Cassowary at Noah Valley

Planning a day trip to the Daintree Rainforest is generally on every guest’s agenda. Whether to go with an organised tour or self drive is the number one forethought.           

There is lots of advice on the web on how to plan it on your own and there are also many companies vying for the business. While you could spend countless hours on the web considering each tour company and comparing inclusions, costs and fare discounting, some of the important things are often missed.

 There is a lot more that a good Daintree Rainforest tour company can offer beyond a day out, a nice drive and great scenery. So before you leap into making a decision check all the little details and if unsure, have your questions answered.

 From experience and emails, here are some common questions answered to assist you in making the best decision for a day trip to the Daintree Rainforest.

 Should I stay in Cairns or Port Douglas if we want to visit the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest ?.. Port Douglas is the closest point to both therefore will save you unnecessary travelling time to both, giving you more time to benefit from your day. Why add in excess of two extra hours onto your day when you could be sleeping in and on your return have the extra hour to savor in the day’s experience.

I have found a cheaper alternative for a day tour to the Daintree Rainforest than yours, can you tell me why?..Consider the inclusions – Will you be going on an bus carrying up to 24  people or will you be joining a small group tour of no more than 8 (including yourself). 

Does the alternative offer a world heritage listed private rainforest area for you to experience an interpretive walk with your guide or is it just an area that they have been given access to with not many Rainforest plant species.

Will you be taken to the point where the Rainforest meets the Reef or will you be visiting a beach along the way because the operator does not have a proper permit.

What will lunch include, a salad, a roll? or a full barbeque served with three salads, a damper and followed by a tropical fruit platter. We also cater for vegetarians, vegans and gluten/lactose intolerance.

How can you offer swimming in the Rainforest stream when others only swim in creeks and cattle properties or don’t swim at all? .. The Rainforest stream we access is in the heart of the Daintree Rainforest and it is not crocodile inhabited. We pay a fee for access to this world heritage listed private property to ensure our guests have as much privacy and are able to swim freely and safely.

Will you cancel if we are the only two people travelling? ..No, as long as we have two paying guests, we will travel…  Are other companies willing to do the same?

Are your tour guides experienced?.. Yes, they are not bus drivers, they will not take you to the Daintree Rainforest, drop you off and ask you to be back in an hour, they will guide you, be there to interpret and make certain you have ample opportunity to take photos, appreciate and enjoy the day.

Some companies have told us that giving us free time to enjoy Cape Tribulation is what it’s all about?..You will have some free time at Cape Tribulation Beach to explore on your own, however the idea is that we are not a bus transfer company we are a group tour, to ensure you get the most out of your day at take you to all the must see stops along the way, not just Cape Tribulation.

 I can do this myself and save a lot of money!…Sure, you can and in some cases we recommend that some guests do that. If you have very young children and wish to stop more regularly than a group tour offers and if they do not travel well with others, then we recommend just that. Otherwise you can join a group tour or if the children are under eight a charter is always an option. If you don’t like group tours, then self driving is best.

Can I access the areas you go to?.. Not the world heritage listed private property we visit. This is not open to the public. You can though, access other private areas that some other companies access. As a self driver you can visit the Daintree Store and they will give you directions to the same cattle farms/properties that other operators visit and you can do it yourself..

What about the Bloomfield Falls?..Unless you are able to hire a 4WD vehicle, you will not be able to drive further than Cape Tribulation.

Some things to take into account when self driving…One person will not experience the Daintree Rainforest as much. He/she will be too busy keeping their eyes on the road and missing most of what’s out there. If driving, please be very careful and do look closely for the cassowary. He is a icon of the Daintree Rainforest. If you do see one please visit www.daintreecassowary.org.au and submit your sighting details.

You will not have a guide by your side explaining the wonders of this world heritage listed area and pointing things out all day or spotting wildlife. You will miss most of it because unfortunately you will not know where to look.

You will need to take into account the cost of a hire car, fuel, ferry fees, entry to any centres, the cost of the Daintree River cruise, morning tea, lunch and the tiresome drive.

You will be competing with many hundreds of other self drivers for a rest stop and lunch spot as well as competing with the other tour companies that utilise these spots daily, because they don’t spend the extra to ensure that their guests have a wonderful private lunch and swimming area.

You will possibly not have a chance to swim in the Rainforest, as most of the local creeks are a ”no swim” area because of crocodiles and the beach is closed for swimming because of marine stingers during some months of the year.

You will however be able to stop when and where you like, without the care of other people in your group and you will hopefully still appreciate this wonderful eco system and leave just a little more enlightened with your journey.

