Cooktown

 4 - 5 August 2025

Our plan was to drive from Daintree towards Elim Beach which is north of Cooktown. The shortest way to travel is via the Bloomfield Track, but towing is not recommended at the moment. The road suffered significant damage from Cyclone Jasper and the intense rainfall that followed. Even though this was in December 2023/January 2024 the road is still undergoing repairs. We know that some people ignore the "no towing" request but we aren't those people, so we went the long way.

We travelled back up the Rex Range Road, with another stop at Abattoir Swamp and then a lunch stop at Rifle Creek near Mount Molloy. From there we headed north along Mulligan Highway. We decided that we would make up our minds how much further we would go, once we reached Lakeland.

Because we'd had a late start, and Elim Beach was still a fair way off, we decided to have a night in Cooktown. You can't make a booking for Elim Beach and we didn't want to arrive late in the day and end up with a less than ideal camp spot, so we continued on to Cooktown and the caravan park we have stayed in a couple of times before. It was quite crowded but we did get a good spot where we could stay hitched up for the night. 

A small history lesson for those not aware.

In the morning we drove to Mulbabidgee Keatings Lagoon for a walk to the bird hide and then returned to town for a walk along the foreshore. We left Cooktown and drove through Hope Vale and then on to Elim Beach, where we planned to spend a couple of nights.

Daintree Village

 2 - 4 August 2025

Leaving Ravenshoe our plan was to travel to Cape York Peninsula - but first we would have a couple of nights at Daintree Village. It's a spot we love, not least because there are a number of excellent nature and birdwatching cruises that depart from there. Once again we would stay at the caravan park in the village which is right on the river, and an easy stroll down to the boat ramp.

We left Ravenshoe and drove through Atherton and on to Rocky Creek War Memorial Park where we stopped for a picnic lunch. This is a very popular "free camp" and there is a nice sheltered picnic area away from the camping area. It's become a bit of a favourite spot to stop on our way through. Another favourite is Abattoir Swamp, just past Mount Molloy, where Mick did a spot of birding. We had plenty of time to get to Daintree so there was no need to hurry.

Early the next morning Mick headed out on one of the river cruises which feature birdwatching - most of them are more focussed on crocodile spotting. It's an early start but worth it when you get a good clear day and a knowledgeable guide. 

The fog was so thick we couldn't see the river

The nights were cold and we woke to a very foggy (and damp) morning on our second and last day so we waited until the sun was shining and the canvas had dried out a bit before we packed up and set off for Cooktown.

Daintree

 25 - 28 April 2025

We had been wanting to get down to the Daintree since we came north after leaving Townsville in July 2024 - but each time we looked, the weather forecast was for lots of rain. Finally there was a window of a few days with fine weather so we booked a site at the caravan park, and also a boat cruise.

We left Granite Gorge and drove north through Mount Molloy where we stopped briefly then continued on to Abattoir Swamp for morning tea and some birding. From there we drove down the Rex Range Road and on through Mossman, before stopping for lunch at Wonga Beach. We went for a walk on the beach then continued on to Daintree village.

A number of boat tours leave from the village boat ramp

We were able to select a good spot at the caravan park as they weren't busy, and set up for three days. Mick had booked a private boat charter for the following morning so we spent some time making sure we had everything ready for an early start. We considered dinner at the pub which is just across the road from the caravan park but decided against it when we found out it was a fundraising night - not because we didn't want to support the cause, but because we didn't want to be amongst a crowd. That's just us - we prefer quiet nights.

On Saturday morning we rose early and walked down to the boat ramp to meet our guide Alex. We hadn't been out with him  before so hoped he would be able to meet Mick's birding needs. He asked about target species and discussed his plan of attack. There are numerous boat tours on the Daintree River, with most focussed on crocodile spotting. Some also cater to birders, but going out on a private charter meant that we could spend as much time as needed to get the great shots. Alex was knowledgable and accommodating, and Mick managed to get some new species for his year list. 

It was a perfect morning on the river

We were back in time for morning tea, and then I headed into Mossman for lunch with my friend Liz who lives there. While I was away, Mick had a rest as he was to go out with Alex again in the afternoon on a scheduled tour. Most of the boats on the Daintree cater to an extra trip for free, if they have room so Mick enjoyed a second session, which was good but not as productive as the morning one.

On Sunday morning we decided to cross the river and head up into the national park. The Daintree Ferry now costs $49 per vehicle, return, so it can be an expensive exercise, but it's the best way to get to see  the ancient rainforest where it meets the reef. The alternative route is via the inland route and down the Bloomfield Track - not really viable as a day trip.

We left the caravan park fairly early and drove to the Daintree Ferry for the short trip across the river. The Daintree River area suffered significant damage incuding flooding following Cyclone Jasper in December 2024 and the after-effects are still visible, including major roadworks. We weren't in a hurry so it didn't bother us. We turned off to go to the Jindalba Boardwalk and Trail, but it was closed for repairs so we continued on to the ice cream factory. Famous for its tropical flavours we were a little underwhelmed by the offerings available that day. There were some tropical flavours, but only in a prepared cup with four varieties all together. Everything was already in cups with no opportunity to "mix and match". Despite this we did enjoy our chosen flavours - coconut and choc chip for me and chocolate for Mick.

From there we drove further north to the Marrdja Boardwalk. This one was open and meanders through lowland rainforest to a mangrove-lined creek. Of course we spent a fair bit of time there looking to photograph birds. We timed our departure well as a large tour group were just starting down the path as we were leaving. We then headed to Dubuji Boardwalk, which was also closed for repairs. We had hoped to have lunch there but the picnic area was also closed. We returned to Thornton Beach and had  lunch in one of the picnic areas there, before finishing with a short walk on the beach.

Thornton Beach - nice to walk on but definitely no swimming

We returned to the caravan park and had a quiet afternoon before heading out again to drive some of the back roads looking for birds. There were plenty of Rainbow bee eaters, but not much else. We decided that we would have dinner at the pub, and fortunately for us, it was pizza night and fairly quiet.

We were up early to set off back to the Atherton Tablelands so that Mick could keep an appointment he had in the afternoon. We left in plenty of time to include a short stop at Abattoir Swamp for morning tea.

Rifle Creek

8 – 9 August 2024

Rifle Creek is a very popular free camp just out of Mount Molloy where we have stopped many times for coffee or lunch, but we have never stayed there. There are well maintained toilets and cold showers, as well as a dump point. It's not really the sort of place we'd want to stay bt many caravanners set up there for a few days at a time. It's close to the main road, busy with people coming in to picnic and use the amenities, and not all that attractive as a campground. The attraction for us, however, is the proximity to a favourite birding spot – Abattoir Swamp.

There is a bird hide at the end of a boardwalk
at Abattoir Swamp

We hadn’t travelled far from Mareeba, so decided to visit the swamp to have lunch and a look around before returning to set up camp later in the afternoon. The campground fills up through the afternoon but we were able to get a good spot. There is a bit of road noise during the night but it was still a fairly peaceful night. Mick was up early to go back to Abattoir Swamp while I started the packing up.

Once again we had our sights set on a camp not too far away so there was no need to hurry. Our next stop would be at  Maryfarms, just south of Mount Carbine.