On your first day of adventure-packed travel, head north of Cairns to the picturesque northern beaches for a morning of water sports. Take a kite surfing lesson at Yorkey’s Knob, rent a surfski at Trinity Beach or go beachcombing at Ellis Beach. For your first adrenalin rush, stop for a bungee jump at Smithfield. To hook up with other adventure addicts, check out the Cairns Mountain Biking Club and Cairns Running Club websites.

Continue north along the Cook Highway, one of the most most beautiful ocean drives in the world, with its backdrop of steep mountain ranges, coastal beaches and headlands. Just keep your eyes on the road as well!

Stopping at Rex’s Lookout, the perfect point to take in the views and a popular spot for hang-gliders.

On arriving at Port Douglas, take a walk along the long white sands of Four Mile Beach. Stay overnight in Port Douglas.

Head off early for the drive north. Or, if time allows, spend an extra day in Port Douglas and head out for a full-day Great Barrier Reef cruise, snorkel or dive on the reef.

Just north of Port Douglas are Mossman and the stunning Mossman Gorge, the traditional home of the Kuku Yalanji Aboriginal people. Located a short drive out of town, the visitor area features walking trails, a waterfall and swimming holes.

Further north you arrive at the Daintree, where the rainforest meets the reef, one of Australia’s most famous World Heritage areas. Daintree River is a magnificent waterway, teeming with birdlife, and the area’s famous crocodiles. Allow time to enjoy a cruise on the river and spot a croc or few. Don’t go swimming though!

Use the vehicle ferry to cross the river (operates every day; a fee applies) to Cape Tribulation. Continue north along the rough adventurous 4WD track - The Bloomfield Track - which crosses the Bloomfield River and enters Australia’s last great frontier – the Cape York Peninsula.

Remote Cedar Bay National Park is a day’s walk from Home Rule along a former donkey track once used by tin miners. The walk is worth it – rainforest dips down to idyllic sandy beaches and fringing reefs. There are no facilities, so you need to be fully self-sufficient.

Stop at the historical Lion’s Den Hotel for a refreshing drink and to view the unusual memorabilia before heading on to Cooktown.

Note: the Bloomfield Track between Cape Tribulation and Black Mountain National Park is accessible for 4WD vehicles only. Alternative route is available via Mt Molloy.

WARNING - CROCODILES
Estuarine crocodiles are present in creeks, rivers and waterholes in this area. Estuarine crocodiles can be dangerous to people.

Explore the sites of historic Cooktown, known as the place where Captain Cook beached his ship after striking a reef in 1770. Here you can enjoy some of the world’s best safari sport-fishing, or go croc spotting in the Endeavour Inlet. If you’re looking for something energetic, take the 3km circuit track up to the top of Mount Cook and enjoy breathtaking views of the town and Endeavour Inlet.

Heading south-west from Cooktown, stop at Black Mountain National Park before heading onto Lakeland. Lakeland provides access to the north to Laura, and Aboriginal art dating back 32,000 years at ‘Quinkan Country’ (optional adventure, if time allows).

Further south will take you past the Palmer River Roadhouse. In the 1870s tens of thousands of miners flocked to this area searching for gold.

The small township of Mount Molloy is worth a stop – particularly if you’ve been building up an appetite! The local cafe is renowned as providing one of the ‘world’s best hamburgers’!!

Continue south to Mareeba and the Atherton Tablelands, where there is a wide range of accommodation options, including plenty of B&Bs. Get an early night, for an early start tomorrow.

Get up early and discover the beauty of the Atherton Tablelands from the air – take a hot-air balloon flight from Mareeba. The views are spectacular – don’t forget your camera! Other popular air adventures include flights in ex-military aircraft and ultralights.

Head west from Mareeba, through Dimbulah and Almaden along the Burke Development Road to Chillagoe, this road is also known as the Wheelbarrow Way. Each year residents take part in the Great Wheelbarrow Race and run along pushing a wheelbarrow in memory of the early miners.

Take an extra day or two on a sidetrip to leave the main road and explore the mining towns of Mt Mulligan, Tyrconnell, Kingsborough and Thornborough. They are a ghostly reminder of the sacrifices made by men and women seeking their fortune in formidable conditions at the turn of the 20th Century.

Stay the night in Chillagoe.

Spend as much time as possible exploring Chillagoe’s attractions and soak up the atmosphere of this former mining boomtown. The mining site has been uniquely preserved as a drive-around museum.