We hope that this has been of assistance in answering the many questions we receive. 

Our guides and company have earned us the “Certificate of Excellence” from TripAdvisor as well as “Best Daintree Rainforest Tour” award for two consecutive years.    The feedback and opinions by many guests is that…

“The tour was the highlight of our trip to Port Douglas….”

We hope to see many of you on board with us.

Stingray Bay - Daintree National Park

Solar Eclipse

With eight months to the date for the next Solar Eclipse, Port Douglas is gearing up to be a major magnet not only in the eyes of astronomy buffs, eclipse enthusiasts but many international and domestic guests who wish to be part of this extraordinary phenomenon.

It is rare for a total eclipse to be visible from land and with Port Douglas being the perfect place for viewing the eclipse, the town as well as surrounding area is bursting with excitement at being part of this significant natural event.
A Total Eclipse occurs when the sun is completely obscured by the Moon. As dawn breaks on the 14th November 2012 in Port Douglas, Queensland – Australia and the moon overtakes the sun and we plunge into darkness, the early chatter of birds and animals will be replaced by total silence. The temperature will drop and the animals will retire and roost in confusion that they have just experienced a very short day.

The solar eclipse will last just 2 minutes between 6.38am and 6.40am (Eastern Australian Standard time). The total time of the partial eclipse either side of the total eclipse is almost two hours. The longest part of the Total Solar Eclipse will occur over the middle of the South Pacific Ocean and will last over 4 minutes.
The total solar eclipse will be seen along a narrow strip of land about 200km wide which crosses the top of Queensland and the Coral Sea.

Far North Queensland is expecting many thousands of people to visit the region during this unique natural occurrence and many Port Douglas accommodation houses and resorts are already fully booked. Some boats are setting sail off Four Mile Beach Port Douglas, in the early hours to prepare for that ‘special’ exhibition. A festival is being organised in Port Douglas to coincide with the Solar Eclipse and major events are being planned such as the Solar Eclipse Marathon which is believed to attract up to 2000 competitors. The Port Douglas Marathon race will begin on Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas. Runners will take on a challenging but scenic course with vistas extending from the Coral Sea to The Daintree Rainforest.
 This is set to be a truly amazing time to be in Port Douglas during Port Douglas Solar Eclipse 2012.

 At Tony’s Tropical Tours, it will be ”business as normal” with Tours operating daily to the Daintree Rainforest.  We are able to accommodate couples, families , singles as well as groups.
Please feel free to contact us with any enquiries.

Stories of local indigenous people tell that the valley was originally inhabited by a tribe that believed that the valley was the birth of their world. The meandering creek representing the serpent in the creation stories, with the head represented by the island (Struck Rock) just off the coast of Thornton’s Beach. Numerous artefacts have been located on the property such as cutting stones, grinding stones and various other tools. Significant sites also include the volcanic bouncing stones at the point north of Thornton’s Beach, well known as sacred ”women’s place” and talk of a ceremonial aboriginal corroboree dance ground on the Mount Emmett table top plateau.

Unfortunately the bouncing stone beach is now closed to the public. Too many stones were being souvenired. Interestingly many returned after stories of bad luck were attributed to their removal. Even today, the valley, especially inland, is considered  to be a highly spiritual place. Local Kuku Yalanji people have told us that their people will not enter the area until special ceremonies are conducted asking  permission for entry from their ancestors.

Prior to the 50′s access to the area was very restricted, no roads existed and there was no ferry over the Daintree River. The area virtually untouched with the exception of some small scale logging of cedar trees. Access and removing of timber out was by horse cart and barges by sea to the nearest rail transport at Port Douglas. Amazingly remnants of these small barge docking operations are still visible at the mouth of Noah Creek.

Joan and Ray Hancock were the first people to take up a ”Special Lease” at Noah Creek. The saw mill at Noah Creek was built by the Hancock’s. The old Lister diesel engine driving a belt to turn the saw and the train tracks used to manually run bogey carts pushing logs through the cutting saw.
The Hancock’s also tried their hand at cattle farming however the harsh damp wet environment meant the venture was of limited success.

