Friday 27 May 2016

RAINFOREST, WATERFALLS & PARONELLA PARK TOUR

NORTHERN EXPERIENCE ECO TOURS



Like a fine aged wine, this tour was smooth, well rounded, not rushed with plenty of time to take in all the sights at each location. You enjoy being in the moment, enjoy feeling alive, breathing in that fresh rainforest air into your lungs, taking a moment away from the rat race. Like a fine wine, with every sip you discover something new, learn new things, awaken new senses and explore your palate… the tour clearly has gotten better with age and it goes down a treat! Each stop on the tour you discover something new, learn something from the informative guide, absorb new sights and sounds. 

I was grateful to have a pick up from the hotel around 7.30am (most rainforest/ waterfalls tours can leave earlier) where our guide for the day, Steve, would greet us. Once again we had joined a smaller group in a lovely comfy smaller bus and set off southward out of Cairns on the Bruce Highway. The highway runs from Cairns in the Tropical North all the way down the Queensland Coast, terminating in Brisbane. Every time I get on the Bruce Highway, or hear someone mention it… I ALWAYS get an image of the large shark character and hear his voice, on Finding Nemo. “Hello… the name’s Bruce!”.
Photo from Finding Nemo, Pixar.

We were heading to the Atherton Tablelands, so at some point we had to go up the Great Dividing Range, something which can not be that fun if your a passenger in a vehicle and dislike extremely winding roads with multiple hair pin turns, 200 to be precise! However, this time was a pleasure! Steve told us stories and gave us information about the Australian Bush and Wet Tropics Rainforest whilst heading up the range at a leisurely pace, without being thrown around the bus. We took a stop at Heal’s Lookout (named after the surveyor who plied the course for the road all those years ago) to sight Queensland’s second highest mountain, Bellenden Ker (1593m) and sprawling out down below, the Golsborough Valley. It wasn’t long before we had completed the 19km winding journey to arrive up the top to our first visit, Lake Barrine.
At Heal's lookout. Photo by Tara Reynolds

Lake Barrine is an old Volcanic crater, now filled with water. It is known for it’s lovely scenery, flora & fauna but probably more so for it’s famous Tea House who freshly bakes the best scones in the region, with locally made cream and jam. We also enjoyed a cup of locally grown/made Ulysses Tea and… wollah! Devonshire Tea Tablelands style!
Devonshire Tea at Lake Barrine. Photo by Tara Reynolds.


The Tea House has been in the hands of the Curry Family for over 90 years. It is the perfect stop for morning tea, when you take your first bite into the light and fluffy scone by the lake, ducks quacking down below… the rest is silent, not a breath of wind. You realise you are miles away from the daily stresses of life…cue....RELAX. 
Lake Barrine Tea House from the water. Photo by Tara Reynolds.

$20.00AUD will get you the Devonshire Tea with your choice of local tea, coffee or other drinks and also a nature cruise on the lake. Thanks to Joy for taking us on the 45 minute cruise! Apart from the comical ducks, the still morning made for amazing photography and allowed us to see well beneath the water to view many of the fresh water turtles and eels.
Link for Duck feeding on Lake Barrine. Video by Tara Reynolds.

Link for Eels & Turtles video. Video by Tara Reynolds.

Next Stop was a beautiful Curtain Fig Tree that was over 500 years old. A sight to behold, you feel so small!
The Curtain Fig Tree. Photo taken by my tour guide.

Our continued journey takes us through dairy country. The tablelands is so unique as it has a variety of different landscapes. From Agriculture (banana plantations, sugar cane, paw paw, lychee, coffee, tea and more) to the rolling hills of cattle and farming country (meat and dairy) to protected deep thick rainforest and cascading waterfalls. It sure is diverse and spectacular country to view, there is no place like it on earth!
Link to Millaa Millaa Falls. Video by Tara Reynolds.


Next stop was Millaa Millaa Falls. The double aboriginal naming means that there is LOTS of something, the actual meaning is “many” of something. “Millaa" in that Indigenous language of the area means “water”. So… there is “many water” at Millaa Millaa and because of recent rains… this was definitely true to it’s name! The falls have been used as a back drop in movies and TV commercials over the years. If you are brave you can take a dip and take the famous hair flick shot from the Norsca hair commercial, or just get amongst it for the stock standard selfie to make your friends back home jealous.
Me at Millaa Millaa Falls. Photo by Tara Reynolds.