The main attraction though is the limestone caves. Tours are available seven days a week, tickets are available from the Chillagoe Hub & Visitor Information Centre (chillagoehub.com.au)

Leaving Chillagoe, head back to Almaden before turning onto the Gingerella-Oottan Road. This narrow bush road offers a fascinating drive through the Savannah grasslands. Check current road conditions - it may be 4WD vehicles only.

Head south to Mount Surprise for some fossicking before following the signs east to Undara Volcanic National Park, one of Australia's greatest geological wonders. The Savannah Guide Station at Undara Experience offers a variety of tour options. Allow plenty of time to explore Undara. Undara is a unique natural attraction, with 60 caves and arches extending over a wide area in Australia’s largest underground lava tube system.

Overnight camping or lodge facilities are available in the park. Bookings are recommended.

Today’s route is a reasonably long drive, so get up early to make the most of it. Alternatively, if time allows, stay an extra day at Undara to explore more of the lava tubes and enjoy the bush walks.

Either head back to the Kennedy Highway and then south to The Lynd and the Oasis Roadhouse; or if you’d like a more adventurous drive, continue west through the outback town of Mount Surprise, and then follow the road south to Einasleigh, along the unsealed Gregory Developmental Road. Einasleigh is an old copper mining town, set on the banks of the Copperfield River which follows an ancient lava flow. Take a walk through the gorge.

Continue on to The Lynd Junction; with just three residents, Lynd Junction is home to the Oasis Roadhouse – reputably the smallest bar in Queensland! Next stop is Greenvale, affectionately known as the ‘Slim Dusty Country’ offering the soft adventure seeker natural bush surrounds with stunning wildlife including black cockatoos, rainbow lorikeets and red kangaroos. Take a walk or perhaps have a game of golf.

Further south, detour off the highway to explore the Great Basalt Wall National Park, or continue south to Dalrymple National Park. Dalrymple National Park encompasses unique geological formations and features the lava flows of the Toomba Basalt. Explore and discover these fascinating geological formations. There is no public access to the Great Basalt Wall National Park.

Arrive in Charters Towers for the night. Charters Towers, a city of heritage was built on gold mining, discovered in 1871.

Charters Towers has magnificent heritage streetscapes that are largely unchanged since the gold rush days of the 1800’s. Head to the Visitor Information Centre to obtain a navigational map to explore the Ghosts of Gold Heritage Trail.

Head east on the Flinders Highway towards Ayr. On the way, stop for a walk through the Mingela Wetlands, and view the ‘itinerant waders’ and other waterbirds found here.

Closer to Ayr, take a detour to Bowling Green Bay National Park. Bowling Green Bay National Park is the largest park between Bowen and Townsville. Rugged granite mountains rise abruptly above the coastal plain in Coastal wetlands, saltpans and mangroves cover much of this coastal park. Alligator Creek flows through the park in a series of cascades, deep pools and waterfalls. Look for brushtail possums, sugar gliders, northern brown bandicoots, wallabies, and rufous bettongs feeding early morning and late afternoon. Camp here the night, or continue on to Ayr.

Overnight in Ayr.

Get up early to make the most of your day – diving! Take a voyage into the deep blue sea and explore the Yongala Wreck. The shipwreck is one of the world’s top 10 dives. See an abundance of sea creatures and an array or coral – this dive is a must!

Head north to Townsville in the afternoon, arriving in time to head over to Magnetic Island on the ferry – with its 23 beaches and bays, wildlife, water sports, and walking trails, this island is the perfect setting for the adventurous. Keep an eye out for the island’s most famous residents – the colony of koalas. This is the largest colony of koalas in Australia. Take a morning horse ride along the beach and go swimming with the horses.

Spend the night at one of the island’s numerous resorts, backpackers or camping and caravan parks.

After spending a day or two on Magnetic Island (if time allows), head north to Ingham along the Great Green Way. Visit Jourama Falls and Paluma Range National Park on the way.

Continue north (via Ingham) and spend the afternoon at Wallaman Falls, Australia’s single highest drop waterfall – and the Great Wet Tropics Walk. Starting from the Falls, take a walk that discovers spectacular waterfalls, plunging gorges and fantastic views.