The Hancock’s sold the lease in the early 70′s. At this time only a small car ferry existed to cross the Daintree, taking approximately 6 cars. The dirt track from the ferry took around an hour and half to get to Noah Valley, with approximately a dozen farm gates to open and close between the ferry and Cape Tribulation. In places, 6 foot high guinea grass grew up the middle of the road.
David Heweston stumbled upon the Daintree Rainforest area and the Noah Creek property while backpacking up the East Coast of Australia in the 60′s. Having spent some time in New Guinea and having developed a passion for tropical rainforest, he met the Hancock’s and immediately felt connected to the Noah Creek property. After some time the Hancock’s decided to move on and in the early 70′s they sold the lease to the Heweston’s.
 In the late 70′s and 80′s the attitude towards clearing and subdivision of this area had completely turned around to preservation. This was the time of the infamous blockade at Cape Tribulation and introduction of world heritage reserves and land buy back schemes. Noah Creek was included in the World Heritage Listing in 1988 and some portions sold back to become National park soon after.

Tony’s Tropical Tours is proud to be able to showcase this very special part of the Daintree Rainforest to our guests. Our relationship with Noah Creek world heritage listed private property surpasses 10 years and our exclusive private rainforest walk is still unearthing new and interesting and unknown species of flora.

We welcome you on an all day tour visiting this world heritage listed private property in the heart of the Daintree Rainforest.

Noah Valley Old Mill Site - Daintree Rainforest

The Old Mill Site - Noah Valley - Daintree Rainforest

Aussie Slang and Translations

The use of the Australian slang must have been lost amongst many overseas visitors listening to the speech, which got us thinking -
“How much does the overseas visitor really understand about our language?”
With this in mind we thought we`d write a short blog (survival guide) on Australian Slang, Phrases and Translations to help you understand our lingo..(lingo: language)

Arvo: Afternoon
Banger/ Snag: A sausage
Barbie: Barbecue
Beer o`clock/ wine o`clock: Anytime you feel like a drink
Beat around the Bush: Not getting to the point of a conversation
Big Smoke: A city (any city)
Blowie: Blow fly
Bottle shop/ Bottle O: Liquor shop
Brekkie:  Breakfast
Brizzie/ Brisvegas: Brisbane, state capital of Queensland
BYO:  Bring Your Own grog
Cozzie: Swimming costume
Chemist: Pharmacy
Damper: Bread made from flour and water
Deadset: True, a sure thing
Exy: Expensive
Fair dinkum: True
G’Day: Hello
Gone Troppo: Used when someone goes slightly mad during our warm humid tropical months
Good onya: Good for you, well done
Greenie: Environmentalist
Grog: Liquor, beer
Loo: Toilet
Maccas:  McDonald`s
Mate: Buddy, friend
Mossvegas: Mossman Town (location of Mossman Gorge)
Mozzie: Mosquito
Newso:  Paper Shop
No worries: No problems
Ow ya goin: How are you going
Quack: Doctor
Rapt:  Pleased/ delighted
Roadie: A beer you buy to take away with you or before leaving the establishment
Roo: Kangaroo
Sanger: A sandwich
Schooner: Large glass of beer
Servo:  Petrol station
She’ll be right: It’ll be fine/ok
Slab: A carton of 24 bottles or cans of beer
Smoko:  Smoke or coffee break
Sunnies: Sunglasses
Ta: Thank you
Togs: Swim suit
Vee dub: Volkswagen
Veggo: Vegetarian
Whinge: Complain
Woop Woop: A name given  to a town that is far away/town unknown.
XXXX: Pronounced Four X, a Queensland beer.

Daintree Rainforest – Aboriginal Kuku Yalanji People

The first human inhabitants of the Daintree rainforest were the Aboriginal people. They were known as the Kuku Yalanji people. There are many words and phrases that have been adapted in the Daintree Rainforest by our Indigenous Daintree Custodians
The word ”Bama” (pronounced Bumma) means: An Aboriginal person
Marrdja is a Kuku Yalanji word meaning rainforest or jungle
Dubuji :meaning  place of spirits
Jindalba: meaning foot of the mountain
Wujal Wujal: meaning many falls also known as The Bloomfield Falls

Enjoy the few we`ve chosen for you and we hope to see you on a guided tour to The Daintree Rainforest and Bloomfield Falls for a more personal experience.

Thongs: Flip Flops Courtesy of Australia Geographic

Aerial Ping Pong: Australian Rules Football - Courtesy Daily Telegraph

This is our second consecutive win and we are once again very proud to be recognised as the number one rainforest tour company by the people that count – our guests. The award is a celebration of hard work, dedication, passion and commitment by all our guides. Without their enthusiasm on a daily basis this award would have not been achieved.

Over 5100 votes from 26 countries  were counted by the team of tourismportdouglas and to be named in the final five in our category was quite gratifying but to win it two years in a row was nothing short of excellent. To have guests from all the world vote for us is very humbling and we thank them all. The award is especially welcomed and will boost our confidence overall and encourage us to keep striving for excellence in customer satisfaction.