After heading South East we dropped down off the range gradually towards the coastal town of Innisfail. This was our lunch stop at Italian Restaronte, Roscoe's http://www.roscoes.com.au. This was an amazing lunch inclusion, one of the better lunches I have had on a tour. Loads of options for the carnivore or vego. Plenty of different pastas, pizza & salads. For a small additional cost you can upgrade to dessert.






Some Photo's of the lunch inclusion at Roscoe's, Innisfail.

The afternoon stop was a highlight for many who would choose this tour, Paronella Park. In the early 1900’s, Spanish native Jose Paronella built a home for his lady love and other Spanish-esque buildings to create a recreation park for travellers and locals. He built his own hydro-electricity to feed to his home stead and water features & fountains. He built outdoor public spaces such as picnic tables by the Meana Falls, a tennis court out of crushed termite mounds, a ball room and theatre. Unfortunately, the river that helped them survive was also what ended it’s demise… with multiple floods over the years and cyclones ravaged the buildings. The main highway in the 60’s was also moved further away, meaning less visitors and less money coming in to the park for up-keep. A big fire in their main ballroom in the 70’s added another nail in the coffin. The place was left abandoned for 14 years after it was sold by the Paronella’s. Today, the Evan’s Family own the park and it is yet again, a place for the public. Jose was a smart man, but his trade was a baker, not a builder… these buildings won’t stand the test of time so visit Paronella before they crumble to the ground. Join the 45 minute tour to learn all about it’s history. The park and it’s eerie crumbling buildings are a photographers paradise!











Some photo's of Paronella Park. Photo's by Tara Reynolds

The last stop of the day was on route heading back on the Bruce (hello, the name's Bruce!) Highway towards Cairns, just outside the small town of Babinda, the wettest town in Australia (Yes, they have officially won that award). Babinda sits in the shadow of Queensland’s highest mountain, Mt. Bartle Frere (1622m), also another reason for the high rainfall statistics. 

This is a little gem and the perfect way to end the day. You can take a swim in the crystal clear waters or go for a unique rainforest walk to some spectacular look out points. The Boulders is actually used in promotion of the Daintree Rainforest’s Mossman Gorge… believe it or not. They look extremely similar, only much fewer crowds at the Boulders and it is also free! Make sure you read the information panels about the Aboriginal meaning of the Boulders and how they were formed… there are also interesting recent stories about events at the Boulders… you will have to take this tour to find out what they are!







Beautiful Scenery at The Boulders,Babinda. Photo's by Tara Reynolds.

Coming back in to Cairns past Walsh’s Pyramid, the only free standing monolith of it’s kind in the world (922m) and the entrance to the Goldsbourogh Valley you get a sense of how far we had travelled in the day. We had seen so much and covered so much ground however not once did we feel rushed, feel like we were in the bus a long time or feel tired from a big day tour or feel we were amongst any crowds. It was thoroughly relaxing and a pleasurable day. Thank you to our awesome guide Steve, It was a day to remember and one I highly recommend.

HARD FACTS…

The Tour:
Full day trip

Times:
07.15am - 6:00pm (pick ups from your hotel in Cairns CBD)

Suitable for: 
  • Solo travellers or couples/friends
  • Options for those who speak little English (at Paronella Park)
  • Elderly
  • Families with older children who will appreciate the commentary
  • Keen photographers

Fitness level (out of 5):
  • 💪 

Time of year:
  • All year round
  • Southern rivers and Tableland waterfalls can be effected by flood in the summer months (late October to April)

Price for option A (full tour inclusions):

  • $175.00 AUD Adult
  • $112.00 AUD Child
  • $557.00 AUD Family
  • $166.00 AUD Pensioner

Tuesday 17 May 2016

DAINTREE RAINFOREST TOUR

BTS DAINTREE DAY TOUR
Secluded canoe adventure. Photo by Tara Reynolds

There is a lot of tropical rainforest surrounding Cairns. The whole area is under the umbrella of the "Wet Tropics" and a vast majority is under the UNESCO World Heritage listed banner and is protected for it's unique flora and fauna that is found no where else in the world. The section that is the most ancient and untouched is in the Daintree / Cape Tribulation region. By car, this is around 2 and a half hours away from Cairns CBD to the north. The area lies across the Daintree river and is the ONLY place in the world where 2 World Heritage areas meet, the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest... where the rainforest meets the sea (literally, you have rainforest, beach, then water!).

THIS is the rainforest that people come to Cairns to see.  You can hire a car and drive there yourself and easily take in the sites without a guide, if you are happy missing out on what a guide would be able to teach you.


