Come motorcycling in Tropical North Queensland ...
The only location on Earth where two World Heritage wilderness areas -
The Great Barrier Reef and The Daintree Rainforest - overlap.
 The Coral Sea from Rex Lookout, Captain Cook Highway |
 The World Heritage rainforest-fringed Gillies Highway |
The Rides - and The Roads |
The Ride of Your Life - Guaranteed!
Your Tropical North Queensland riding routes have been exhaustively road-tested by your host Stephen Rothwell; motorcycling journalist for The Cairns Post newspaper and passionate motorcyclist for over 25 years.
In the course of road-testing all manner of machines from Aprilias to Yamahas, Stephen's coverage of Tropical North Queensland's highways and byways has been relentless. Join Stephen on any of the following hand-picked rides and you will most assuredly enjoy the most involving, varied and scenic motorcycling of your life.
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The Coral Sea Coast - Australia's most spectacular Coastal Ride |
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Palm Cove |
Rainforest-flanked 1200ft climb up to Kuranda & Barron Falls |
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Twisty Gillies Range: A Motorcyclist's Natural High -
258 turns in 19km (12 miles)
for a climb of 2400ft
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Morning Tea/Swim/Hike at
Lake Barrine and Lake Eacham
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Cool Cairns
Highlands Backroads
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CLICK HERE for full info
on this Ride
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Twisty ascent of 2000ft Mount Sheridan - rainforest & wildlife plus! |
Sensational eagle-eye views over Cairns & Coral Sea Islands |
Traverse of richly-rainforested Redlynch Valley, flanked by 3000ft
Lamb Range |
Swimming at
Crystal Cascades |
CLICK HERE for full
info on this Ride |
Unique Opportunity to venture into Historic Yarrabah Community
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Rarely-viewed aspects of Trinity Inlet, Cairns City & its rainforested mountain backdrop |
Deserted sweeping backroads & twisty rainforest-lined mountain passes
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CLICK HERE for full
info on this Ride |
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The Coral Sea Coast - Australia's most Spectacular
Coastal Ride |
1500ft ascent of rainforest-flanked Rex Range |
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Quiet backroads into Daintree Rainforest &
luxuriously secluded
swimming in Mossman River |
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Outback Hinterland |
CLICK HERE for full
info on this Ride |
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Twisty Gillies and
flowing Palmerston Ranges: A Motorcyclist's Natural High
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Cool 3000ft Cairns Highlands
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Lush Lowlands & swimming at cool, clear Josephine Falls/Babinda Boulders |
CLICK HERE for full
info on this Ride |
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Day One: Northern Loop
The Coral Sea Coast - Australia's most Spectacular Coastal Ride |
1500ft ascent of rainforest-flanked Rex Range |
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Quiet backroads into Daintree Rainforest &
luxuriously secluded
swimming in Mossman River |
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Outback Hinterland |
Day Two: Southern Loop
Twisty Gillies and
flowing Palmerston Ranges: A Motorcyclist's Natural High
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Cool 3000ft Cairns Highlands
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Lush Lowlands & swimming at cool, clear Josephine Falls/Babinda Boulders |
CLICK HERE for full
info on this Ride
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Day One: Coral Sea Coast, Daintree
Rainforest & Cape Tribulation
The Coral Sea Coast - Australia's most spectacular Coastal Ride
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Journey into the Heart of the Daintree Rainforest
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Cape Tribulation |
Day Two: Southern Loop
Twisty Gillies and
flowing Palmerston Ranges: A Motorcyclist's Natural High
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Cool 3000ft Cairns Highlands
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Lush Lowlands & swimming at cool, clear Josephine Falls/Babinda Boulders |
CLICK HERE for full
info on this Ride
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HD1: Half-Day Coral Sea Coast and Kuranda Range Ride:
Coral Sea Coast, Tropical Rainforest, Cairns Highlands, Lush Lowlands
Immerse yourself - with all five senses - in the essential beauty of the Reef and Rainforest! Ideally suited to the rider or passenger on a tight schedule, this Half-Day Ride departs Cairns twice a day (at 7am and returning by 11.30am, and again at 12.00 noon and returning at 5pm) and takes in the vibrant, complex beauty of Tropical North Queensland's Rainforest on an ascent of the Kuranda Range Road; a cool and weaving tunnel of richly complex rainforest-enveloped road, delivering a feast for the senses - all the whoops, whistles, sweet aromas and visual feasts the Tropical North is famous for.
 After morning/afternoon tea at Kuranda village, riders and passengers thread north on The Captain Cook Highway - a scenic ribbon of road that bursts with vistas of rainforest-smothered peaks stacked atop lush cane fields.
The ride then gets phenomenally involving and scenic on Australia's most stunning coastal road, as endless Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef vistas unfurl.
 Just a short drive north of the resort village at Palm Cove, the highway opens out to reveal sensational views of steep rainforest peaks tumbling down to meet lush strips of sand. A great place to stop and take in all this riotous beauty is the Ellis Beach Bar and Grill, a real coastal retreat beside tropic seas sizzling on an ivory carpet beach.
The gogglingly gorgeous views are not over yet though – not by a long shot. Driving north from Ellis Beach to Rex Lookout, (pictured at left) the highway really gets into its serpentine and scenic stride – a cliff-hugging, swooping and meandering scribble of road that alternately plunges into tunnels of rainforest and bursts with blinding Coral Sea views. Simply sensational.
Time for a change of pace now, and to exchange excited breathlessness with a breathtaking luxury wilderness experience at Thala Beach Lodge, a snug retreat installed amid the feathery crowns of the coastal rainforest.
Morning tea is served amid the busy flittings of 34 varieties of butterflies including the electric blue Ulysses butterfly and Cairns Birdwing butterfly, as well as a rare parade of 101 species of birds including the White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Thala's mascot) and raucous flocks of exotic Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos.
The return leg to Cairns gives riders and passengers a chance to savour again the tremendously involving and scenic Captain Cook Highway.
Rates (all in Australian Dollars) for this half-day guided tour differ according to the model of bike hired, as per this schedule:
(Just click on the bike model links to find out more about them.)
