The Main Street:
Farming
here is mainly sugar cane, on the flat areas in front of a large
mountain range called the great dividing range, with some really tall
mountains here and there.
This is the hotel. No views of the water, but the whole complex of about 4 buildings is arranged around a waterway with tall trees and a walkway down it, leading to a swimming pool.
This is the hotel. No views of the water, but the whole complex of about 4 buildings is arranged around a waterway with tall trees and a walkway down it, leading to a swimming pool.
This is a typical suburban street in Port Douglas, most houses are holiday rentals or for sale.
This is the beach, accessible from the hotel, about 200m away. Looks nice for swimming, but you cannot go in as a crocodile might eat you! Four ks up the beach you are allowed to in a patrolled area.
Day One we hired bikes and rode into town to see the Sunday Market.
Nice, with good quality things for sale.
Good here for biking, flat with little traffic.
This is a wharf just by the downtown area:
This is a wharf just by the downtown area:
Day Two was a drive from Port Douglas up to cape tribulation.
Lots
of rainforest blocking spectacular views. Nice to stop at an ice cream
factory, and fish and chips by the beach. Windy roads, with an
opportunity to see crocodiles which we passed on. Not that up to date as
you need a ferry to get across the Daintree river. Makes a journey of
interest though.
Our
hotel, while being quite near the beach, does not have a view of it.
Neither do any of the houses next to the beach have a view of it either,
so it must be policy.
When you do end up on the beach all you see is palm trees, so it has a plus side.
On
the negative side, you are warned not to swim in the lovely water
because a crocodile might get you. Even standing close to the water is
not recommended.
Another day off, just going into town about four kms away, doing usual touristy things.
This next pic is one from the lookout on the hill at the end of the big beach, just up from the town:
This next pic is one from the lookout on the hill at the end of the big beach, just up from the town:
Day Four and a drive inland was planned. Inland scenery was different, with termite mounds. Stopped
at a coffee plantation, saw coffee being roasted, and a video on how
they grow and pick it. Lunch in a little country town then off towards
Kuramba then on towards Cairns. Nice but not spectacular.
Another day off.
Day
6 or so! Got to go on a trip out to the Great Barrier Reef. Actually an
island. About half an hour, transferred to the beach and off
snorkeling. The
day was overcast and it rained some, but the things underwater were wet
anyway. Saw a turtle, a giant clam, corals and lots of brightly
coloured fish.
Some of us went in a glass bottomed boat and saw clams, coral.
Walked around the island, very small which had an old (140 years) lighthouse on it.
After we got out the gannets came in and were impressive dive bombers.