BTS Bus Tours, Port Douglas. Photo by Tara Reynolds

I have driven myself for the day, I have also camped there and most recently I took a day trip with BTS Tours. I will start by saying this was the first tour I have been on that didn't feel overcrowded or too touristy. A couple of the inclusions were different from any other tours to the Daintree, which is unique and appealed to me. Basically, I feel it's a hidden gem!

We were greeted by our first friendly driver super early outside a city hotel in Cairns (hotel pick ups included) to shuttle us to Port Douglas (1 hour north of Cairns). After a much needed caffeine hit break there we met Mick, our "official" guide for the day. He was excellent... full stop... THE END! Nah.... seriously I will elaborate! He was a wealth of information and was very friendly to boot. 
Our Amazing Tour Guide. Photo by Tara Reynolds

We meandered our way through Port Douglas after collecting more passengers towards the Daintree River Cable Ferry Crossing just north of Mossman. This is included in the price, for a car it is around $25 AUD return. The ferry takes most vehicles across and after a short 10 minute trip you are on the other side in the heart of the Daintree. There are no highways here, so the drive is very much now at a leisurely pace, all the while Mick is giving you information about the rainforest and telling you stories. He would slow down and even stop at points of interest so you can absorb the information and take photos. The next stop is the Rainforest boardwalk stop.

We spend an hour on a boardwalk learning about strangler figs, mangrove species, palms, vines and more. It is an easy walk for all... however you MUST take insect repellent for the sandflies!
 
Photo's of the Rainforest Boardwalk. Photo's by Tara Reynolds

Afterwards we make our way to beautiful Cape Tribulation Beach. It rained on my journey (it is the "RAIN" forest after all of course!!!) but you can still sense the beauty and imagine a bright sunny day! To be honest... I enjoy the rainforest when it rains the most! 

Cape Tribulation at the Daintree Rainforest was named after  English explorer Captain James Cook in 1770. His crew and himself aboard the boat from England, the Endevour, ran aground on reef off the coast of Cooktown (North of Cape Tribulation). By tossing heavy objects over the side of the boat to lighten it's weight  (one being a cannon) and a full day later on a high tide they were able to break free and float away and make their way to shore via the River towards Cooktown to make repairs. All their problems began off the very notable headland of Cape Tribulation... thus Captain Cook named it so... where all their "trials and tribulations began". Another story Mick tells you on the tour!

After spending time on the beach and a walk to the lookout we make our way to our special lunch spot. For me, this was a wonderful highlight and quiet unexpected. They have a private creek area with stunning aqua crystal clear waters surrounded by dense lush tropical greenery. All you could hear was the trickling of water and the flittering of the occasional bird. You can make use of the 2 canoes here and go for a paddle away from the group, this was simply stunning! Fresh water turtles love to come and say hello and the lunch provided was fresh and delicious, not your average sausage! 
The lovely private lunch spot. Photo by Tara Reynolds
Link for freshwater turtles which are are amaze-balls! Video from Tara Reynolds

Enough time is spent there to relax before ducking up the road for our Crocodile cruise on Cooper Creek, another unique inclusion with BTS. Ernie the guide has been running the tour for over 20 years and was another individual with a wealth of knowledge... especially on the Estuarine Crocodile. Unfortunately, in this rare case, we saw no Crocs that day however it made for some fantastic photos on such a still day!... Just Art!



Photo's of the Cooper Creek cruise. Photo's by Tara Reynolds

Now it was time for a locally made ice cream at Floravilla for our afternoon tea stop! My $5.00 tub was "Daintree Rainforest" flavour with hints of lemon myrtle and infused with Kale... yes... it was green AND it is named after the rainforest itself....delicious! If you don't want a green flavour  because you simply don't believe me how yummy it was..... they have an ever changing array to choose from, just look over their blackboard before you order.   

Pop in and say hi to the friendly locals!  
Daintree Flavoured ice-cream! It does exist! Photo by Tara Reynolds.

Overall, I highly recommend this tour. If you don't like big crowds and want a more personal/small tour with a local Port Douglas Company with well informed guides then you MUST consider going with BTS! If only for the canoeing!


HARD FACTS…

The Tour:
Full day trip

Times:
06:45am (aprox) - 6:30pm (aprox) Hotel Transfers

Suitable for: 
  • Couples
  • Single travellers
  • Elderly
  • Families with older children
Fitness level (out of 5):
  • 💪 
Time of year:
  • All year round
  • The tour can be effected by flooding in wet season, December to April
Price:

  • $180.00 AUD Adult
  • $130.00 AUD Child
  • $545.00 AUD Family
  • $175.00 AUD Senior


Monday 16 May 2016

GREEN ISLAND... MORE THAN YOU THINK!


