Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

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CHAPTER 6 . QUEENSLAND & THE GREAT BARRIER REEF
the wildlife and habitat. He takes no more than 10 people at a time on 2-, 3-
and 4-hour cruises. Chances are you will spot lots of fascinating wildlife on his
2-hour night cruise, and even if you don’t, it’s worth it just to see the stars! A 2-
hour trip costs A$45 (US$29). Night trips depart from the Daintree Eco Lodge,
20 Mossman Daintree Rd., 4km (2 1 ⁄2 miles) south of Daintree village; day trips
leave from the public jetty next to the Daintree River ferry crossing. Take the
Captain Cook Highway north to Mossman, where it becomes the Mossman
Daintree Road, and follow it for 24km (15 miles) to the signposted turnoff for
the ferry on your right. The ferry is 5km (3 miles) from the turnoff. You’ll need
a car to get there.
Bird-watchers love the Wet Tropics rainforests of which the Daintree and
Cape Tribulation national parks are part. More than half of Australia’s bird
species have been recorded within 200km (120 miles) of this area. Fine Feather
Tours (& 07/4094 1199; www.finefeathertours.com.au) has a full-day birdwatching
safari through the Wet Tropics to the edge of the Outback for A$185
(US$120), an afternoon cruise on the Daintree River for A$135 (US$88), and
other tours.
Rainforest Habitat wildlife sanctuary (& 07/4099 3235; www.rainforest
habitat.com.au) is a great place to get to see the animals that are too shy to be
spotted in the wild. Here, 180 animal species from the Wet Tropics are gathered
in one place for you to see up close. You can see saltwater and freshwater crocodiles,
hand-feed kangaroos, and have your photo taken beside (but not holding)
a koala (from 10–11am and 3–4pm for the cost of a donation). The highlight is
the walk-through aviary, which houses 70 Wet Tropics bird species including
cassowaries. You’ll get the most out of your visit if you take one of the excellent
free guided tours that leave every hour on the hour between 9am and 3pm.
Rainforest Habitat is located on Port Douglas Road at the turnoff from the Captain
Cook Highway. It’s open daily (except Christmas) from 8am to 5:30pm
(last entry at 4:30pm). Admission is A$25 (US$16) for adults and A$13
(US$8.45) for kids 4 to 14. Between 8am and 11am, the park serves a champagne
buffet breakfast for A$38 (US$25) for adults and A$19 (US$12) for kids,
including admission. Allow 2 hours here.
One company that shows you plenty of rainforest creatures in the wild is
Wait-a-while Rainforest Tours (& 07/4098 7500) whose rainforest wildlifespotting
walks are described in “Exploring the Wet Tropics” in the Cairns section
earlier in this chapter. They also do pick-ups from Port Douglas.
DISCOVERING ABORIGINAL CULTURE The native KuKu-Yalanji tribe
will teach you about bush medicines and foods, Dreamtime legends, and the
sacred sites their families have called home for tens of thousands of years. KuKu-
Yalanji Dreamtime Tours (& 07/4098 2595; www.yalanji.com.au) offers a
guided walk through the rainforest to see cave paintings and visit “special sites”;
the tour is followed by a Dreamtime story over billy tea and damper (a type of
baked bread) in a bark warun (shelter). You can buy artifacts from the tribe’s
information center, gift shop, and art gallery. The tours depart Monday through
Friday at 10am, noon, and 2pm from the Kuku-Yalanji community on the road
to Mossman Gorge (1km/ 1 ⁄2 mile before you reach the Gorge parking lot). Tours
cost A$17 (US$11) for adults and A$8.25 (US$5.35) for children. Allow
2 hours.
Hazel Douglas of Native Guide Safari Tours (& 07/4098 2206; www.
nativeguidesafaritours.com.au) runs 4WD tours of the rainforest from an Aboriginal
perspective. Hazel is a full-blooded Aborigine who grew up in a tribal