Daintree National Park (at last)

I've been waiting to visit the Daintree for over 10 years. I remember reading Jeannie Baker's beautiful picture book "Where The Forest Meets The Sea" when it was first published and wanting to see this special place before it was over-developed.

Even though some of it is World Heritage listed, there are resorts, sugar cane fields, resorts, caravan parks, resorts, cafes, tea plantations, resorts, ice-cream factories, pubs and more resorts scattered throughout the rainforest.

We crossed the Daintree River on the ferry. People have to remain in their vehicles during the crossing. I hate that!!! I like to get out and breathe the fresh air.

The river is wide and the very dense forest comes down to meet it with mangroves forming a margin before the other vegetation begins.  The river is one of the longest rivers on Australian East Coast (140 kms). The crossing is quick and we're heading for Cape Tribulation.

After our first stop for a coffee, we spot a sign "The Bat House" that is not-for-profit organisation, staffed by volunteers and owned by a very generous person who has undertaken an enormous and significant task of re-generating and re-vegetating a large area that had been cleared.

The maps we received were a tad confusing but after some consultation, we headed off through an area that was not a rainforest. Slowly we realised, as we ventured further into this area, that we were being taken from a cleared space to the gradual revegetation of acres of land. It's a very clever concept and very powerful as we could see how much had been taken back to it's natural state. 

A goal to reclaim an acre per year is achievable and manageable when you see the weeds and other introduced species that have choked and covered the soil e.g. lantana.

As we followed the pathway and read about the different plantings, the vegetation became more dense and the light changed from bright, uninterrupted sunshine to dappled sunlight finding its way through the leaves. Almost at the end of the track, we could feel a fine mist as the light rain began to fall and for a short time the canopy provided an umbrella for us. It was really cool to be in a rainforest when it rained and rain it did! For about 10 minutes, it poured then stopped as suddenly as it had started.

not revegetated - thick weeds take up every spare space

forest is beginning to take over the weeds





Bats and other animals and birds inhabit this area and feed from the fruits of the rainforest plants.

an older part of the rainforest that has been revegetated