GREEN ISLAND
GREAT ADVENTURES HALF DAY VISIT


Everyone knows about Green Island… right? It seems to be the “number one” on your wish list when coming to the Cairns & Great Barrier Reef region. The Green Island marketing machine overseas must be pulsing in high gear since so many tourists know about it! It must be a high hit in Google!
Green Island with Great Adventures. Photo by Tara Reynolds

I am going to be honest with you, I am a Cairns local (I have lived away for awhile, only to return) and have been to Green Island years ago a few times and I have always seen it as a destination for tour groups and non-swimmers. Yes…. this reins true... but on my recent visit I realised there is actually so much more to see and do and appreciate on Green Island. Although frequently loaded with tour groups it is actually… well… very beautiful! PLUS, you get good bang for your buck on a visit here! I always recommend this to visitors if you have an extended visit here in Cairns and have the time…. then go to Green Island as well in addition to your reef trip. It’s an Island day, a different adventure. It’s NOT just all about the Great Barrier Reef! BUT… some people just don’t like boats, get sea sick and can’t swim at all..... so in that case… Green Island is a fantastic option.
Green Island aspects at low tide. Photos by Tara Reynolds

My journey this time is in the safe hands of Great Adventures. The journey is on a big “Fast Cat” large boat 45minute journey to the Island. This appeals to those not in to boats and being on the water (aka, likely to perform the technocolour yawn off the back of the boat in the slightest swell!).

What I noticed, whilst sipping my included coffee on the journey over, there is a gazillion staff on this boat ready to help you! They wear T-shirts with what they can help you with…example, Do you want to Parasail? Look for the Parasailing lady! Do you want to pop a helmet on your head and walk under the ocean to spot Nemo? Look for that guy with the associated shirt! It’s so easy and every passenger gets a meet and greet by some kind of member of staff. They also have International staff who can speak different languages AND guide brochures in different languages as well. They will make sure you know where your Glass Bottom Boat Tour leaves from and what time, also what time or where you collect your snorkel gear. It’s a very well organised operation. Perfect for those new to the region and knowing little English.

On arrival I partook in the Glass Bottom Boat Tour for half an hour. The commentary was not as in-depth as other tours I had been on (They play a Japanese commentary for you as well)… however… we saw 6 turtles!!! This is not a place to view a huge vast broad array of corals and fish…but…I repeat… WE SAW 6 TURTLES! 
Fish feeding takes place on the Glass Bottom Boat Tour. Photo by Tara Reynolds

The rainforest on Green Island is unique, it’s 6000 years old and nowhere in the world does anything exist like it. There are comfortable board walks on the Island, making for easy walking for everyone and information panels are provided  along the walks which is fun and informative for the young and old. You can also walk the circumference of the Island on the sand and find a little private spot to have a picnic, away from all the crowds.

Exploring Green Island's Information panels and beach. Photo by Tara Reynolds

If no picnic is on the cards (as the price to go over to the Island and back to Cairns does NOT include lunch) you can eat at the Island Resorts Buffet for an additional cost (suitable for tour groups) or at Emeralds restaurant a-la-carte (which had a lovely atmosphere and the food was delicious, decent sized meals!) or chips and a burgers from the take-away.

Delicious Lunch at Emeralds. Photos by Tara Reynolds

If you are looking for something unique… don’t look past Melanisia (at a small price to enter). It’s a quicky little “zoo” experience with the LARGEST CROCODILE IN CAPTIVITY… CASSIUS!  There is also some aquariums, turtles, croc holdings and also the vast collection of Melanisian artefacts.

Melanisia... let's hold a croc! Photos by Tara Reynolds

I was on the Island for 3 hours and I felt I did a lot in that time. You can go over for a whole day or less time for the same price with a choice of snorkel gear or glass bottom boat for all options. My opinion has changed a little about Green Island and I was pleasantly surprised! There is a trip out on to the Great Barrier Reef… for everyone!

HARD FACTS…

The Tour:
  • Full day OR half day trips
  • Departs Cairns
Times:
  • 08:30am - 4:30pm
  • 08:30am - 2:30pm
  • 08:30am - 12:00pm
  • 10:30am - 2:30pm
  • 1:00pm - 4:30pm  (Check in Reef Fleet Terminal)
Suitable for: 
  • Families with younger children
  • Someone who only swims/snorkels a little OR not at all!
  • Elderly
  • Those scared of deep open water
Fitness level (out of 5):
  •  ðŸ’ª 
Time of year:
  • All year round
  • Stinger suits worn October to May
Price:
  • $90.00 AUD Adult
  • $46.00 AUD Child
  • $226.00 AUD Family