|
Port Douglas... PORT Douglas has been developed as a stylish, luxury resort in a similar manner to Noosa in the south east of Queensland. Although quite small and intimate, the town is centred around the bustling Macrossan Street which is lined with accommodation, restaurants, cafes and bars. Nautilus Restaurant is a must for a special celebration -it is tucked away off Macrossan Street beneath a canopy of trees and has known to been frequented by US Presidents and film stars. Port Douglas is around an hour from Cairns along a beautiful stretch of the Cook Highway which offers scenic coastal views and passes several secluded bays including Ellis Beach, Oak Beach, Thala Beach and Pebbly Beach. Before the development of the Sheraton Mirage Resort, Port Douglas was a small and quiet North Queensland town. The Mirage set the standard for what is now an unashamedly up market resort but still with that famous egalitarian Australian attitude. There are several resorts and hotels here with many centred on Macrossan Street and the bigger establishments set in their own palatial gardens and grounds. Some have their own golf courses and front four mile beach. There is a good range of other accommodation from apartments and hotels to a camping ground. Port Douglas is an ideal place to say because it is in close proximity to The Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest. Several reef tour companies operate out of the Marina Mirage Complex. The most popular option is to take a trip on the high speed catamarans which sail out to pontoons moored just off a reef system. You will be able to snorkel, scuba dive, take a tour in a glass bottomed boat or submersible. The Daintree Forest is also accessible from Port Douglas and is home to over 20% of all the bird, frog, reptile and butterfly species in Australia. You will be able to take an organised tour or hire a 4WD (as the roads through the Daintree are not sealed). Cape Tribulation is also accessed via the Daintree Rainforest. As Port Douglas is located in the Australian Tropics it unsurprising that it has a tropical island feel. It is set on a promontory (the ocean to the east and a winding river to the west) with lush green tropical vegetation and the coconut palm lined white sands of the idyllic four mile beach. A holiday here can comprise browsing chic boutiques and galleries, lazing, walking or mountain biking on the beach or if you prefer, taking an excursion to The Great Barrier Reef or Daintree and Cape Tribulation National Parks. Macrossan Street is the heart of Port Douglas. The wide tree-lined street starts at Four Mile Beach and is lined with sidewalk cafes, bars, boutiques and restaurants. A walk up Macrossan will take you to the Marina Mirage complex and one of the most photographed churches in Australia, the quaint St Mary's By the Sea. The cane toad racing at The Ironbark hotel on Macrossan Street, has become something of an Australian Institution and has attracted a lot of national as well as international media coverage. The popular Ironbark has a uniquely Australian heritage atmosphere and often has live music. The Port Douglas Carnivale is a week long event held towards the end of May and includes colourful night-time parades down Macrossan Street, live music, food and wine stalls, arts and crafts and family fun days on the beach etc. Fraser Coast... Australia's whale watching capital of Hervey Bay on Queensland's Fraser Coast is busy preparing itself for the annual return of its favourite guests, the humpback whales, and this year there are even more ways to get up close and personal with these giant mammals. Each year these amazing creatures migrate from the Antarctic to give birth to their calves in the warm waters of Hervey Bay, putting on a spectacular show for those lucky enough to visit. Their playful tricks include saluting with their flippers, splashing their powerful tails as they roll over like puppies and the spectacular 'breach', the most sought-after photograph by visitors - all of this only metres from your vessel! From July through to November, Hervey Bay and Fraser Island tour operators offer a wide range of whale watching experiences to suit the needs of holiday makers and naturalists alike, including dawn trips, lunch cruises and luxury half, three-quarter and full-day tours. Just some of the options include touring with the Spirit of Hervey Bay to come face to face with the mighty mammals in their underwater playground from one of its eight viewing windows beneath the waterline. Do a half-day tour onboard the fully-licensed, 20m Tasman Venture and take home a quality DVD of the adventure, or for a more intimate experience try a dawn whale watching cruise with Blue Horizon. There's also the option to combine your whale watching cruise with a one, two or three day tour of nearby World Heritage-listed Fraser Island. Australia's premier eco resort, Kingfisher Bay Resort on Fraser Island offers a two-night whale watching package which includes accommodation, catamaran transfers, breakfasts and a half-day whale watching cruise on the Kingfisher I. Hervey Bay is easily accessible from Sydney, Brisbane and South East Queensland. The scenic three-and-a-half hour coastal drive via the Sunshine Coast is the perfect starter to a relaxing Hervey Bay whale watch break. Townsville... Townsville, with a population of over 160, 000 is the largest city and considered the capital of tropical Queensland. It is ideally placed as a base for exploring the Great Barrier Reef, visiting the idyllic Mission Beach (several hours north), the nearby Magnetic Island, Hinchinbrook Island National Park and the North East of Australia. The Ross river flows through Townsville and the city is a popular stop for cruise ships as well as Australian and overseas naval vessels. Townsville is also a great place for a stop over if you are driving to Cairns - the scenic stretch of road from Townsville to Cairns, known as the Great Green Way, passes beaches, waterfalls and rainforests. Townsville is also the location for one of the campuses of the James Cook University which is considered one of the leaders in the field of tropical research. The Strand The Strand is a 2km development along the Main Beach in Townsville which was officially opened in 1999. The Strand was developed in its present form following monsoons in 1997 and 1998 which caused major damage to the sea wall. The new development was not only to reinstate and protect the foreshore but also to add recreational features to make The Strand a Townsville landmark and centrepiece. The Strand includes restaurants, cafes, enclosed 'stinger free' areas of the beach, rock pools, a water park, basketball courts, a military museum, parklands and pleasant walking areas. There are also a number of challenging exercise points along the Strand. |
About Us | Our Publications | Shopping | Visa Enquiries | Information Days | Links | Advertising | Privacy Policy
© 2005 Consyl Publishing & Publicity Ltd.