The laidback Cairns lifestyle and tropical climate attracts plenty of talented food providores from the southern states and overseas. They include pasta-making Italians, sausage-making Germans and French pastry chefs. The best way to find out what’s hot is to ask a local. Enjoy some great local restaurants, and visit the markets to sample the variety of fresh organic produce found in the Cairns region. The mix of Asian, Greek, Italian, German and Islander stall owners influence the tropical produce on display. This truly is a gourmet’s paradise! For more information about regional food specialties, visit www.australiantropicalfoods.com

Don’t rush by the Northern Beaches of Cairns, make a stop for a swim or sip a cool drink in one of the numerous cafes and restaurants along the coastline.
Then head north from Cairns along the Cook Highway; stopping at Rex Lookout – the perfect point to view the Coral Sea and beaches. This is one of the 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!

On arriving at Port Douglas, enjoy one of many fine-dining places in town or take a relaxing walk along the long white sands of Four Mile beach. Markets with local delicacies are held every Sunday in Port Douglas. 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.

Throw a fishing line in the many river estuaries in the Mossman/Port Douglas area – you may catch a Mangrove Jack for dinner (but keep a watchful eye for crocs).

There are also a number of excellent Indigenous tour guides from Mossman to Cooktown who will introduce you to their unique tropical bush tucker and medicinal plants of the rainforest.

Further north you arrive at Daintree village, a charming tourist centre. The Daintree River is teeming with birdlife, and the area’s famous crocodiles. Allow time to enjoy a cruise on the river and spot a croc or few. The Daintree Coast is a great place to try Daintree tea, local ice cream, sample exotic specialties at topical fruit farms, and five-star cuisine found at nearby resorts.

Use the vehicle ferry (operates daily; a fee applies) to cross the river to the Daintree coast and Cape Tribulation, where the rainforest meets the reef.

Continue north along the 4WD Bloomfield Track which crosses the Bloomfield River and enters Australia’s last great frontier – Cape York Peninsula. Stop at the historic Lion’s Den Hotel and Keating’s Lagoon for some late afternoon birdwatching before arriving in Cooktown for the night.

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 Lt James Cook beached his ship after striking a reef in 1770. Enjoy a walk around town or up Grassy Hill for a great view, and visit the Museum, Cemetery and Nature’s Powerhouse. Enjoy fish and chips overlooking the Endeavour Inlet.

Heading south-west from Cooktown, stop at Black Mountain National Park and then travel on to Lakeland. Situated in the picturesque Laura River Valley, Lakeland is home to the largest coffee plantation in Australia, you can taste the local brew at the coffee lounge.

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. Today all that is left of the goldfields are legends of the hardships endured and mining memorabilia at the roadhouse.

The small township of Mt Molloy is famous for two reasons - it is here that James Mulligan, the founding father of the Palmer Goldfields, rests in the local cemetery, and perhaps more importantly for some people – the town is renowned as having the ‘Best Hamburgers in the World’!

Continue south to the Highlands – the Atherton Tablelands - for the night.

Now you really are entering a rich and fertile tropical harvesting region. In and around Mareeba, savour freshly picked coffee at one of the local plantations or try some of the ethnic food on offer in Mareeba. Mareeba is Australia’s coffee capital, and there are plenty of opportunities to visit a plantation, watch how beans are roasted, sip on coffee liquer, learn how to be a barista, or simply enjoy a good caffeine boost.

Take time to enjoy the local produce from roadside stands as you drive south through rich farming and grazing country known as the ‘food bowl of the tropics’ – famous for the variety of tropical fruits and crops grown in the area. There’s usually a weekend market which sells local products such as ginger cordial, tropical fruit wines, and rainforest fruit jam. (The largest is the monthly Yungaburra markets.)

This is also great cattle country and some of the local hotels really know how to produce a good steak dinner. Ask a local about their favorite pub grub.

On to Malanda, visit the Malanda Visitor Centre. The centre features interpretive displays about the history of the region's dairy industry and the friendly volunteers will provide advice on local food outlets and tours.

Heading back along the Kennedy Highway, detour to visit the historic mining town of Herberton and the Mount Hypipamee crater on the way to Ravenshoe for the night.

Ravenshoe is Queensland’s highest town, at 920 metres above sea level, and home to the ‘highest pub in Queensland’ – a great place to discuss the ecological value of Queensland’s largest wind farm – located on the eastern side of town. www.ravenshoevisitorcentre.com.au

Just 3km from Ravenshoe is Australia’s widest waterfall. A 400 metre walk from the car park will take you to the perennially flowing Millstream Falls which spill over an old basalt lava flow.

Along the Kennedy Highway, stop at Innot Hot Springs. The spring is based around Nettle Creek, the source of natural mineral springs that were once bottled and sent to Europe. The springs come highly recommended for their rejuvenating qualities.

Follow the Savannah Way to the historic mining town of Mount Garnet, and down to Forty Mile Scrub National Park for a bush walk through an unusual vine forest thicket, before arriving at the ancient lava tubes of Undara Volcanic National Park. The Savannah Guide Station at Undara Experience offers a variety of tour options.

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 in 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 to the Oasis Roadhouse – reputably the smallest bar in Queensland! Next stop, Greenvale and the nearby Greenvale Corridor and Heritage Tea Rooms, At the Heritage Tea Rooms you will find delicious, tantalising meals and snacks in this Heritage Building.

Further south visit Great Basalt Wall (no public access to this national park) and Dalrymple National Park and observe the natural wonders of the volcanic times many years ago.

