The Search for Adventure in Tropical North Queensland

Do you yearn to jump out of a perfectly good aereoplane? . . . or dive to the depths of the ocean? Have you always wished to ride a horse through the rainforest? . . . or search the waterways for huge crocodiles? Does the romance of sailing to the Great Barrier Reef on a balmy tropical day, aboard a classic wooden pearl lugger, or the chance to leave footprints on a deserted sand cay grab at your heart? Have you always longed to tread on the most northerly tip of the Australian mainland? Have all your adventures been viewed on Discovery Channel from the comfort of your armchair?

If your idea of the perfect holiday is less relaxation and more excitement, then this is the right place.

In Tropical North Queensland, you can float over the Atherton Tablelands at sunrise in a hot air balloon or dive in the depths of the outer Barrier Reef at midnight in November to watch the coral spawning. Rappel down a ravine, raft a foaming river, bungy jump in the rainforest, or race across the outback into the setting sun on a wilderness trailbike safari.

There are many 4WD excursions for a day or a week to explore the rainforest, or see it from the rainforest cableway above its green canopy on your way to or from Kuranda. Naturalists will love the outback or rainforest evening spotlighting tours to see the nocturnal native fauna.

There is a tremendous choice of excellent day tours featuring an old pearling lugger or the most advanced wave-piercing catamarans, luxurious yachts, jetboats, helicopters, historic tiger moth biplanes or seaplanes, well appointed coaches, safari style 4WD or minibus offering itineraries which include the region's diverse attractions.

Perhaps the most exhilarating feeling is to experience the adrenalin rush of jumping out of a plane with the wind rushing at your face. Now, that's the way to get a view!

Australian Skydive Cairnsis the premier tandem skydiving company in Australia and specializes in skydiving for both the novice and the professional skydiver.

Australia's largest tandem skydive operation, Skydive Cairns, boasts a 5 star training centre and customer lounge situated in the centre of Cairns. No experience is necessary, and with spectacular views thrown in and departures four times daily there is no excuse! Freefall at an amazing 200kmph for up to 1 minute before parachuting gently to the ground while taking in breathtaking views. Tandem skydiving is the safest and easiest way to skydive; and the professional and highly experienced instructors are trained to international standards and equipped with the latest modern parachutes and backup automatic deployment computers. Free air-conditioned coach transfers are from Cairns city and Northern Beaches.

If you are a certified skydiver, a solo jump can be arranged over beautiful tropical rainforest.

But there is a quieter way to experience the rainforest. Since 1982 Wait-a-While Rainforest Tours has been Cairns' specialist environmental and wildlife spotlighting tour company, and has obtained National Park & State Forest permits (some exclusive) to visit what are considered to be the best places to combine rainforest interpretation with the observation of the unusual wildlife of the Wet Tropics. They include the best of both worlds - several hours of daylight for interpretive rainforest walking trials, bird watching and platypus viewing; and after dark the fun of finding and observing nocturnal wildlife by spotlight.

Expert guides have many years of relevant experience, a proven record of safe driving, and a passionate interest in animals, plants, and environmental issues. Discussions are always encouraged concerning the natural history of rainforests, Aboriginals of the region, conservation, and other subjects of interest.

Wait-A-While places a great emphasis on ‘low impact’ tours in which they observe rainforest life with as little disturbance as possible, and specialize in small group tours in quiet vehicles with a maximum of 6 - 11 passengers. They do not feed or otherwise entice the animals and use only low wattage illumination.

This is a great way for you to get a better understanding and appreciation of our environment and culture, and how you can make a difference to our future.

If you do yearn to be above the crowds, but your desire is for something a little quieter, you can glide above the rainforest canopy with Skyrail.

Skyrail departs from the Carvonica Terminal near Smithfield and takes you on a journey just metres above the rainforest canopy in silent six-seater gondolas with views to Cairns and the Coral Sea before levelling off over the MacAlister Range with infinite views to the west. Stops at Red Peak Station and Barron Falls Station give the visitor time to learn about and experience the rainforest from ground level, before continuing on to Kuranda.

