Innisfail is the heart of the Cassowary
Coast.
You owe it to yourself
to experience this magnificent region that contains all the
natural tropical beauty that makes the Far North so unique.
Between the hustle and bustle of Cairns and Townsville lies
the Cassowary Coast!
The Great Barrier Reef, World Heritage Wet Tropics
Rainforest, offshore islands, golden sandy beaches, cool
mountain streams, waterfalls, mangrove everglades, crocodiles,
cassowaries, butterflies, fishing, tropical agriculture,
history, culture - we have it all.
Connected
by the Bruce Highway this area from Innisfail in the north
to Cardwell in the south, is one of the wettest in Australia,
consequently, it is also the greenest. The high rainfall
means that the rainforests are lush in the true sense of
wet tropics, the mountain streams are cool and clear.
The best part of the World Heritage Rainforest in this region
is its easy accessability - you don't need a 4WD - just turn
off the highway and visit places such as the Mulgrave Valley,
the Boulders, Josephine Falls, Mt. Bartle Frere, the Palmerston
National Park, Mission Beach, the Tully River and Cardwell's
Forest Drive. It's easy on your vehicle, easy on your body and
easy on your wallet. Many well marked walking tracks of varying
difficulty are located throughout the entire region.
You
know those golden sandy beaches overlooking the magnificent Coral
Sea that you came to the Far North to experience but couldn't
find, well turn off the highway and check out places like Bramston
Beach, Ella Bay, Flying Fish Point, Etty Bay, Cowley Beach, Kurrimine
Beach, Bingil Bay, Mission Beach, Tully Heads and Cardwell. Long
stretches of clean golden sands with, in most places, the rainforest
literally fringing the pristine beaches. Sit back under the shade
of a palm and soak in the true tropics.
When you think of the tropics you invariably think of islands
and the Great Barrier Reef. Did you know that along the Cassowary
Coast we have over 25 offshore islands? The most famous of these
are the resort islands of Dunk, Bedarra and one of the world's
largest island national parks, Hinchinbrook. The islands offer
everything from idyllic isolation to full on resort excitement.
Access to them is varied with commercial cruise operations and
water taxis servicing the most popular. For complete freedom
you can bring your own boat or maybe charter a houseboat or yacht.
The
Great Barrier Reef is only 50 minutes away making the Cassowary
Coast the closest mainland access in Queensland. Numerous
cruise operators and charter boats travel to the reef daily
giving easy access to this wonder of the natural world.
Scuba dive, snorkel or view in comfort in glass bottom boats
and semi-submersibles the truly spectacular underwater world
of colourful corals, surreal bêche-de-mer, anenomes, turtles.
This area boasts some of the best recreational and sports fishing
in the world. The ocean and local rivers teem with mudcrabs and
endless varieties of fish from the much sought after barrumundi
to the plentiful species of exotic reef fish.
For the self-drive visitors accommodation varies
from National Park camping grounds, caravan and tourist parks,
hotels, motels and resorts. All the major shopping supermarkets
have centres throughout the region. Restaurants are many and
varied catering for all variety of tastes and pockets.
Take your time to discover
this amazing region!
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CLICK photos to enlarge
The mouth of the Johnstone River with Innisfail in the background
Innisfail
CBD
Etty Bay where the rainforest meets the Coral Sea
Innisfail is the Art Deco capital of Australia
Paronella Park - Mena Creek
Sugar cane harvesting
Wet
Tropics Rainforest walks - Mission Beach
Johnstone
River Croc Park
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