Aprilia Pegaso Strada 650: $180
Harley-Davidson Sportster: $195
Honda CB1300: $220
Aprilia RSV 1000 Tuono R: $245
Accompanied Pillion rate (i.e. Passenger accompanying the Rider): $45.
Unaccompanied pillion rate (Chauffeured Rides): $95.
(We take cash, credit cards, traveller's cheques, and online payments.)
CLICK HERE for our Half-Day Coral Sea Coast
and Kuranda Range Ride Photo Gallery
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HD2: Half-Day Gillies Range & Cairns Highlands Crater Lakes:
Endlessly Involving & Scenic Gillies Range,
Cool Cairns Highlands Backroads,
High Peak Country, Lush Lowlands
For a ‘total immersion' Tropical North Queensland experience, just ride into the sky – and the beautiful matrix of rolling country roads that is the Cairns Highlands - on The Gillies Highway as it ascends from dense, moist lowland rainforest to cool, high cloud rainforest – and a natural tropical high.
The Gillies Highway
The Gillies Highway has achieved legendary status – both through its infamy as a tortuous, single-lane goat track in the 1920s, to its current exalted status as Tropical North Queensland's most involving and varied mountain ride. ‘The Gillies', as locals refer to it, sweeps in wide, generous arcs beside the perennial Mulgrave River, flanked by the perfect volcanic cone of 922m (3000ft.) Walsh's Pyramid and the massive flanks of 1258m (4126ft.) Mount Massey.
 After a pit stop/refreshment stop at the Mountain View Hotel at the base of the Gillies - and perhaps a dip in the adjacent Mulgrave River - the Gillies twists and winds up the steep flanks of Lamb Range, climbing 900 metres (2950ft.) in altitude in 258 turns over 19km (12 miles), affording eagle-eye views of Queensland's highest mountain chain in the Bellenden Ker National Park.
In fact, the lushly rainforested peaks of Bellenden Ker (1593 metres/5225 ft) and Bartle Frere (1622 metres/5320 ft) are the highest free-standing peaks in Australia; rising abruptly as they do from cane fields on the coastal plain. Nearby Walsh's Pyramid (922 m, 3026 ft), an almost perfect volcanic cone, is the tallest free-standing pyramid in the world.
The Cairns Highlands and its Crater Lakes
After summiting the Gillies, twisty mountain roads open out to the exhilarating sweepers, cool rainforest tunnels and wide, fast roads of The Cairns Highlands.
Morning tea (Devonshire Tea) is served at Lake Barrine, a serene crater lake of some 6 kilometres circumference that almost spills over the lip of the lofty Lamb Range.
Lake Barrine and its nearby neighbour Lake Eacham were formed during a time of colossal geological upheaval some 12,000 years ago
when molten magma rose to the earth's surface - super-heating the water table and trapping intensely hot steam underground. Eventually the immense pressure generated was too much for the ground to bear, resulting in immense explosions and tell-tale craters.
Over hundreds of years, flattened vegetation grew back and rainwater and underground springs filled the lakes, which today maintain a constant water level regardless of drought or monsoonal rainfall. All of this translates to two lakes of uncommon purity and clarity; ideal for swimming, snorkelling, walking around or just admiring; the whole ringed by pristine rainforest that has never seen a logger's axe. Over 600 species of trees flourish here, while endemic wildlife teems in numbers uncounted - Eastern Water Dragons, Reticulated Pythons, Ospreys and White-Bellied Sea Eagles, Sawshell Turtles, Green Spotted Eels, and waterbirds galore.
 Riders can stretch their legs on rainforest trails around the lakes, and/or swim in the lakes' pure sweet tropical fresh water, in enviable seclusion.
Interested riders have the option of joining a whisper-quiet boat tour around Lake Barrine; viewing the lake's largely endemic wildlife with commentary provided by local naturalists.
Rates (all in Australian Dollars) for this half-day guided tour differ according to the model of bike hired, as
per this schedule:
(Just click on the bike model links to find out more about them.)
Aprilia Pegaso Strada 650: $180
Harley-Davidson Sportster: $195
Honda CB1300: $220
Aprilia RSV 1000 Tuono R: $245
Accompanied Pillion rate (i.e. Passenger accompanying the Rider): $45.
Unaccompanied pillion rate (Chauffeured Rides): $95.
(We take cash, credit cards, traveller's cheques, and online payments.)
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HD3: Half-Day Coral Sea Coast - Cairns, Palm Cove & Port Douglas:
Coral Sea Coast, Palm Cove, Port Douglas
 Coral Sea Coast, Palm Cove, Port Douglas
This ride threads north out of Cairns on The Captain Cook Highway - a scenic ribbon of road that bursts with vistas of rainforest-smothered peaks stacked atop lush cane fields.
The ride then gets phenomenally involving and scenic as riders tackle Australia's most stunning coastal road, drinking in endless Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef vistas en route to Port Douglas.
 Just a short drive north of the resort village at Palm Cove, the highway opens out to reveal sensational views of steep rainforest peaks tumbling down to meet lush strips of sand. A great place to stop and take in all this riotous beauty is the Ellis Beach Bar and Grill, a real coastal retreat beside tropic seas sizzling on an ivory carpet beach.
The gogglingly gorgeous views are not over yet though – not by a long shot. Driving north from Ellis Beach to Rex Lookout, the highway really gets into its serpentine and scenic stride – a cliff-hugging, swooping and meandering scribble of road that alternately plunges into tunnels of rainforest and bursts with blinding Coral Sea views. Simply sensational.
Time for a change of pace now, and to exchange excited breathlessness with a breathtaking luxury wilderness experience at Thala Beach Lodge, a snug retreat installed amid the feathery crowns of the coastal rainforest.
Morning tea is served amid the busy flittings of 34 varieties of butterflies including the electric blue Ulysses butterfly and Cairns Birdwing butterfly, as well as a rare parade of 101 species of birds including the White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Thala's mascot) and raucous flocks of exotic Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos.
After refreshments and a ride around Port Douglas, it's time to savour the Coral Sea Coast all over again, this time in the other direction. Hmmm, Which direction is the prettiest? Ahhhh, life's sweet rewards!