Upon arriving back in Ingham, walk through the unique Tyto Wetlands preferably at sunset to see hundreds of wallabies. Close to the centre of town, the wetlands are home to over 100 species of birds, tropical plants and other Australian wildlife including crocodiles. Stop for some wine and cheese at the Hotel Noorla on the way back from Tyto Wetlands.

The friendly sugar town of Ingham is nestled in the heart of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Listed Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef, beaches and wildlife.

Overnight in Ingham at a wide variety of accommodation providers.

After exploring Ingham, take a short drive east out to Lucinda, to view the longest jetty in the Southern Hemisphere. The 5.7km sugar loading jetty is a sight that has to be seen to be believed.
Continue to Cardwell where you can catch a ferry across to Australia’s largest island National Park, Hinchinbrook Island. Spend an extra day to enjoy camping or trekking the famous Thorsborne Trail or other walking trails in this pristine natural environment. Protected as National Park since 1932, Hinchinbrook (39,900ha) is an island within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and is separated from the mainland by the scenic Hinchinbrook Channel. Hinchinbrook Island is renowned for its habitats - the extensive mangrove forests are among the richest and most diverse in Australia. They are important breeding grounds for many marine animals.
Try your hand at game fishing at Port Hinchinbrook, and maybe you’ll catch a marlin!
Overnight in Cardwell or on Hinchinbrook Island.

Continue north along the Great Green Way section of the Great Tropical Drive, passing through Kennedy. On the way, detour to Murray Falls (slightly to the west off the highway). Murray Falls is one of the prettiest falls in North Queensland.

Continue north from the falls via the scenic unsealed road to Tully Gorge National Park. On the way, a ‘must do’, are Indigenous Tours and guided bushwalks, where local traditional owners conduct informative guided walks through Wet Tropics rainforest and along the banks of the Echo Creek. The next stop is Kooroomool. Here you can enjoy waterfalls, crystal clear swimming holes, bushwalking trails and adventure activities, as well as camping (optional).

Head to the Tully River and Tully Gorge to experience the adrenalin and extremes of whitewater rafting. Make sure you take the 20-minute Rainforest Butterfly Walk at the gorge.

For the serious trekkers, head to the nearby Misty Mountains Trails. Enjoy wilderness hiking or mountain biking in this special area of the Wet Tropics.

Continue onto Tully or nearby Mission Beach for the night.

Spend the morning experiencing some of the activities on offer in and around Mission Beach. Just before arriving at Mission Beach, stretch your legs at the Lacey Creek Walking Trails. The trails offer a 45-minute circuit walk with an excellent pathway crossing the creek in several places.

In Mission Beach, walk along the 1.5 km Ulysses Link Walking Track that winds its way along the breathtaking Mission Beach. Or for more adventurous activities, experience the amazing coastal and underwater scenery by going skydiving, sea kayaking or scuba-diving – all available in the local area.

In the afternoon, head north to El Arish to take the scenic route north to Innisfail. El Arish is an historic soldier settlement where you can browse through old memorabilia and photographs in the local pub.

Take a detour via Mena Creek to visit the intriguing Paronella Park, a crumbling Spanish castle based around the remains of a Spanish grandiose home.

Continue to Innisfail for the night. There is a range of accommodation options in town.

The ‘must do’ in Innisfail, as your final adrenalin rush before arriving back in Cairns, is to do a sky-dive over the town. The views of the surrounding sugarcane fields and coastline as you climb to your jump height are excellent as the view includes the islands, Wet Tropics and Great Barrier Reef!

On the way north of Innisfail, visit Eubenangee Swamp National Park, an important wetland area that contains a number of rare plant species and assists in the conservation of the region's wildlife. Also not to be missed are Ella Bay National Park and Wooroonooran National Park. If you’re a climber, don’t miss Mt Bartle Frere, Queensland’s highest mountain (1622m).

Continue further north via Aloomba, Gordonvale and Edmonton onto Cairns for the night. Stay a few days in Cairns and explore – or relax your weary body! A wide range of accommodation is available in and around Cairns.

For further detailed information visit one of the local Information Centres on the way, or one of the following.

Cairns:
Gateway Discovery Centre
51 The Esplanade, Cairns
Tel: (07) 4051 3588
www.tropicalaustralia.com

Townsville:
Flinders Mall Information Centre
Flinders Mall, Townsville
Tel: (07) 4721 3660 or freecall: 1800 801 902
www.townsvilleonline.com.au

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