Tropical North Queensland - Adventurous by Nature
2012 Total Solar Eclipse
In 2012 Tropical North Queensland, midway between Cairns and Port Douglas, will experience one of the universe's great astronomical events - a total Solar Eclipse.
Just after dawn on the morning of November 14th 2012, the land will go dark as the moon passes in front of the sun. The moment will be awe inspiring as all goes quiet while the moon moves between our Sun and our Earth. Very few people have the opportunity to view a total solar eclipse as the shadow only covers a very small area of the Earth and you must be in a limited zone to see the moon cover the entire face of the sun.
Beginning at 6:37am 14 November 2012 in Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia, the solar eclipse shadow will sweep across the Gulf of Carpenteria and Cape York, before the central line crosses directly over Oak Beach to the south of Port Douglas, the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea at 6:39am.
Both Cairns and Port Douglas are within the path of the eclipse and should be excellent viewing spots. Totality will occur at 6.40am Eastern Standard Time with the Sun 14 degrees above the horizon. Totality will last just over two minutes.
REEF - RAINFOREST - OUTBACK
Alive with charm and spirit, Tropical North Queensland is a region framed by two natural features of such pristine beauty and exceptional value that they have been listed by the United Nations as World Heritage - the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforests.
Out west, behind the blues and greens of the Reef and Rainforest, is the outback adventureland of the Gulf Savannah and the ancient Riversleigh Fossil Fields at Lawn Hill National Park.
The rich tapestry of natural wonders and diverse lifestyles stretches from Townsville in the south to the north across Cape York Peninsula and the Torres Straits to the Australian/Papua New Guinea international border. The 'cool tropics' of the Tropical Tablelands is a blend of rainforests, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, natural parks, and agricultural lands where settlers from all over the world share their arts, crafts, music and festivals.
The climate of Tropical North Queensland is hard to beat with sunshine, refreshing breezes and warm seas most of the year. But 'tropical' it is and thus has two distinct seasons - the 'Wet' and the 'Dry'. Winter, or the 'Dry' season, from May to October is a period of warm temperatures and low rainfall offering sunshine, fresh breezes and low humidity. Summer, or the 'Wet' season, from November to April provides the more balmy temperatures and higher rainfall, and the heat of the day is refreshed with tropical downpours of an afternoon and the occasional electrical storms.
The average temperatures range from 21 degrees Celcius to 30 degrees Celcius with an average rainfall of 2010mm (168mm per month). The warmth of the tropical climate has fostered a vigorous outdoor lifestyle and day touring in this region is easy. There are over 600 activities and trips to choose from and the infrastructure is designed to ensure that visitors have a truly memorable stay in this magnificent part of Australia that we call the 'Tropical North'.
This website is a condensed version of our Insight – Tropical North Queensland book which is presented in the rooms of the better accommodation properties of Far North Queensland, Australia.
If you would like to purchase a copy of our hardcover book, please click here.
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