Daintree Dreaming Day 2

HolidayAustraliaTravel

10 May

Written By Anna Winson

Today we got to know the beautiful Port Douglas, in Far North Queensland.

Up after a sleep in, we made our way to Grantstreet Kitchen for breakfast on the road. We picked up smoothies, coffee, Bircher muesli, a chia cup and a giant brownie for morning tea before hitting the road and heading for Mossman Gorge.

By 0930 we arrived at the beautiful Mossman Gorge tourist centre where tickets were purchased and we waited for the shuttle to take us into the Gorge.

Timing was impeccable as we only waited a few minutes for the regular (15-minute intervals) bus before making the short trip into the forest. The weather was favourable as the sun shone down and a light breeze blew.

We made our way down the ‘long boardwalk’, taking in the rainforest surrounding us. Having found a narrow window between pouring rain, this week seems to be a god-send, as everything is green and glossy.

Our first stop is a lookout beside a stream and some small rock pools. The ‘Instagram famous’ rock looms out of the crystal clear water, where bream swim excitedly around the edges. Taking the obligatory social media snaps, I was lucky enough to have Sophie with me to capture some great shots.

From there we walked to the end of the path which led to a beautiful little waterfall and more stunning water. Swimming is allowed (at own risk) as long as swimmers are on the lookout for crocodiles.

We couldn’t see anything lurking and decided to have a paddle in the pool whilst we had a moment to ourselves. A delightful little slice of paradise, where we were afforded about 15 minutes of uninterrupted quiet time to paddle and take photos.

From there we finished the walks and made our way back to the bus depot for the shuttle back out from the Gorge.

On the way back to the hotel, we decided to drop into Dan Murphy’s and pick up some Gin for sunset G&Ts on the bay. The afternoon was spent pottering around the town, enjoying several local lookouts including Flagstaff Hill Trail Viewing Platform and Rex Smeal park.

The stunning sunset across Port Douglas was an excellent way to end Day 2 of our getaway. We put together a delightful picnic with some special items picked up at the Kuranda markets including an Apple, Davidson Plum and Chilli Paste from the 100% Local Produce stall. After a short drive we parked at the Rex Smeal Park and set up our blanket and picnic watching the sun slowly sink behind the mainland.