Travel further to Charters Towers for the night. This city encompasses many different dining venues including historical pubs and restaurants that any visitor can enjoy.

Charters Towers has magnificent heritage streetscapes that are largely unchanged since the gold rush days of the 1800’s. The first recommended place to visit is the Visitor Information Centre. Experience country delights at the ‘Ten Days in the Towers Festival’. Taste some good old Aussie tucker that the city has to offer. Charters Towers is famous for its Aussie meat pies and peas. Join the ghosts at the miner’s cottage for tea and scones. Other attractions in town include the Ghosts of Gold Heritage Trail, the Zara Clark Museum, the Civic Club, and the World Theatre.

Head east on the Flinders Highway to Townsville. On the way, stop to view the ‘itinerant waders’ and other waterbirds at the Mingela Wetlands.

Closer to Townsville, stop at Bowling Green Bay National Park. Bowling Green Bay National Park is the largest park between Bowen and Townsville. Look for brushtail possums, sugar gliders, northern brown bandicoots, wallabies, and rufous bettongs feeding early morning and late afternoon.

Make a detour to Ayr to sample the taste of raw sugarcane in this coastal sugar town, or browse around the local delicatessens. Call into one of the local hotels for a counter meal.

On arrival in Townsville, enjoy an evening at a waterside café or at one of the stylish restaurants along The Strand or on Palmer Street or head over to Magnetic Island for more dining options.

Spend the morning ‘sampling’ the attractions of Townsville and its twin-city Thuringowa. This area is well-known for fresh local seafood, a range of locally brewed beers and a variety of tasty cuisine. Enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner or an afternoon snack at the different venues throughout the Townsville and Thuringowa area.

Head north along the Great Green Way section of the Great Tropical Drive, as you pass through the small township of Rollingstone, try and buy fresh lychees, mangos, watermelon and bananas at roadside fruit stalls. Slightly further north, take a detour to Paluma, a village set in the heart of the Wet Tropics. Enjoy the spectacular view from McClellands Lookout that offers views of the islands and coastline. In Paluma, taste steaming freshly baked scones and Devonshire tea at the local tea rooms.

Heading to Ingham stop for an exotic fruit ice-cream (40km south of Ingham) and turn-off to Jourama Falls (6km each way; unsealed road) for great views and walking tracks.

The friendly sugar town of Ingham is nestled in the heart of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Listed Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef. Ingham is famous for its Italian heritage, and is the home of the Italian Festival (annual), where you can indulge in true Italian cuisine, open Cellar doors and wine sales. Have some wine and cheese at a nearby hotel or travel across to the exclusive Orpheus Island for a taste of tropical fruits, local seafood and other exotic delicacies mixed by the finest chefs on the island. Access is via sea plane or from one of the nearby local beaches.

Overnight in Ingham or the surrounding beaches.

Before you depart Ingham, make sure to visit the unique Tyto Wetlands, close to the centre of town. These wetlands are home to over 100 species of birds, tropical plants and Australian wildlife including wallabies and crocodiles. After exploring Ingham, take a short detour to the coast to visit Lucinda’s sugar loading jetty – the longest (5.7km) in the Southern Hemisphere.

If time allows, head out to Wallaman Falls (west of Ingham), which is the largest shear drop waterfall in Australia. Their spectacular sight is worth the drive!

In the afternoon, 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 a night or trek the famous Thorsborne Trail or other walking trails in this pristine environment. 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.

Visit the historic Cardwell Post Office and Bush Telegraph Centre. Located in the main street of Cardwell, experience a tour of these historical buildings (1870) and learn about the development of communication services, local government, police and judicial systems. Enjoy the interactive activities and try out the old jail cell.

Have some fresh seafood from the local fish and chip store.

Overnight in Cardwell or on Hinchinbrook Island.

After seeing the sights of Cardwell, continue north along the Great Green Way section of the Great Tropical Drive, passing through Kennedy.

On the way, don’t miss a quick detour to Murray Falls or Blencoe Falls (slightly to the west off the highway). Slightly inland from Tully is the Tully Gorge, great for bushwalks, and the Tully River – a popular white water rafting destination. Stop at the Tully Visitor and Heritage Centre, browse through the interpretive area, gain more local information about what to see and do, and enjoy a free tea or coffee. The main local attraction is the Giant Golden Gumboot – at 7.9m high you can’t miss it!. Have morning tea in Tully at one of the local bakeries or perhaps a coffee at a café.

Take a short drive to the coast is recommended to see Mission Beach and enjoy the friendly village atmosphere and beautiful coastal walk. Attend the markets to try the local delicacies or have breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack at one of the local restaurants or cafes.

Continue north to El Arish and browse through old memorabilia and photographs in the local pub. Take a detour to Mena Creek to visit the intriguing Paronella Park, a crumbling Spanish castle based around the remains of a Spanish grandiose home from the early 1900’s.

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

Before you depart Innisfail, wander through town and sample the local delicatessens, try some tropical fruit, and head to one of the nearby tropical fruit wineries.

Heading towards Cairns, just 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 keen climber, don’t miss Mt Bartle Frere, Queensland’s highest mountain (1622m).

Spend the rest of the day exploring these natural and scenic wonders, before heading further north via Aloomba, Gordonvale and Edmonton onto Cairns for the night. Stay a few days in Cairns and explore. A wide range of accommodation is available in and around Cairns as well as fine dining options of the esplanade.

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

	Complete Information Centre list
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