The perfect combination of tours for a day to Kuranda is to take the Skyrail one direction and the return trip by Kuranda Rail (or visa versa). On the world famous Kuranda Rail experience, you can discover the pioneering history of the tropical north from way back in the late 1800s, be astounded by a magnificent engineering feat and explore some of the great characters involved in the construction of this great railway.

Should you wish to snorkel or dive on the Great Barrier Reef (and who doesn't?), the number of operators and rows and rows of brochures at the tour desks can be confusing.

The award winning Down Under Dive company offers you a choice of cruise and diving experiences, and has also been successfully operating for many years.

The Reef locations are carefully selected for the clarity of water and the abundance and diversity of the marine life. Every moment spent exploring the magnificent array of colourful coral formations and swimming with the brilliantly coloured fish is one of discovery, often exciting, sometimes breathtaking.

If you have never dived before and have always wished to experience first hand the beauty of the underwater world and come face to face with schools of tropical fish… now you can! One of the Down Under Dive professional dive instructors can take you on your first SCUBA dive, no experience necessary. All you need to do is pass the onboard medical questionnaire and participate in the dive briefing.

But, once you've had a taste of what Australia's Great Barrier Reef has to offer, you may yearn for more. As a beginner, you will be surprised how easy it is to SCUBA dive. After a four or five day course in Cairns and on the reef, you can obtain your open-water certification, which is an internationally recognised Diver's Licence. For divers already holding open-water certificates who wish to continue their dive education, increase their confidence and gain further knowledge of dive skills, advanced courses including three days and two nights on the Reef commence daily.

If you do not dive, but still wish to experience what it is like to be down amongst the magnificent array of life on the Reef, Sunlover Reef Cruises offer the Seawalker Helmet Diving adventure program. Seawalker has been designed to introduce people to the excitement of the underwater world, even without any prior dive knowledge or experience.

You will be guided on your adventure by one of our qualified Seawalker diving instructors. Unlike traditional scuba diving, Seawalker enables you to breathe through your nose and mouth as you would above water. Seawalker also allows you to keep your face and hair dry while you experience the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef.

Sunlover Reef Cruises use only first class equipment and a maximum of six people per instructor to ensure this is safe and fun for all. At $140 per person, you can book onboard your Sunlover Reef Cruise.

Sailing to naturally formed islands on the Great Barrier Reef, the huge Ocean Spirit catamaran yachts are a wonderful choice and set the standard for luxurious cruising to the Great Barrier Reef, with a 19 year record of quality & safety and highly trained crew and snorkel/dive instructors. Quieter and perhaps a more leisurely pace, Ocean Spirit captures the spirit of the Great Barrier Reef visiting Michaelmas Cay, Oyster Reef & Upolu Reef to experience the multi coloured coral and fish species.

For an outstanding evening adventure discover the delights of their Dinner Cruise, savouring the sights of the city lights set against the rainforest clad mountains, while enjoying an award winning gourmet tropical feast.

Ocean Spirit has a high crew to guest ratio of 9:1, informative and interpretive snorkel and dive tours conducted by a marine biologist , and award winning gourmet cuisine on all reef cruises and dinner cruises with chefs preparing the feast on board.

But the romance of sailing to the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns aboard the classic Australian pearl lugger, Falla, is hard to beat. Owned and operated by Doug Meyer, an "old salt" of 50 years experience on the water, a day aboard Falla will be the most wonderful day of your holiday. The overwhelming water clarity and beautiful fish at Coral Gardens will take your breath away. You are free to swim, snorkel or dive; and after a tropical smorgasbord lunch, the choice again of exploring the reef around the second location of Upolu Cay, sunbaking or stretching your legs on the pristine sand cay is yours. As you catch the breeze for a leisurely sail home, you will be entertained with seafarers' tales, snacks and complimentary wine.

Note: At the time of this book going to print, Falla is undergoing a rebuilding program, but should be cruising the waves again shortly.

Is your time limited to see the Great Barrier Reef, or do you just like an extra thrill?

Snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef in just 25 minutes!! Ocean Safari's half day eco tour begins at Cape Tribulation beach and in only 25 minutes you can be snorkelling on the “Great Barrier Reef” itself.

An exhilarating ride on the high powered, purpose built vessel to Mackay and Undine Reefs allows you two exciting hours for snorkelling the pristine coral and abundant marine life in absolute serenity.

Your skipper and eco host will make sure that your time is filled with fun and appreciation of the Great Barrier Reef, seabirds and the coastal rainforest of the Daintree with a splash of Aussie humour.

Ocean Safari's vessel only takes up to 25 guests allowing the crew to give you individual attention and the enjoyment of a small group.

Back on dry land, Australia's wildlife is always fascinating and exciting. Cairns Tropical Zoo at Palm Cove has broken the mould of traditional zoos by creating opportunities for visitors to interact with the animals to encourage a greater understanding of native wildlife.

Midway between Cairns and Port Douglas and located within a World Heritage area, Hartleys Crocodile Adventures will always set the heart racing. Crocodiles leap from the water to take food offered by the keepers as you cruise the waterways of this multi-award winning eco-tourism acredited attraction. Daily presentations include turtle, fish and waterbird feeding, cassowaries, snakes and other repltiles, as well as the crocodiles of course!

Just to the north of Port Douglas, the spirit of wild outback Australia is before you at the Australian Muster Experience, where the courage and determination of the men and women who carve their lives from the bush is celebrated. Views to Port Douglas and the stunning backdrop of the World Heritage Daintree rainforest greets guests to this beautiful cattle station.

At Australian Muster Experience you can join Nipper and the team on their working day as they bring to you an authentic representation of a working cattle station, punctuated by whip-cracking humour, bulls and bulldust! Thundering hooves, dog whistles and cracking whips echo through the valley as wild brumbies and herds of cattle are mustered in for the action packed show. This is real stockmen and women riding Australian stockhorses with dogs, quad bikes and a bull catcher. The thrilling show is accompanied by a delicious BBQ, live music and lively bush tales. The Grand Outback Muster at night also includes a free mechanical bull ride for you to test your buckin’ skills and a foot-stomping show by the AME band. On your way out, drop into the outback souvenir shop and grab yourself a corrugated iron beer cooler or muster tee-shirt!

But your love of horses and horsemanship doesn't need to stop there. Also situated between port Douglas and Mossman, 'Ride the Beach' is the natural way to journey through two world heritage wonders. There is something therapeutic about exploring the natural environment on horseback. Escape the everyday as you ride through two natural wonders of the world – the pristine Daintree Rainforest and the beautiful Wonga Beach with Wonga Beach Horse Rides. Locally owned and operated, Wonga Beach Horse Rides operate horse trail rides in one of the world’s most scenic settings. For two and a half hours, you can choose to walk, trot or canter along the golden sands and through the water of Wonga Beach followed by a gentle ride through the stunning Daintree rainforest and a tropical fruit orchard. There are two sessions each day – 8.30am for the early risers or 2.30pm for those who want to ride into the sunset!

The rides can be enjoyed by all whether you are a beginner or skilled rider with the Wonga Beach team ensuring all are partnered with a horse that suitably reflects their riding ability. Boots, helmets and suitable clothing (if required) are provided on arrival and everyone undertakes a short lesson in horsemanship before getting underway.

As with most adventures in the Far North, transfers from Port Douglas, Cairns and Cairns' Northern Beaches can be arranged.

So, whether your perfect adventure involves just yourself, a loved one, son, daughter, grandma, or the whole family; whatever you can imagine, chances are you can do it in the Tropical North. Our tour operators are some of the most innovative and professional in the world!

Book direct with each the tour operators for great deals, or check with your tour desk or receptionist. Most operators pick you up directly from your hotel and drop you back there at the end of the day. As you may want to do more than you have time for, some activities can be combined into one fun-filled day of adventure.

Day touring in this region is so easy – there are over 600 trips to choose from, and our tourism industry and infrastructure is designed to ensure you, the visitor, will have a truly memorable holiday.

Remember: When in the Australian sun, apply a good quality sunscreen, wear a hat and avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of water!