Coasting along without a worry...
By WILLIAM BARKER
 Queensland
is Australia's holiday state and for good reason. Most people
head north, stopping at Brisbane or the Gold Coast for the
mainstream 'everything included' package. But if you were
to keep on going north a few hundred kilometres, you'd realise
that there is a whole other tropical world out there.
Often referred the Central Coast of Queensland, the Cassowary
Coast is an amazingly green Australian region, situated south
of Cairns, extending to Cardwell. It is reachable via the
scenic Bruce Highway, which casually winds through small towns,
rainforests and fruit farms, providing amazingly varied and
beautiful vistas.
The region is blessed with possibly one the highest rainfalls
in the country, which essentially means it's also one of the
greenest. For tourists, this means that the area is home to
some of the most amazing rainforests, tropical beaches and
clear streams - the wet tropics of the Cassowary Coast are
truly a sight to behold. Not only is it home to Australia's
tallest waterfall - the Wallaman waterfall, which measures
about 1000 feet, or 305 metres, but the rainforests of the
region are thought to be the oldest in the world.
One of the most prominent natural wonders, visible from most
places in the area, are Queensland's highest mountains. The
peak of Mount Bartle Frere extends to 1622m, which, given
clear conditions, offers superb views. The best way to see
the mountain and surrounding tropics is on foot, though the
hike to the mountains' peak will take most people the best
part of a day. Mt Bellenden Ker is the second highest mountain
in Queensland, reaching 1592m and between the two mountains
rests an valley full of amazing walks. It's here that you'll
encounter many of the region's impressive flora and fauna.
 Walks
are one of the most popular leisure activities in the region,
and for good reason. You will come across fresh streams, waterfalls
splashing down over moss-covered rocks and you will see and
smell flora that exists no where else in the world. The animal
life found in these lucious wet tropics includes bush pigs,
colourful parrots and other bird life, including the ruler
of the lands - the Southern Cassowary.
The region was named after the tall, flightless birds which
inhabits the area. The cassowary is an essential aspect in
spreading the seeds of certain rainforest trees, via their
fruit, thus ensuring the tropics stay the same way they have
for millions of years.
Other attractions of the Cassowary Coast include the amazing
beaches. Perhaps it's an Australian thing, but we do have
some of the most amazing coast line on the planet. The Gascoyne
region and the Great
Ocean Road also offer some idyllic sandy promontories
and are good examples of this point. Anyway, dotted along
the Cassowary Coast are some breathtaking beaches, from your
traditional palm-tree lined areas, to beaches that offer rainforest
canopy just beyond the sandline.
It's at Kurrimine beach where fringe coral merges with the
open beaches, offering those who enjoy snorkelling a great
way to pass the time. You can even take a quick cruise to
the Great Barrier Reef to sample some of the worlds biggest
reefs.
Beyond this is the tranquil Mission Beach - a picturesque
collective of villages, minor resorts, apartments, shops and
restaurants that spans a 14km stretch of forest-fringed coastline.
It was named Mission Beach after an Aboriginal mission was
built there in 1914.
Linking this laid-back village-like settlement are handy
narrow roads and just around the corner (well, across the
water) lay the resorts of Dunk and Bedarra Islands. For Dunk
Island hotels click
here, and if you are interested in Bedarra Island accommodation,
click
here. Heading south is Hinchinbrook Island, which also
happens to be Australia's largest island national park.
 There
are many other islands fringing the Cassowary Coast, most
of which are unihabited. These can be accessed via the multiple
criuses that have the region covered and permits can be obtained
for some of these untouched islands allowing limited camping.
Cardwell, further south, is most famous for its fishing,
more importantly its crabbing and prawning. If you visit the
area, don't forget to sample some of the local produce - it's
tip top! The Cassowary Coast is a truly amazing place. It's
rainfall is measures in metres, not millimetres yet it still
offers some of the most impressive beaches in the world.
Whether you go for the Aboriginal culture, the World Heritage
listed rainforests, the walks or the fishing, you can be sure
to have an ultimately relaxing time. The photos really don't
do this place justice, you just have to experience it for
yourself.
The closest airports to the Cassowary Coast region are located
in Townsville and Cairns.
For more information:
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