Thanks again to all our guides. This is a team effort and without them we couldn’t have achieved this.

Award for the best Daintree Rainforest Tour

One particular guest took the time to vote, then send us a quick email to let us know.

Hi Tony and the team at Tony’s Tropical Tours.

I wanted to send you a quick note to let you know how much we enjoyed our Bloomfield Falls tour with you. The stops at the Bloomfield Falls, Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation, Stingray Bay, Noah Valley included some of the best scenery we experienced in Australia. The entire day was carried out very professionally, the lunch was the best that we had on any tour in Australia and  your knowledge of the rain forest and good humour added to the day. A sensational day and one which we both wished we could repeat.

We also took your advice and did a self drive to Mossman the following day. It was amazing how much we remembered of what you told us on tour and how many things we were able to recognize. Thank you again, you’ve opened us up to another world.

Sincerely

Loren Harris

Although Port Douglas is famously known for its laid back lifestyle, many locals are every bit inspired  by sports, fun in the sun and a lot of play in between. We’ve put together a segment of what’s on and what’s to come in the Port Douglas and Daintree area to assist with your planning.

The Port Douglas Outrigger Canoe Club: Marlin Coast Challenge :  October 15 2011 -     Ellis Beach to Port Douglas race.

Photo Courtesy - Tourism Port Douglas and Danitree

Taste of The Tablelands: 16th October 2011 – A festival showcasing the best their region has to offer in the way of fine foods, wine, farmer’s produce, music and arts and crafts.

Sunset In the Park Music Festival: 30th October – 2pm start – Proceeds to charity.

Backstage at The Sunset In The Park Festival - Photo Courtesy of Tourism Port Douglas

Portoberfest: 29th October – is a popular one day beer festival

Portoberfest - Photo Courtesy Tourism Port Douglas

Australian Crocodile Trophy Cairns: 18th to 27th October 2011

1,200 kilometres, 12,000 metres of elevation. From Cairns to Cooktown over corrugated fire trails and the outback. Called the “hardest MTB adventure race in the world” by most, this year will see internationally renowned cyclists and champions as well as some of Australia’s most determined compete.

Whitelion Jungle Ride: 29th of October 2011 – Ride along where the rainforest meets the reef from Port Douglas to Cape Tribulation and back – a truly spectacular experience. Sealed road all the way, 180kms return ride.

Coral Spawning: Brilliant display on the reef for the avid diver occurring in November.

Port Douglas Marlin Challenge: 2nd to 7th November 2011 – A real escapade in fishing.

Great Barrier Reef Marathon: 12th November. The Festival will provide a unique running experience combining the elements of 4 Mile Beach, the Daintree Rainforest, a course taking in the historic access Bump Track with a in Port Douglas.

The Cairns Sit Down Comedy Club : 16th December 2011. Every month the Cairns Sit Down Comedy Club serves up the best local, domestic and international stand-up comedy and cabaret acts that they can lay their hands on. Check their website for up to date information.

We hope that when you visit Port Douglas you thoroughly enjoy your stay and plan a day to spend with us on a Daintree Rainforest Tour. Here’s what our recent guests had to say:

…Just wanted to leave a bit of feedback to compliment your tour, especially Chris, who went above and beyond as our guide. He seemed to know everything about the ecosystem and history of Daintree and made sure everyone on our tour felt a part of what was going on and giving us plenty of time at each site. We’ve been on tours all around the world and Chris was hands-down the best guide we’ve ever had. The tour (A) itself was fantastic as well, a full day, but neither too long nor too short. The river cruise and stream swim were a good way to break up the day and ice cream was the perfect way to end it. Thank you and thanks to Chris! Cheers, Larry and Angela California, USA 

Guest Feedback after a visit to the Daintree

“We spent a month in Australia visiting places like Melbourne, Brisbane, Darwin, Australia zoo, Jet Ski safari in Whitsunday islands, Sky Rail to Kuranda, diving on the great barrier reef. Even Hong Kong & Singapore. Can honestly say your trip was the highlight of our holiday. We’ve never seen a rain forest before, so we found it breath taking. So glad we stayed in Port Douglas, which is so close to this amazing eco system. I even swam in Mossman river, got it all on video. We enjoyed it so much, we travelled to Mossman the following day for a second helping. Our guide, was a very well informed his knowledge on plant life was amazing. Who knows, we may even return in a couple of years.
Anyway, thank you for opening our eyes to another world”.
Steve & Stephanie
Brentwood Essex  UK

Click here to read more testimonials from previous visitors to the Daintree Rainforest.