Rates (all in Australian Dollars) for this half-day guided tour differ according to the model of bike hired, as per this schedule:
(Just click on the bike model links to find out more about them.)
Aprilia Pegaso Strada 650: $180
Harley-Davidson Sportster: $195
Honda CB1300: $220
Aprilia RSV 1000 Tuono R: $245
Accompanied Pillion rate (i.e. Passenger accompanying the Rider): $45.
Unaccompanied pillion rate (Chauffeured Rides): $95.
(We take cash, credit cards, traveller's cheques, and online payments.)
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HD4: Half-Day
Cairns &
Rainforest Highlands Ride:
2000ft climb of Mt Sheridan overlooking Cairns, Islands & Coral Sea,
Dense Tropical Rainforest,
Cairns Highlands,
Swimming at
Crystal Cascades
High into the Sky and Deep, Deep into the Forest: Ideally suited to the rider or passenger on a tight schedule, this Half-Day Ride departs Cairns twice a day (at 7am and returning by 11.30am, and again at 12.00 noon and returning at 5pm) on a snaking climb of rainforest-smothered 2000ft. Mount Sheridan, complete with eagle-eye views over Cairns and its satellite mountains, the Coral Sea and its islands: the emerald-ringed coral cay of Green Island; the vaulting pyramid of Fitzroy island; and the distinctive two-humped profile of Double Island, just off Palm Cove (25km north of Cairns.)
 This ride is all about being immersed in the heart of the rainforest, and enjoying the cool natural high of ascending from robust lowland rainforest to cool cloud rainforest; a tremendously dense, rich ecosystem of over 600 species of enmeshed palms and fronds and ferns and vines that echo with choruses of rainforest creatures in numbers uncounted - the power station hum of cicadas; the sharp call of the whipbird; and no end of croaking interjections from green tree frogs and geckoes and their like.
 The aromas of the rainforest are unforgettable, ranging from the earthy, exotic cologne of the cloud rainforest to the sweet 'hit' of seasonally flourishing blossoms and fruiting trees.
Shaded by an overhanging canopy of exotic fan palms, the road twists and winds skyward up to its near-2000ft. summit; a high saddle with commanding aspects of rarely-seen rainforest summits of the 3500+ft. Lamb Range.
 Photographers and nature lovers rejoice, for this lofty eyrie is at the epicentre of lush highland rainforest, where
flora and fauna abound in absolute seclusion.
At the end of the road lies Lake Morris, Cairns' main water supply reservoir and a haven for wildlife such as the White-Bellied Sea Eagle, Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo and water birds galore.
Morning tea is served on the lofty shaded deck of the Lake Morris Kiosk; at an altitude of 1500 feet a cool retreat from the heat and humidity of Cairns.
Riders and passengers then weave their way back down the mountain range, pausing to take in views of Cairns and surrounding wetlands before emerging in the heart of Redlynch Valley. Here, the great rainforested crests of the 2000+ft Whitfield Range and the 3500+ft Lamb Range rise up to the left and right respectively, flanking the sweeping cane field-lined road to Crystal Cascades; a tiered chain of swimming holes fed by pure, clear, drinkable water from Lake Morris.
Riders and passengers alike can swim in the cascades, or wander through shady rainforested glades beside waterfalls and rock pools, or simply sit back and take in all the sights and sounds of this freshwater haven.
Rates (all in Australian Dollars) for this half-day guided tour differ according to the model of bike hired, as per this schedule:
(Just click on the bike model links to find out more about them.)
Aprilia Pegaso Strada 650: $180
Harley-Davidson Sportster: $195
Honda CB1300: $220
Aprilia RSV 1000 Tuono R: $245
Accompanied Pillion rate (i.e. Passenger accompanying the Rider): $45.
Unaccompanied pillion rate (Chauffeured Rides): $95.
(We take cash, credit cards, traveller's cheques, and online payments.)
CLICK HERE for our Half-Day Cairns
& Kuranda Rainforest Highlands Ride
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HD5: Half-Day False
Cape
& Yarrabah
Community Adventure
See the Other, Wilder Side of Cairns: Ideally suited to the rider or passenger on a tight schedule, this Half-Day Ride departs Cairns twice a day (at 7am and returning by 11.30am, and again at 12.00 noon and returning at 5pm); offering a unique opportunity to venture over to the other side of Cairns' mangrove-lined Trinity Inlet, to the secluded beaches and vaulting peaks of the Yarrabah Peninsula.
 This ride is incredibly memorable for motorcyclists, nature-lovers and anyone with an adventurous spirit.
It offers rarely-viewed aspects of Trinity Inlet, Cairns City & its rainforested mountain backdrop; deserted sweeping backroads & twisty rainforest-lined mountain passes; and a unique Opportunity to venture into Historic Yarrabah Community.
 The roads range from lazy curves through cane fields to twisty mountain kinks.
The views are always dramatic; the barely-rippled protected waters of the Coral Sea and Green Island; surf-sizzled beaches; great 2000ft. headlands rising steeply from the sea; sea-eagles sporting for prey; and expansive views of Mission Bay, the beachside village of Yarrabah and its lush rainforested headlands.
 In Yarrabah Community there is the opportunity to visit the Menmuny Aboriginal Museum to view artifacts, photos, and many historical documents relating to Yarrabah's turbulent 1892 birth. Local Aboriginal people are on hand to take visitors on a boardwalk behind the museum that threads through native trees, revealing ancient bush tucker and medicinal preparations.
Also available are many examples of Aboriginal art to be purchased at source, such as boomerangs, spears, woomeras, didgeridoos, pottery, flower pots, cups, plates, vases, tea tree oil and stocking flowers.
Above all though, at Yarrabah there are smiling faces, kids fishing in the old traditional ways, deserted beaches without a trace of development and a strongly preserved Aboriginal culture.
All of this is just an hour and a half's ride away from Cairns - and another world altogether. The roads are soaringly satisfying; the views transcendentally beautiful; and the sense of timelessness palpable.
