Places and Drives - The Northern Tropics - The Daintree Coast

From 1994 to 1999, the Federal and State Governments funded a $23 million Daintree Rescue Program to help protect the area's special qualities and minimise the impacts of tourism and residential development. Over 1,600 hectares of privately owned land were bought back and new visitor facilities have been built. The sites mostly feature short, easy boardwalks for the large numbers of daytrippers visiting from Cairns and Port Douglas. There are six public visitor sites from Alexandra Range Lookout (11 km/7 miles from the ferry crossing) to Cape Tribulation (40km/25 miles from the ferry crossing). If you plan to travel north of the Daintree River, stop at the ferry crossing to plan your day. If you arrive at a visitor site and the carpark is full, drive on to another site. You might find the end of the day a better time to stop at some of these new sites so include them on your return trip to the ferry.

Alexandra Range Lookout - Walu Wugirriga is a good place to take a short break and enjoy views overlooking the Daintree River mouth and offshore islands and along the coast, from Wonga Beach to Port Douglas and Cairns.

Jindalba is an easy, 700m (under ½ mile) looped rainforest walk and a 2.7km (just over 1.5 mile) track for keen walkers.

Thornton Beach is a popular picnic area where visitors can stroll along the beach for views of the coastline and Struck Island.

Marrdja is another easy, 1km (.6 mile) boardwalk loop which shows the transition from rainforest into mangroves before ending at the water's edge. Signs trace the evolution of Daintree Coast plants.

Dubuji is an easy 1.2 km(3/4 mile) boardwalk loop through rare rainforest, freshwater swamps and mangroves with access to Myall Beach on the south side of Cape Tribulation.

Kulki features an easy, 400m (1/4 mile) pathway to a lookout over Cape Tribulation beach. Adjacent is a 1km (.6 mile) rough track which starts from the carpark and climbs over the headland to Myall Beach.

Commercial Visitor Centres

A growing number of visitors are seeking more than just a scenic drive and a short walk through the rainforest. This new breed of traveller wants to learn more about the environment they're visiting, to meet some of the residents and learn about the local culture. To meet this demand, Daintree residents are welcoming visitors to come and experience privately owned rainforest away from the crowds at National Park sites. Learn more about what makes the Daintree rainforest so special through these locally operated visitor centres and guided tours:

Cooper Creek Wilderness Walks... Guided walks through spectacular World Heritage rainforest in the area's most biologically diverse valley. Advanced Ecotourism Accreditation. Phone (07) 4098-9126 for more information.

Cooper Creek Wilderness Cruises... Mangrove discovery tour in search of the saltwater crocodile, cruising World Heritage wilderness - the only cruise operating in the heart of Daintree National Park. For details about day and night cruises, phone (07) 4098-9052.

Jungle Adventures Cape Trib... Easy to moderate walks led by local guides on trails through private old growth forest. A maximum of eight people is allowed and Jungle Adventures also has a 6am bird walk, crocodile cruise, dinner and night walks. For details, phone (07) 4098-0090.

Paul Mason's Guided Rainforest Walks... Established in 1981, local guides take small groups on private jungle trails. Learn about local ecology and history on easy half-day walks and 2.5 hour night walks. Phone (07)4098-0070 for more information.