Like Steve and Stephanie, join us for a day trip to this World Heritage Listed region.  The Daintree Rainforest is a sight to behold.  Ring us today at Tony’s Tropical Tours to book your next Daintree Rainforest Day Trip.

The main colour of a Hercules Moth is brown. Both male and female have triangular transparent ‘windows’ and a white triangle edge.

Males can have a wingspan of up to 20cm, their hindwing is longer with a tapered tail. Although the male is smaller than the female, it has more vibrant colourations than the female.

The female Hercules Moth does not have the tapered longer tails however it  boasts the largest wing area of any moth in the world. The wingspan can be up to 27cm. from tip to tip.
The adult female emerges from the chrysalis without mouthparts as her brief life does not include feeding. After she emerges she will emit pheromones to attract a male.
After mating, the female lays 80-100 eggs on the leaves or stems of some Daintree plant species. She dies shortly after that as she can only live only as long as her fat deposits last.

The Moth eggs hatch in 8-14 days depending on the temperature.The spectacular pale-blue/greenish  caterpillars which are adorned with yellow spikes can grow to a length of 12 cm ( near 5 inches) They
feed on leaves of several rainforest trees but prefer those of the Bleeding Heart tree, Homalanthus nutans. and Glochidion spp. (Cheese tree).

This picture of a Hercules Moth was taken near Cape Tribulation rest rooms. If you are fortunate to see one of the moths in the Daintree Rainforest, please do not try and touch or displace them. Remember everything in the Daintree Rainforest is there for a reason. We live in a precious environment so please help us to protect all that is within so that it will be there for others to enjoy. Book your Daintree Rainforest Day Trip and view this precious environment for yourself.

Daintree Rainforest Day Tours

Looking to view the beautiful Hercules Moth for yourself?  Book your day tour to this beautiful region of North Queensland, the Daintree with Tony’s Tropical Tours.  We will show you this stunning area in all its glory so you can see for yourself why the Daintree Rainforest is indeed World Heritage Listed.

Ring us today at Tony`s Tropical Tours to book your next adventure into the beautiful Daintree Rainforest.

Other reasons why Port Douglas is chosen above other holiday destinations is:
1. The Great Barrier Reef
2. The Daintree Rainforest
With these two destinations at our doorstep and both being world heritage listed and adjacent to one another, it makes it the only place in the world where two world heritage areas meet and the two most popular attractions.

The Great Barrier Reef

Enjoy the unforgettable experience on The Great Barrier Reef featuring the largest coral reef system in the world. Visitors can enjoy a trip to The Great Barrier Reef daily from Port Douglas and a number of boats are available to suit every requirement.
One of the most unforgettable experiences has to be swimming alongside Dwarf Minke Whales.
Port Douglas boasts three companies that hold special permits to allow guests into the water to swim alongside these inimitable creatures.
There are strict guidelines which the tour operators must adhere by when nearing the Dwarf Minke Whales . The boat must cut its engine and guests (normally in groups of ten) are allowed to jump in the water holding onto a floating line that is cast from the boat.
Dwarf Minke Whales are naturally inquisitive and tend to swim close to proximity of the snorkellers and are totally non threatening. The encounter is an unforgettable experience and  can last for over an hour before they decide to move on.
Although sighting of the Dwarf Minke Whales are never guaranteed, the best months to encounter the inquisitive Dwarf Minke Whales are during our winter months and at the moment we are having one of the best season for sighting them.
As the weather begins to warm in our water again, another opportunity arises,  to view the magestic Humpback Whales as they frolic in the our waters, breaching and slapping their pectoral fin and tail. The Humpbacks have already made their presence in our waters and are appearing on a regular basis.

Minke Whale taken from day trip with Poseidon

The Daintree Rainforest

The Daintree Rainforest is showing off……..Although wildlife spotting is never guaranteed the Daintree Rainforest is coming alive this season. 

Daintree Flora - Satin Ash Photo Courtesy David Humphries

During our winter months, wildlife spotting can be at its best, with regular sightings of cassowaries, saltwater crocodiles, lace monitors, birds, boyd’s forest dragons, musky rat kangaroos, platypus and the ever elusive bennett’s tree kangaroo, to name a few.

The temperature in the Rainforest is normally slightly cooler than in Port Douglas, this is due to the protective canopy layer of tall trees. Some varieties are flowering an fruiting prolifically at present which in turn is providing food for the birds,  mammals and other wildlife of the rainforest. Two beautiful varieties this winter have been,  The Cauliflory Fig and the Satin Ash.

Daintree Flora - Cauliflory Native Fig

For up to date information visit us on our facebook page