Review: Daintree Tour from Cairns by 4WD
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Tropical North Queensland’s Daintree rainforest — part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Queensland Wet Tropics — is a one-hundred-million-year-old natural environment, and unlike an other place on earth.
So, what’s the best way to see this natural treasure in just a single day? I briefly consider hiring a car and making my own way across the region, but a fear of the unknown puts paid to that plan. I figure it’s best to explore this vast wilderness with an expert company, and eco-accredited Billy Tea Safaris sounds like just the ticket! At 12 hours in duration, their Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation, and 4WD Bloomfield Track Tour will be a long day — but I’m up for the adventure!
Watch our video of ten top things to do in Cairns:
Ten Amazing Things to Do in Cairns, QLD | City Guide – The Big Bus
Welcome to The Big Bus tour and travel guide’s YouTube Channel. Sitting pretty in Tropical North Queensland, the city of Cairns has undergone an extraordinar…
Right on 7am, tour guide Matthew arrives to pick me up from my Cairns hotel. From the moment I board the custom-built high clearance 4WD vehicle (designed to seat a maximum of sixteen people), I am laughing non-stop. Matthew’s dry sense of humour and vocabulary to rival Crocodile Dundee are two of the many highlights of this tour.
As we wind our way long the azure coastal waters, heading north past Port Douglas towards the first stop on this Daintree tour from Cairns by 4WD, Matthew reminds us of the dangers of swimming in this part of Australia and the very real risk of crocodile attack. On that cheery note we board the MV Matilda for a cruise down the crocodile-infested Daintree River, and it doesn’t take long to find ‘Lizzy’ — a 3.5 metre female crocodile!
Her scaly body is in full view as she basks on the warm, muddy riverbank. She is guarding her young, which are swimming nearby. Female crocodiles are very protective of their offspring until the juveniles are around two or three months old. Lizzy has one eye fixed on us and glaringly sharp teeth, and I’m suddenly very thankful for the protection of the boat.
We meet up with Matthew on the other side of the river and drive on to the Alexandra Range Lookout (or Walu-Wugirriga — meaning ‘lookabout’) for a photo opportunity.
Our next stop is a chance to experience the true beauty of the Daintree National Park rainforest. The Jindalba Boardwalk meanders through the verdant landscape and across a small creek. Filtered light beams down through the towering canopy of palms and ferns, reflecting off a spider-web that looks to be about half the size of me!
From there, we set off for a bumpy ride on the iconic 4WD Bloomfield Track. Built in the early 1980s, the Track became the focus of one of Australia’s most controversial environmental protests. Today it’s one of only two road connections to Cooktown.
About six kilometres along the track, Mathew pulls over at the Emmagen Creek crossing. At 20 degrees, the temperature of the water here is a deterrent to crocodiles (who prefer a warmer bath). So, there’s no time like the present for a dip. I dive into the crystal clear creek and gasp as the cold water hits my skin.
Lunch is included in the tour price and is served at the popular Cape Tribulation Beach House. We get to select our meal from five or six hearty options, and everyone enjoys their choice.
The day is not over yet, and we’re soon stepping foot onto a stunning beach where the rainforest comes right down to the water’s edge. A brief history lesson from Matthew takes us back to 1770 when Lieutenant James Cook’s ship, the Endeavour, became stuck on a reef here — hence the name ‘Cape Tribulation’. I could happily stay here forever, but all too soon it’s time to move on. Our final stop of the day is the Daintree Ice Cream Company for a refreshing sweet treat made from local ingredients.
As we head back towards Cairns, I reflect on what an incredible day it’s been. The tour has given me a broader appreciation of just how special this part of Australia is.
The writer travelled as a guest of Billy Tea Safaris.
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Cover image: Tourism and Events Queensland. Additional images: Bigstock
About the writer
Vanessa O’Hanlon is an Australian television news and weather presenter, and an avid traveller. Her travels began with a flight to Egypt, a visit to the pyramids and a camel ride, and she knew there was no turning back. Since then, Vanessa’s backpack has seen a thing or two — from exploring relatively untouched Bhutan to braving the cold on the peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro.
