The Daintree - Ancient Rainforest Ecosystem

At around 2,600 km2 (1,000 sq mi), The Daintree is the largest continuous area of tropical rainforest on the Australian continent. Along the coastline north of the Daintree River, tropical rainforest grows right down to the edge of the sea.

The rainforest area, named after Richard Daintree, is loosely defined as the area between the Mossman Gorge and the Bloomfield River. It contains 30% of the frog, reptile and marsupial species in Australia, and 65% of Australia's bat and butterfly species. 18% of bird species in the country can be found in this area. There are also over 12,000 species of insects. All of this diversity is contained within an area that takes up 0.1% of the landmass of Australia.

Part of the forest is protected by the Daintree National Park and drained by the Daintree River. The roads north of the river wind through areas of lush forest, and have been designed to minimize impacts on this ancient ecosystem.

The World Heritage listed Daintree National Park is home to one of the oldest living rainforests on the planet, and originated on the super continent Gondwana approximately 260 million years ago.

The diverse landscape of the Daintree region comprises a great variety of vegetation including complex mangroves, coastal heather on sand, widespread Eucalypt woodlands and the most luxuriant tropical rainforest in Australia.

Today the Daintree contains plant life representing some of the earliest land plants such as ancient cycads and conifers from the Jurassic period.  It also contains primitive angiosperms which are the flowering plant families that are known as fossil plants representing among others original eucalypts, citrus, holly, heath and mistletoes to name a few.

The Daintree is home to a great variety of mammals and birds many of which are not found anywhere else in Australia such as the Southern Cassowary and Bennett’s Tree Kangaroo.

Northern Outback Queensland - Ancient Landscapes

Pioneers country. A place that wilted even the toughest early explorers.

This region of sparsely settled cattle stations as big as some countries, stark red earth plains and scattered billabongs along seasonal rivers is Australia's "big sky" country.

Piercing blue days of cloudless sunshine and occasional thunderous summer storms bringing the land to life. Rich red sunsets fade into nightly heavens of brilliant stars on an inky black canvas. Dry and hungry soils interspersed with spectacular rock formations and precious waterholes; a magnet for wildlife. A region of dramatic contrast to the opal colours of the reef and rainforest east coast.

This ancient landscape is a remnant of the oldest land on earth - the ancient Gondwana/Pangea continent that was ripped apart in geological movements like giant hands moving pieces of a super-continent sized jigsaw puzzle. The old continent's edge can still be traced today along the ridge of the oldest "Great Barrier Reef" left high and dry as black limestone ridges and spectacular caves around the Chillagoe area. Multiple uplifting events and volcanic activity built the east coast ranges of Daintree and recent lava flows created the spectacular lava tubes of the Undara region. With good reason this region is said to have the greatest geological  diversity in the world.

Dominated by the seasons, the landscape is a changing backdrop of brown to green for this outback theatre. In the 'Dry', threads of watercourses weave across the vast parched land - with occasional pools providing deep green oases - a battleground of survival for barramundi, freshwater crocodiles and migrating birdlife. The larger permanent lagoons thrive throughout the year and develop a diverse and complex ecosystem.  Jabiru, Magpie Geese, Sea Eagles and diverse waterfowl concentrate around these sources of life as do wild pigs, brumbies, wallabies and kangaroos.

As the first afternoon thunderstorms approach in December with the coming of the Wet, spectacular displays of monsoon rainclouds burst from the sky and the land becomes rich and green within days. Migratory birds arrive and wildlife flourishes - a vibrant and exciting time to be in the Top End Outback as rivers and lagoons are replenished, life rebounds and the perennial seasonal cycle continues under the perennial "big sky" sun.

The Scenic Rim - National Parks with Diversity

The Scenic Rim region is a thriving rural paradise set in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range and surrounded by world heritage listed national parks.

It is particularly known for its breathtaking scenery and contains more than 30,000 hectares of parkland and national parks much of it contained in an arc of spectacular mountains. The sheer size of the caldera is breathtaking and shelters a huge diversity of rare flora and fauna, and subtropical rainforests within the rim of mountain ranges.

There are some magnificent National Parks in the region, two of which are World Heritage listed. These include:  Main Range National Park, Mt French National Park, Moogerah Peaks National Park, Mt Greville National Park. These diverse habitats are home to much wildlife, spectacular views and popular walking trails.

The Main Range National Park is located on the western part of the Scenic Rim. The park covers 29,730ha and features five very diverse sections, Mt Mistake, Goomburra, Cunningham’s Gap (including Spicer’s Gap), Mt Roberts and Queen Mary Falls.

The park features a range of natural habitat, including rainforest, open eucalypt forest, rocky ridges and drier slopes. These habitats shelter much wildlife, including the seldom seen Albert’s lyrebird, the eastern bristlebird and the black breasted button quail. A restricted plant species, the giant spear lily also occurs in the park.

Supported by a thriving economy, a farming industry and a vibrant arts community, the Scenic Rim has a strong community spirit and friendly locals. The region's primary businesses are agricultural and horticultural production, the equine industry and tourism and ecotourism. It is a burgeoning wine region and is home to a long line of award-winning vineyards and wineries.

With its myriad of wineries and art galleries to expansive bushwalking tracks, state of the art equine facilities, growing rural communities and friendly country charm, the region is also well known for atmospheric and historic pubs, local cheese, beer, liqueurs, spring water, country markets, well-stocked farm-gate and road-side fresh produce stalls. The region is home to some of Queensland’s most prolific producers of fresh food: carrots, onions, rhubarb, avocados, beans and broccoli grow in abundance.

The Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is a world heritage listed, natural inspiration. One of Australia's most remarkable natural gifts, the Great Barrier Reef is blessed with the breathtaking beauty of the world's largest coral reef.

The reef which stretches over 3000km, is between 15 kilometres and 150 kilometres off shore and around 65 Km wide in some parts, is a gathering of brilliant, vivid coral providing divers with the most spectacular underwater experience imaginable.

The reef contains an abundance of marine life and comprises of over 3000 individual reef systems, 300 coral cays and picturesque tropical islands with some of the worlds most beautiful sun-soaked, golden beaches.

The reef is home to the world's largest collection of corals (in fact, more than 400 different kinds of coral), coral sponges, molluscs, rays, dolphins, over 1500 species of tropical fish, more than 200 types of birds, around 20 types of reptiles including sea turtles and giant clams over 120 years old.

The Great Barrier Reef is a breeding area for humpback whales, migrating from the Antarctic and is also the habitat of a few endangered species including the Dugong (Sea Cow) and large Green Sea Turtle. In recognition of its significance, UNESCO listed the Great Barrier Reef as a World Heritage Site in 1981.

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven wonders of the natural world, and pulling away from it, and viewing it from a greater distance, you can understand why. It is larger than the Great Wall of China and the only living thing on earth visible from space.