Rates (all in Australian Dollars) for this half-day guided tour differ according to the model of bike hired, as per this schedule:
(Just click on the bike model links to find out more about them.)
Aprilia Pegaso Strada 650: $180
Harley-Davidson Sportster: $195
Honda CB1300: $220
Aprilia RSV 1000 Tuono R: $245
Accompanied Pillion rate (i.e. Passenger accompanying the Rider): $45.
Unaccompanied pillion rate (Chauffeured Rides): $95.
(We take cash, credit cards, traveller's cheques, and online payments.) |
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NL1: Full-day Northern Loop Ride:
Coral Sea Coast, Daintree Rainforest, Port Douglas and Outback Hinterland
Coral Sea Coast, Daintree Rainforest, Port Douglas, and Outback Hinterland
This ride threads north out of Cairns on The Captain Cook Highway - a scenic ribbon of road that bursts with vistas of rainforest-smothered peaks stacked atop lush cane fields.
The ride then gets phenomenally involving and scenic as riders tackle Australia's most stunning coastal road, drinking in endless Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef vistas en route to Port Douglas.
Just a short drive north of the resort village at Palm Cove, the highway opens out to reveal sensational views of steep rainforest peaks tumbling down to meet lush strips of sand. A great place to stop and take in all this riotous beauty is the Ellis Beach Bar and Grill, a real coastal retreat beside tropic seas sizzling on an ivory carpet beach.
The gogglingly gorgeous views are not over yet though – not by a long shot. Driving north from Ellis Beach to Rex Lookout, the highway really gets into its serpentine and scenic stride – a cliff-hugging, swooping and meandering scribble of road that alternately plunges into tunnels of rainforest and bursts with blinding Coral Sea views. Simply sensational.
Time for a change of pace now, and to exchange excited breathlessness with a breathtaking luxury wilderness experience at Thala Beach Lodge, a snug retreat installed amid the feathery crowns of the coastal rainforest.
Morning tea is served amid the busy flittings of 34 varieties of butterflies including the electric blue Ulysses butterfly and Cairns Birdwing butterfly, as well as a rare parade of 101 species of birds including the White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Thala's mascot) and raucous flocks of exotic Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos.
 After refreshments in Port Douglas, it's time to hit the wide open road north to Mossman, where a dip (or a snorkel) in the cool, fresh, and deliciously drinkable waters of Mossman Gorge may be in order.
 Heading inland now, to the riot of tropical abundance that is the twisty Rex Range Highway, ascending to the cool curves of the Cairns Highlands. Time to get the bikes into their stride now through a succession of series of sweeping bends, leading to wide open termite mound-studded plains, red earth hills and eucalypts - and an inimitably Aussie bush experience.
 A hearty bush lunch is served at the National Hotel in Mount Molloy, a real 'Fair Dinkum' (honest to goodness) Aussie Outback hotel.
Then it's a cruise through Cairns Highlands sweepers en route to the Kuranda Range Road, where the going turns invitingly twisty again and a tunnel of richly complex rainforest envelops the road, delivering a feast for the senses - all the whoops, whistles, sweet aromas and visual feasts the Tropical North is famous for.
As the bikes descend the endlessly varied turns of the Kuranda Range, views of The Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef at Green Island flood the skyline as the city of Cairns comes into view, nestled between mountains at the head of Trinity Inlet.
Should you join us for this Full-Day Northern Loop Ride, no doubt your appetite will be whetted for another side to the Tropical North Queensland Riding Experience - our Full-Day Southern Loop Ride, as below. Alternatively, you could combine this Full-Day Northern Ride with our Full-Day Southern Ride and save money while experiencing all the thrills of this region, on our Two-Day Complete Tropical North Queensland Ride, as below.
Rates (all in Australian Dollars) for this one-day guided tour differ according to the model of bike hired, as per this schedule:
(Just click on the bike model links to find out more about them.)
Aprilia Pegaso Strada 650: $325
Harley-Davidson Sportster: $345
Honda CB1300: $380
Aprilia RSV 1000 Tuono R: $425
Accompanied Pillion rate (i.e. Passenger accompanying the Rider): $75.
Unaccompanied pillion rate (Chauffeured Rides): $145.
(We take cash, credit cards, traveller's cheques, and online payments.)
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CT1: Coral Sea Coast, Daintree Rainforest & Cape Tribulation Ride:
Coral Sea Coast, Daintree Rainforest, Port Douglas, Cape Tribulation
Coral Sea Coast, Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation
This ride threads north out of Cairns on The Captain Cook Highway - a scenic ribbon of road that bursts with vistas of rainforest-smothered peaks stacked atop lush cane fields.
The ride then gets phenomenally involving and scenic as riders tackle Australia's most stunning coastal road, drinking in endless Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef vistas.
Just a short drive north of the resort village at Palm Cove, the highway opens out to reveal sensational views of steep rainforest peaks tumbling down to meet lush strips of sand. A great place to stop and take in all this riotous beauty is the Ellis Beach Bar and Grill, a real coastal retreat beside tropic seas sizzling on an ivory carpet beach.
The gogglingly gorgeous views are not over yet though – not by a long shot. Driving north from Ellis Beach to Rex Lookout, (pictured above) the highway really gets into its serpentine and scenic stride – a cliff-hugging, swooping and meandering scribble of road that alternately plunges into tunnels of rainforest and bursts with blinding Coral Sea views. Simply sensational.
Time for a change of pace now, and to exchange excited breathlessness with a breathtaking luxury wilderness experience at Thala Beach Lodge, a snug retreat installed amid the feathery crowns of the coastal rainforest.
Morning tea is served amid the busy flittings of 34 varieties of butterflies including the electric blue Ulysses butterfly and Cairns Birdwing butterfly, as well as a rare parade of 101 species of birds including the White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Thala's mascot) and raucous flocks of exotic Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos.
 Heading north into the heart of the World Heritage-Listed Daintree Rainforest now, and an unmistakeable feeling of frontier-exploring as you ride your bike onto the Daintree River Ferry - the gateway to the wilderness peninsula of Cape York.
