DAY 1 CAIRNS – CAPE TRIBULATION (145 kms)

Pick up your HERTZ INTERMEDIATE SEDAN rental car at the Cairns City Depot (or Cairns Airport Depot at additional cost) and commence your drive north to Cape Tribulation. Travel north along the Captain Cook Highway perhaps stopping for lunch at Port Douglas. Pass though the town of Mossman and, following the signs to Cape Tribulation, you will reach the departure point for the ferry that will take you across the Daintree River (Ferry fare is not included in the cost). Continue straight along Bailey Creek Road and onto Cape Tribulation Road.

PORT DOUGLAS, once a fishing village, is now one of the leading tourist towns in Far North Queensland due mainly to its proximity to the wonders of the reef and the rainforest and its superb year-round climate. All the natural beauty is supported by numerous restaurants, delightful shops, luxury hotels and resorts and historic Queenslander buildings. What should not be missed is a visit to the award-winning Rainforest Habitat which givesa taste of life within the rainforest environment.

MOSSMAN GORGE is one of the most popular places to visit. The Gorge is set in some of the bestrainforest in North Queensland, with good walking tracks and great swimming holes. Mossman Gorge is one of the most accessible places to really experience what a rainforest is like. There is abundant wildlife in the Gorge and if you look carefully you may see a Boyd's Rainforest Dragon sunning itself on a mossy rock.

DAINTREE is nestled in the heart of the Daintree River catchment basin, entirely surrounded by the rainforest-clad McDowall Ranges. The area has an abundance of native plant-life, birds, exotic tropical butterflies and Australia's pre-historic reptile, the estuarine crocodile that can be seen lurking in the mangrove-lined creeks and tributaries of the Daintree River. Several cruises operate on the Daintree River offering passengers a leisurely tour to observe the beauty of the river and rainforest, and enjoy morning or afternoon tea. The township has art and craft centres, a butterfly farm, coffee plantation, timber museum and gallery and several eating houses.

CAPE TRIBULATION is one of the truly magnificent areas of Australia. Enjoy the lush tropical rainforests, crystal clear swimming creeks, long sandy beaches and plenty of things to see and do. Cape Tribulation is a National Park and there is no real centre. Cow Bay is just north of the Daintree Ferry and there are small pockets of settlement located along the main road. There are magnificent, wide beaches with very clear, blue water. The rainforest joins the sandy beaches making it unique as an area where two World Heritage areas meet. Cape Tribulation has a special feel to it and those people that love nature and the outdoors will really enjoy this National Park.

DAY 2 CAPE TRIBULATION

Enjoy a full day at leisure to explore the Cape Tribulation area. The resort can arrange River Wildlife Cruises, river fishing, rainforest walks, horse riding and bike riding.

DAY 3 CAPE TRIBULATION – ATHERTON (135 KMS)

Head south crossing the Daintree River again. Continuing south, take the turn-off to Mareeba along the picturesque Developmental Road, passing through Mount Molloy, Mareeba and on to Yungaburra.

MAREEBA - Mareeba was first settled in 1877, the name is derived from an aboriginal word meaning "meeting of the waters", those waters being the mighty Barron and Granite Rivers. Mareeba is a bread bowl township, the heart of Australia's thriving tropical fruits and coffee industry. It is far simpler to list the fruit, flowers, vegetables, nuts and berries that Mareeba does not grow, than to detail the smorgasbord of local produce.
ATHERTON is the 'capital' of the Tropical Tablelands, a land of beautiful lakes, waterfalls, rich red soil and tropical rainforest. Here the temperature is cooler, the pace is slower and there is a feeling of
relaxation in the air.

YUNGUBURRA is a picturesque and very quaint town located in the middle of the Lakes district of the Tablelands. Close by are scenic attractions like Lake Barrine, Lake Eacham and the Curtain Fig Tree.

LAKE BARRINE, in Crater Lakes National Park, is a maar: a crater lake formed by volcanic explosions. The surrounding rainforest is typical of that found on fertile red basalt soils in high rainfall areas. In
several places, large kauri pines emerge through the canopy - a species that dominated the tableland forests over thousands of years. Take the 5km track around the lake, pausing to view the two giant kauris. Some of the many animals that inhabit the park, including the colourful Boyd's
forest dragon, amethystine python and eastern water dragon, can sometimes be seen from the track. Lake cruises operate from the teahouse.
LAKE EACHAM is also in Crater Lakes National Park and like Lake Barrine is a maar surrounded by rainforest. Differences in soil type, drainage or past disturbances have shaped the forest and resulted in varied rainforest communities. Go for a swim - or relax in the shady picnic area. Walk the
3km lake circuit track, where you may be lucky enough to see an Australian mammal that is active only during the day: the musky rat-kangaroo.

DAY 4 ATHERTON TABLELANDS

Today is free to explore the Atherton Tablelands and its surrounds.

DAY 5 ATHERTON - MISSION BEACH (160 kms)

Head off early down the Range towards Innisfail, taking a short stop at Millaa Millaa Falls on the way. Continue south to Mission Beach. Hugging the coast for about 14kms, Mission Beach takes in a handful of villages from Garners Beach in the north to Kennedy Bay in the south.

MILLAA MILLAA is an Aboriginal word meaning plenty of water or waterfall and this is as true as ever as some of the most beautiful waterfalls are within a few minutes drive of the town. The main one is Millaa Millaa but further along Tourist Drive number nine stop in and photograph Zillie Falls and Ellinjaa Falls to name a few.

MISSION BEACH is a relaxed, yet vibrant beachfront town with over 14 kilometres of magnificent golden sandy beaches. Here two World Heritage areas, The Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics Rainforest, come together to form a tropical paradise. In many places, the rainforest literally fringes stretches of pristine golden beach, giving the destination reputation as an ideal natural holiday choice.

DAY 6 MISSION BEACH

Spend a day relaxing in Mission Beach or experience the thrill of white water rafting on the Tully River. Rafting companies operate daily and provide transfers from Mission Beach. The nearby Misty Mountains Trails (15kms from Tully) will challenge even the best bush walker!

DAY 7 MISSION BEACH – CAIRNS (140 kms)

INNISFAIL – The character of the district was established with the influx of migrants, mainly Italian, after World War I. The town and the area have retained that very cosmopolitan mix ever since. In the 1950’s Dr Alan Maruff started growing tea commercially at Nerada, west of Innisfail, and over the years the production of tea from the Nerada Plantation has continued to rise. Tours of the plantation are conducted regularly. At Mena Creek, south of Innisfail are the ruins of Paronella Park, a Spanish-style castle built by a migrant named Jose Paronella. There are also walks through rainforest and stands of bamboo and kauri pine to Mena Creek and Teresa Falls. Mt. Bartle Frere, north of the town, is the highest mountain in Queensland.

An interesting stop is at the Johnstone River Crocodile Farm, which is situated at the town of Innisfail. To take in this point of interest you will need to turn left off the main road at Innisfail and
travel approximately 3kms heading for Flying Fish Point. Before you arrive at Flying Fish Point you will travel down Flying Fish Point Road and this will lead you to the crocodile farm. There are over 1500 crocodiles on display at the farm ranging in size from 30 centimetres to a huge 5 metre monster called Gregory who weighs 1200 kilograms. They have guided tours of the farm where you can learn how the crocodiles breed and survive. There are also Freshwater crocodiles, kangaroos, wallabies, peacocks, emus & two Cassowary birdsmaking this crocodile farm a worthwhile stop.

Return your vehicle to the Cairns Airport depot or Cairns city Hertz Depot