtown where visitors can enjoy swimming and tanning on the beautiful beach, golfing at the local course, and horse-back riding, especially sunset beach rides. Wild World is a local wildlife park and kangaroos still thrive here in the wild.
An interesting side trip from the Cook Highway is to the town of Kuranda, a little further inland. Karanda is a small village in the midst of a rainforest and is a very popular destination for tourists. To get to the village requires taking either the Kuranda train or the Skyrail cablecar, or some combination of the two. Once there, visit the Aviary, where you can walk through the birds’ enclosures or the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary where you can view the famous tropical butterflies of the region. Other highlights include the Rainforest Walk and river boat cruises.
Finally, Port Douglas is a wonderful place to get away from it all. A beautiful seaside town, here you can enjoy cruises to the Great Barrier Reef, a trip to the award winning wildlife park, Rainforest Habitat, or the markets held every Sunday. The more adventurous can take part in adventure water sports, and others can spend a lazy afternoon on the beach or taking in a round of golf.
Located on the Gold Coast, Lamington National Park is made up of two distinct sections, the Binna Burra area and the Green Mountains. Overall, the park encompasses more than 20,000 hectares of land, and is mainly made up of ancient rainforest. There are extensive walking tracks in the area suitable for all fitness levels, and the forests are filled with exotic birds. Lizards, snakes, and small mammals can also sometimes be seen. Visitors that make their way up to the mountainous lookouts, either by hiking or by road, will be rewarded with phenomenal views of Queensland and its neighboring state of New South Wales. The area is full of fast-flowing streams and waterfalls which create pools where it may even be possible to spot an elusive platypus.
There are two mountain lodges located inside the park, both offering excellent eco-tourism programs. O’Reilly’s offers guests excellent views, luxurious rooms, and even a spa. They offer a multitude of day trips, including guided walks and four wheel drive excursions, as well as nature presentations and tours as part of their Discovery Program. The Tree Top Walk is a 300 meter long walk along nine suspension bridges 180 meters from the ground. It offers an exceptional opportunity to view the forest and its inhabitants from a very unique perspective. The Binna Burra Lodge is located on the other side of the park, and offers both rustic cabins as well as hotel rooms for accommodation. A variety of day trips are available, including adventurous activities such as abseiling and zip lining through the tree tops, as well as guided day hikes and birdwatching. A health spa and evening entertainment round out a visitor’s stay.
The southern area of the park can be accessed through Christmas Creek or the Lost World Valley, both of which offer varied accommodation options including bed and breakfasts and farmstays.