With just enough time on hand to shoot some memorable photos and chat with fellow travellers, it's off at the northern side of the Daintree River - and time to plunge into the dense lushness of the Daintree Rainforest proper.
 The road to Cape Tribulation is undoubtedly THE highlight of any motorcycling journey in Tropical North Queensland.
 Cocooned by riotous growths of rainforest, it twists and winds and dips and climbs around giant buttress roots, thick glossy stands of fan palms, and over 600 varieties of rainforest foliage - a stunning feast for the senses.
 Everything you could ever want in a spectacular bike ride is here: tight twisty roads, wide open sweepers, massive mountain vistas, dozens of wooden bridges spanning cool clear rivers and at the end of it all, the spectacle of Cape Tribulation's ivory carpet beaches and
rainforest-smothered headlands.
 Should you join us for this Coral Sea Coast, Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation Ride, no doubt your appetite will be whetted for another side to the Tropical North Queensland Riding Experience - our Full-Day Southern Ride, as below. Alternatively, you could combine this Coral Sea, Daintree and Cape Tribulation Ride with our Full-day Southern Ride and save money while experiencing all the thrills of this region, on our Two-Day Coral Sea Coast,
Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation
and Cairns Highlands Loop , as below.
Rates (all in Australian Dollars) for this one-day guided tour differ according to the model of bike hired, as per this schedule:
(Just click on the bike model links to find out more about them.)
Aprilia Pegaso Strada 650: $325
Harley-Davidson Sportster: $345
Honda CB1300: $380
Aprilia RSV 1000 Tuono R: $425
Accompanied Pillion rate (i.e. Passenger accompanying the Rider): $75.
Unaccompanied pillion rate (Chauffeured Rides): $145.
(We take cash, credit cards, traveller's cheques, and online payments.)
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SL1: Full-day Southern Loop Ride:
Gillies and Palmerston Ranges, Cairns Highlands, High Peak Country, Lush Lowlands
Gillies and Palmerston Ranges, Cairns Highlands, High Peak Country, Lush Lowlands
For a ‘total immersion' Tropical North Queensland experience, just ride into the sky – and the beautiful matrix of rolling country roads that is the Cairns Highlands - on The Gillies Highway as it ascends from dense, moist lowland rainforest to cool, high cloud rainforest – and a natural tropical high.
The Gillies Highway
The Gillies Highway has achieved legendary status – both through its infamy as a tortuous, single-lane goat track in the 1920s, to its current exalted status as Tropical North Queensland's most involving and varied mountain ride. ‘The Gillies', as locals refer to it, sweeps in wide, generous arcs beside the perennial Mulgrave River, flanked by the perfect volcanic cone of 922m (3000ft.) Walsh's Pyramid and the massive flanks of 1258m (4126ft.) Mount Massey.
After a pit stop/refreshment stop at the Mountain View Hotel at the base of the Gillies - and perhaps a dip in the adjacent Mulgrave River - the Gillies twists and winds up the steep flanks of Lamb Range, climbing 900 metres (2950ft.) in altitude in 258 turns over 19km (12 miles), affording eagle-eye views of Queensland's highest mountain chain in the Bellenden Ker National Park.
In fact, the lushly rainforested peaks of Bellenden Ker (1593 metres/5225 ft) and Bartle Frere (1622 metres/5320 ft) are the highest free-standing peaks in Australia; rising abruptly as they do from cane fields on the coastal plain. Nearby Walsh's Pyramid
(922 m, 3026 ft), an almost perfect volcanic cone,
is the tallest free-standing pyramid in the world.
 The Cairns Highlands
After summiting the Gillies, twisty mountain roads open out to the exhilarating sweepers, cool rainforest tunnels and wide, fast roads of The Cairns Highlands.
This a vast matrix of rolling country roads presents a feast of touring options, making it possible to take a different route almost every trip.
However, firm favourites among visiting riders include the
Millaa Millaa 'waterfall circuit' (pictured at left) and the unfettered sweepers of East Evelyn Road en route to Ravenshoe, which at over 3000 ft is Queensland's highest town.
 Back down to the coastal plain now, via The Palmerston Highway - a big bike rider's dream ride of great sweeping high-speed bends flanked by rich, dense rainforest. The sensation of pure speed is intoxicating; luxurious; pure motorcycling enrapture.
Energetic riders can take hikes through rainforest trails along the way to access waterfalls, rivers and creeks - where there are ample opportunities to swim in pure sweet tropical streams, in enviable seclusion.
 High Peak Country
After the high jinks of the mountain range roads, now it's time to thread along the Bruce Highway alongside the highest mountain flanks in Australia - the 5500ft. rainforest-smothered Bellenden Ker and Bartle Frere mountain ranges in the World Heritage-listed Wooroonooran National Park.
The sheer size of these peaks becomes apparent when reeling them in while riding toward ever-welcome swimming holes at their feet - the crystal-clear rockpools at Josephine Falls and cool calm tranquility of The Boulders at Babinda.
Afternoon tea is served at Babinda while riders and passengers enjoy hearty Aussie hospitality while recounting the day's great riding moments. From Babinda the party rides the remaining 60km (40 miles) along the Bruce Highway to Cairns, flanked on both sides by lush, blinding green rainforested ranges.
Should you join us for this Full-Day Southern Loop Ride, no doubt your appetite will be whetted for another side to the Tropical North Queensland Riding Experience - our Full-day Northern Loop Ride, as above. Another option is to go for our Coral Sea Coast, Daintree
Rainforest & Cape Tribulation Ride.
You could combine the Southern Loop Ride with our Full-Day Northern Ride and save money while experiencing all the thrills of this region, on our Two-Day Coral Sea Coast, Cairns Highlands & Outback, as below. Alternatively, you can combine this Southern Loop Ride with our Coral Sea Coast, Daintree Rainforest & Cape Tribulation Ride, on our Two-Day Coral Sea Coast,
Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation
and Cairns Highlands Loop.
Rates (all in Australian Dollars) for this one-day guided tour differ according to the model of bike hired, as per this schedule:
(Just click on the bike model links to find out more about them.)
