My Holiday - Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef Region
Chris and Margaret Herbert travelled with Austravel on their first trip Down Under, here's their account of the adventures to be found in Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef Region...
Retirement provides more time to travel and presents new opportunities and challenges, as we discovered on our five week holiday to the Southern Hemisphere. Our travels took us to Singapore, Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Hunter Valley, Port Douglas, Perth and Hong Kong. What was the highlight? It is impossible to say but discovering the natural beauty and diverse habitat Cairns and The Great Barrier Reef region were certainly high on the list.
We stayed in Port Douglas, a one hour drive north of Cairns, along the scenic coastal Captain Cook Highway. Our accommodation was a lagoon apartment at the newly opened Sea Temple Spa Resort, in an idyllic position on the edge of Four Mile Beach. After a few relaxing days strolling along the palm-fringed white sands we set off in our hire car.
Following the coast, through the town of Mossman and the sugar cane plantations, we crossed the impressive Daintree River by vehicle ferry, keeping a look out for crocodiles! The road rises steeply up from the coast through the rainforests of the Daintree National Park – take advantage of the designated ‘lookouts’ for scenic views across Cape Tribulation and Snapper Island. Cape Tribulation was as far as we could go in our hire car, the road onwards to Cooktown being suitable only for 4x4 vehicles. Instead we settled for a stroll through the coastal mangroves and a picnic lunch on the almost deserted white sands of Tribulation Beach, a special place where the lush rainforest meets the reef.
We chose the catamaran, Quicksilver V, for our day cruise to the outer reaches of the Great Barrier Reef. After viewing the stunning underwater world from aboard the semi submersible boat and the underwater viewing platform, we donned our wetsuits to snorkel amongst the colourful coral and spectacular fish – scuba diving and ocean walking helmet diving are also offered – maybe next time!
After an excellent lunch, we took a short boat trip to the landing stage for our return journey by helicopter. What an exhilarating experience flying low over the reef where you gain a greater perspective of the vibrant blues and greens. Then returning over the rainforest canopy and seeing the beauty of the coast from the air, all the while accompanied by an interactive commentary from the pilot. Later we tucked into a true Aussie steak while watching the sunset over Port Douglas Marina – a truly memorable day!
For our return trip to Cairns we opted for a complete change of scenery and drove inland from Port Douglas to the town of Mareeba situated on the edge of the Hann and Atherton Tablelands. Leaving Mossman we climbed steeply up the Great Dividing Range, stopping at the lookouts to admire the views over the Coral Sea.
Driving through the rich fertile plains we passed many mango farms and wineries reflecting the thriving tropical fruits industry. Our goal was the ‘Coffee Works’ at Mareeba where we enjoyed a guided tour explaining how fine coffee is produced. We finished the tour by sampling many blends of coffee and also the fine chocolates created on site. We continued our journey relaxed, revived and relishing the ultimate coffee and chocolate experience!
We embarked on this, our first holiday to Australia with trepidation. Having only scratched the surface of this vast and diverse country we cannot wait to return.