Aprilia Pegaso Strada 650: $325
Harley-Davidson Sportster: $345
Honda CB1300: $380
Aprilia RSV 1000 Tuono R: $425
Accompanied Pillion rate (i.e. Passenger accompanying the Rider): $75.
Unaccompanied pillion rate (Chauffeured Rides): $145.
(We take cash, credit cards, traveller's cheques, and online payments.)
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TD1: Two-day Coral Sea Coast, Cairns Highlands & Outback Ride:
Day One: Northern Loop - Coral Sea Coast, Port Douglas,
Daintree Rainforest,
Cairns Highlands & Outback
Day Two: Southern Loop -
Gillies and Palmerston Ranges, Cairns
Highlands,
High Peak Country, Lush Lowlands
Day One: Coral Sea Coast, Daintree Rainforest, Port Douglas, and Outback Hinterland
Join us as we thread north out of Cairns on The Captain Cook Highway - a scenic ribbon of road that bursts with vistas of rainforest-smothered peaks stacked atop lush cane fields.
The ride then gets phenomenally involving and scenic as we tackle Australia's most stunning coastal road, drinking in endless Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef vistas en route to Port Douglas.
Just a short ride north of Palm Cove, the highway opens out to reveal sensational views of steep rainforest peaks tumbling down to meet lush strips of sand. One really needs to stop to take in all this riotous beauty, and the best place for this is the Ellis Beach Bar and Grill, a real coastal retreat beside tropic seas sizzling on an ivory carpet beach. A beach that is yours – all yours.
The gogglingly gorgeous views are not over yet though – not by a long shot. Driving north to Port Douglas, the highway really gets into its serpentine and scenic stride – a cliff-hugging, swooping and meandering scribble of road that alternately plunges into tunnels of rainforest and bursts with blinding Coral Sea views. Simply sensational.
Time for a change of pace now, and to exchange excited breathlessness with a breathtaking luxury wilderness experience at Thala Beach Lodge, a snug retreat installed amid the feathery crowns of the coastal rainforest.
Morning tea is served amid the busy flittings of 34 varieties of butterflies including the electric blue Ulysses butterfly and Cairns Birdwing butterfly, as well as a rare parade of 101 species of birds including the White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Thala's mascot) and raucous flocks of exotic Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos.
After lunch in Port Douglas, we hit the wide open road north to Mossman, where a dip in the cool, fresh, and deliciously drinkable waters of Mossman Gorge may be in order.
Heading inland now, we tip in to the riot of tropical abundance that is the twisty Rex Range Highway, ascending to the cool curves of the Cairns Highlands. Time to get the bikes into their stride now through a succession of series of sweeping bends, leading to wide open termite mound-studded plains, red earth hills and eucalypts - and an inimitably Aussie bush experience.
With time for a breather at the lush Mareeba Wetlands and a face-to-face with some wild wallabies, we hit the open road again for a cruise through Cairns Highlands sweepers en route to the Kuranda Range Road, where the going turns invitingly twisty again and a tunnel of richly complex rainforest envelops the road, delivering a feast for the senses - all the whoops, whistles, sweet aromas and visual feasts the Tropical North is famous for.
As we descend the endlessly varied turns of the Kuranda Range, views of The Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef at Green Island flood the skyline as the city of Cairns comes into view, nestled between mountains at the head of Trinity Inlet.
Day Two: Gillies and Palmerston Ranges, Cairns Highlands, High Peak Country, Lush Lowlands
For a ‘total immersion' Tropical North Queensland experience, just drive into the sky – and the beautiful matrix of rolling country roads that is the Cairns Highlands - with us on The Gillies Highway as we ascend from dense, moist lowland rainforest to cool, high cloud rainforest – and a natural tropical high.
The Gillies Highway
The Gillies Highway has achieved legendary status – both through its infamy as a tortuous, single-lane goat track in the 1920s, to its current exalted status as Tropical North Queensland's most involving and varied mountain ride. ‘The Gillies', as locals refer to it, sweeps in wide, generous arcs beside the perennial Mulgrave River, flanked by the perfect volcanic cone of 922m (3000ft.) Walsh's Pyramid and the massive flanks of 1258m (4126ft.) Mount Massey. After an unhurried refreshment stop at the Mountain View Hotel and perhaps a dip in the adjacent Mulgrave River, the Gillies twists and winds up the steep flanks of the Lamb Range, climbing 900 metres (2950ft.) in altitude in 258 turns over 19km (12 miles), affording eagle-eye views of Queensland's highest mountain chain in the Bellenden Ker National Park.
The Cairns Highlands
As we summit the Gillies, twisty mountain roads open out to the exhilarating sweepers, cool rainforest tunnels and wide, fast roads of The Cairns Highlands. We take in the quiet dairy and farming towns of Malanda and Millaa Millaa, checking out the 'waterfall circuit' before stopping for lunch at the head of The Palmerston Highway - a big bike rider's dream ride of great sweeping high-speed bends flanked by rich, dense rainforest. The sensation of pure speed is intoxicating; luxurious; pure motorcycling enrapture. The energetic riders amongst us can take hikes through rainforest trails to access waterfalls, rivers and creeks - where there are ample opportunities to swim in pure sweet tropical streams, in enviable seclusion.
High Peak Country
After the high jinks of the mountain ranges, now we thread along the Bruce Highway alongside the highest mountain flanks in Australia - the rainforest-smothered Bellenden Ker and Bartle Frere mountain ranges in the World Heritage-listed Wooroonooran National Park. These goliaths loom over us as we call into the small town of Babinda for afternoon tea, enjoying hearty Aussie hospitality while recounting the day's great riding moments. From here we barrel the remaining 60km (40 miles) along the Bruce Highway to Cairns, flanked on both sides by lush, blinding green rainforested ranges.
Rates (all in Australian Dollars) for this two-day guided tour differ according to the model of bike hired, as per this schedule:
(Just click on the bike model links to find out more about them.)
Aprilia Pegaso Strada 650: $625
Harley-Davidson Sportster: $675
Honda CB1300: $740
Aprilia RSV 1000 Tuono R: $825
Accompanied Pillion rate (i.e. Passenger accompanying the Rider): $145.
Unaccompanied pillion rate (Chauffeured Rides): $290.
(We take cash, credit cards, traveller's cheques, and online payments.) |
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TD2: Two-day Coral Sea Coast,
Cape Tribulation
and Cairns Highlands Ride
Day One: Coral Sea Coast, Daintree Rainforest and Outback Hinterland
Day Two: Gillies and Palmerston Ranges, Cairns Highlands, High Peak Country, Lush Lowlands
Day One: Coral Sea Coast, Daintree Rainforest, Port Douglas, Cape Tribulation
Join us as we thread north out of Cairns on The Captain Cook Highway - a scenic ribbon of road that bursts with vistas of rainforest-smothered peaks stacked atop lush cane fields. The ride then gets phenomenally involving and scenic as we tackle Australia's most stunning coastal road, drinking in endless Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef vistas en route to Port Douglas.
Just a short ride north of Palm Cove, the highway opens out to reveal sensational views of steep rainforest peaks tumbling down to meet lush strips of sand. One really needs to stop to take in all this riotous beauty, and the best place for this is the Ellis Beach Bar and Grill, a real coastal retreat beside tropic seas sizzling on an ivory carpet beach. A beach that is yours – all yours.
The gogglingly gorgeous views are not over yet though – not by a long shot. Driving north to Port Douglas, the highway really gets into its serpentine and scenic stride – a cliff-hugging, swooping and meandering scribble of road that alternately plunges into tunnels of rainforest and bursts with blinding Coral Sea views. Simply sensational.
Time for a change of pace now, and to exchange excited breathlessness with a breathtaking luxury wilderness experience at Thala Beach Lodge, a snug retreat installed amid the feathery crowns of the coastal rainforest. Morning tea is served amid the busy flittings of 34 varieties of butterflies including the electric blue Ulysses butterfly and Cairns Birdwing butterfly, as well as a rare parade of 101 species of birds including the White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Thala's mascot) and raucous flocks of exotic Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos.
After lunch in Port Douglas, we hit the wide open road north to Mossman, where a dip in the cool, fresh, and deliciously drinkable waters of Mossman Gorge may be in order.
Heading north into the heart of the World Heritage-Listed Daintree Rainforest now, and a feeling of frontier-exploring as you ride your bike onto the Daintree River Ferry - the gateway to Cape York.
With just enough time on hand to shoot some memorable photos and chat with fellow travellers, it's off at the northern side of the Daintree River - and time to plunge into the dense lushness of the Daintree Rainforest proper.
The road to Cape Tribulation is undoubtedly THE highlight of any motorcycling journey in Tropical North Queensland.
Cocooned by riotous growths of rainforest, it twists and winds and dips and climbs around giant buttress roots, thick glossy stands of fan palms, and over 600 varieties of rainforest foliage - a stunning feast for the senses.
Everything you could ever want in a spectacular bike ride is here: tight twisty roads, wide open sweepers, massive mountain vistas, dozens of wooden bridges spanning cool clear rivers and at the end of it all, the spectacle of Cape Tribulation's ivory carpet beaches and
rainforest-smothered headlands.
Day Two: Gillies and Palmerston Ranges, Cairns Highlands, High Peak Country, Lush Lowlands
For a ‘total immersion' Tropical North Queensland experience, just drive into the sky – and the beautiful matrix of rolling country roads that is the Cairns Highlands - with us on The Gillies Highway as we ascend from dense, moist lowland rainforest to cool, high cloud rainforest – and a natural tropical high.
The Gillies Highway
The Gillies Highway has achieved legendary status – both through its infamy as a tortuous, single-lane goat track in the 1920s, to its current exalted status as Tropical North Queensland's most involving and varied mountain ride. ‘The Gillies', as locals refer to it, sweeps in wide, generous arcs beside the perennial Mulgrave River, flanked by the perfect volcanic cone of 922m (3000ft.) Walsh's Pyramid and the massive flanks of 1258m (4126ft.) Mount Massey. After an unhurried refreshment stop at the Mountain View Hotel and perhaps a dip in the adjacent Mulgrave River, the Gillies twists and winds up the steep flanks of the Lamb Range, climbing 900 metres (2950ft.) in altitude in 258 turns over 19km (12 miles), affording eagle-eye views of Queensland's highest mountain chain in the Bellenden Ker National Park.
The Cairns Highlands
As we summit the Gillies, twisty mountain roads open out to the exhilarating sweepers, cool rainforest tunnels and wide, fast roads of The Cairns Highlands. We take in the quiet dairy and farming towns of Malanda and Millaa Millaa, checking out the 'waterfall circuit' before stopping for lunch at the head of The Palmerston Highway - a big bike rider's dream ride of great sweeping high-speed bends flanked by rich, dense rainforest. The sensation of pure speed is intoxicating; luxurious; pure motorcycling enrapture. The energetic riders amongst us can take hikes through rainforest trails to access waterfalls, rivers and creeks - where there are ample opportunities to swim in pure sweet tropical streams, in enviable seclusion.
High Peak Country
After the high jinks of the mountain ranges, now we thread along the Bruce Highway alongside the highest mountain flanks in Australia - the rainforest-smothered Bellenden Ker and Bartle Frere mountain ranges in the World Heritage-listed Wooroonooran National Park. These goliaths loom over us as we call into the small town of Babinda for afternoon tea, enjoying hearty Aussie hospitality while recounting the day's great riding moments. From here we barrel the remaining 60km (40 miles) along the Bruce Highway to Cairns, flanked on both sides by lush, blinding green rainforested ranges.
Rates (all in Australian Dollars) for this two-day guided tour differ according to the model of bike hired, as per this schedule:
(Just click on the bike model links to find out more about them.)
Aprilia Pegaso Strada 650: $625
Harley-Davidson Sportster: $675
Honda CB1300: $740
Aprilia RSV 1000 Tuono R: $825
Accompanied Pillion rate (i.e. Passenger accompanying the Rider): $145.
Unaccompanied pillion rate (Chauffeured Rides): $290.
(We take cash, credit cards, traveller's cheques, and online payments.)
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Chauffeured Tropical North Queensland Rides:
Full-Day / Two-Day / Half-Day
Why should motorcyclists have all the fun? Here at Cairns Motorcycle Tours, we encourage those without a driving licence to come and enjoy the visceral joy and freedom of riding through Tropical North Queensland. We will provide a helmet, all riding gear and secure double-fastened passenger grab handles - all you have to do is come along and enjoy the ride of your life! Please, just follow the links below to read about our Half, Full or Two-Day Rides.
Rates for all Rides are given at the foot of each tour description, including Chauffeured Ride rates. But just drop us a line on bikes@bikingaustralia.com if you have any questions. We'll be delighted to help out.
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'The Big M': A network of four mountain passes linking the Barrier Reef Coast to the Cairns Highlands - from twisty, involving switchbacks to wide sweeping turns - ascending from dense, moist lowland rainforest to cool, high cloud rainforest – and a Motorcycling Natural High.
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From south to north, they are as follows:
*The Palmerston Highway;
*The Gillies Range Highway;
*The Kuranda Range;
*The Rex Range Highway
The Palmerston Highway
Accessed by turnoffs from the Bruce Highway to the south and north of Innisfail, 90km south of Cairns, the Palmerston Highway slices aloft in great sweeping bends through rich, dense rainforest all the way to its ‘summit' at Millaa Millaa, some 820 metres above sea level. En route are access points to short walks, waterfalls, dairy farms, lookouts, picnic spots and camping.
The Gillies Range Highway |
The Gillies Highway
Accessed via Gordonvale, 25km south of Cairns , The Gillies Highway has achieved legendary status – both through its infamy as a tortuous, single-lane goat track in the 1920s, to its current exalted status as Tropical North Queensland's most involving and varied mountain drive. ‘The Gillies', as locals refer to it, sweeps in wide, generous arcs beside the perennial Mulgrave River, flanked by the perfect volcanic cone of 922m Walsh's Pyramid and the massive flanks of 1258m Mount Massey. After an unhurried refreshment stop at the Mountain View Hotel and perhaps a dip in the adjacent Mulgrave River, the Gillies twists and winds up the steep flanks of the Lamb Range, climbing seven hundred metres in altitude in 258 turns over 19km, affording eagle-eye views of Queensland's highest mountain chain in the Bellenden Ker National Park.
The Kuranda Range Highway |
 The Kuranda Range Road is a cool and weaving tunnel of richly complex rainforest-enveloped road, delivering a feast for the senses - all the whoops, whistles, sweet aromas and visual feasts the Tropical North is famous for. Starting just 20km from Cairns city, the Kuranda Range Road offers a tremendous variety of turns, from wide sweepers; sequences of 'S' bends; gently curving blasts; while snatched views of The Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef at Green Island flood the skyline.
At the top of the range is the Cairns Highlands village of Kuranda, but if you continue on your ride you will eventually reach Mareeba. The flora along this road varies from thick rainforest to Australian scrub.
 The Rex Range is regarded by many local motorcyclists as the most beautiful of the range roads. This road begins at the base of the mountains near Port Douglas (69km north of Cairns), slicing through sugar cane paddocks before climbing the mountain to Julatten and Mt Molloy.
The Rex Range Highway is both an immensely twisty and involving ride, and a riot of feathery tropical abundance. 'The Rex' is a truly joyous way to ascend to the cool curves of the Cairns Highlands.
At the crest of the Rex, it's time to get the bikes into their stride through a succession of series of sweeping bends, leading to wide open termite mound-studded plains, red earth hills and eucalypts - and an inimitably Aussie bush experience.
The Bruce Highway and Captain Cook Highway:
Tropical North Queensland's coastal corridor, skirting lush
rainforested mountains; plunging into tunnels of rainforest and
bursting with blinding Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef views. |
Top Coastal Drives
Chances are that Tropical North Queensland's coastal roads will present as your very first glimpses of the region at ground-level. Whether you drive out of Cairns to the south or north, the first impression is of sweeping along flowing coastal roads, drinking in endless Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef vistas. For the very best in involving and scenic coastal drives, head north to Port Douglas on Cairns ' coastal corridor - the Captain Cook Highway - a scenic ribbon of road that bursts with vistas of rainforest-smothered peaks stacked atop lush cane fields. Beach access roads sprout off roundabouts at convenient intervals, effecting an uncomplicated, unhurried ‘one road in, one road out' access that shelters coastal communities from the buzz of traffic.
You need only peel off at any turnoff to access these coastal villages, each of them offering a different ambience. Machan's and Holloways Beach are low-key bohemian retreats with a distinctly traditional and local flavour, while Yorkey's Knob is quiet yet equipped with the world class Half Moon Bay Golf Course and the nearby Half Moon Bay Marina. Further north, Kewarra Beach and Clifton Beach offer a restrained, laid-back ambience , while Palm Cove – where the mountains and rainforest meets the beach - has long been the jewel of the northern beaches, winning the ‘Australia's Cleanest Beach Award' in 2003 and earning accolades for its five star resorts and fine dining.
Just a short drive north of Palm Cove, the highway opens out to reveal sensational views of steep rainforest peaks tumbling down to meet lush strips of sand. One really needs to stop to take in all this riotous beauty, and the best place for this is the Ellis Beach Bar and Grill, a real coastal retreat that's so beguiling, a stay in the nearby Ellis Beach Oceanfront Bungalows might just be in order. Here, the dream of tropic seas sizzling on an ivory carpet beach is yours – all yours.
The gogglingly gorgeous views are not over yet though – not by a long shot. Driving north from Ellis Beach to Port Douglas, the highway really gets into its serpentine and scenic stride – a cliff-hugging, swooping and meandering scribble of road that alternately plunges into tunnels of rainforest and bursts with blinding Coral Sea views. Simply sensational.
The Cairns Highlands: A winsome matrix of wide and open rolling country roads, generously sliced with life-giving rivers and crater lakes; tumbling with waterfalls and bursting with country hospitality. |
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Tel. (In Australia): 0427 774 285
Tel. (Outside Australia): (+6142) 7 774 285 |
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