Cairns-rainforest tours
May 5th, 2010, 07:26 PM
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Cairns-rainforest tours
Ive been reading about the rainforest tours - go in a 4wd and see animals(kangaroo,platypus,etc.) in the wild.
Has anybody gone and seen animals and what tour would you recommend?
thanks for your help
carol
Has anybody gone and seen animals and what tour would you recommend?
thanks for your help
carol
May 6th, 2010, 07:29 AM
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Carol, my wife and I just returned from AU and spent 6 days in the Cairns area. We actually stayed in Palm Cove - an amazingly beautiful village on the ocean about 30 minutes north of Cairns airport ... think Hawaii 50 years ago. In addition to snorkeling on the GBR and visiting Kuranda, we did an all-day tour to Cape Tribulation (the Daintree Forest) with Billy Teas Wildlife Safaris. It was a 4-wheel drive tour. It was a very long but good day - several operators offer basically the same tour - you can almost certainly book a tour after you arrive. BTW, you'll need the best bug repellent you can find. We covered ourselves with it and still got bitten up! Our guide/driver told us (kiddingly) that we should've been eating vegemite! - it's very high in vitamin B.
May 6th, 2010, 10:25 AM
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We took an afternoon/evening trip to the Atherton Tablelands from Cairns with http://www.wildwatch.com.au/ and saw many species of kangaroos and wallabies. We also saw tree kangaroos, a platypus and a couple of possum species. I think your chances of seeing larger marsupials is greater here than in the rainforest areas north of Cairns.
May 6th, 2010, 03:45 PM
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Murphy17, you don't need a 4WD unless you really want one. As Patty said your best chance of seeing mammals is on the Tablelands. Fewer biting insects too.
As well as the two companies mentioned above there is http://www.waitawhile.com.au/ which will pick up from Cairns. Alternatively you could stay on the Tablelands a night or two (even a week if you have the time) Alan's Wildlife Tours http://www.alanswildlifetours.com.au/ operates as a step aboard guide who travels with you and customises the tour to your needs. He has a sure fire spot for platypus, a number of kangaroo species and other mammals.
mobilemc, the US arm did tests on vitamin B as a deterent for biting insects and the results were inconclusive. I am not highly attractive to insects but do find that if my vegemite intake is higher I am less likely to react to the bites I do get.
As well as the two companies mentioned above there is http://www.waitawhile.com.au/ which will pick up from Cairns. Alternatively you could stay on the Tablelands a night or two (even a week if you have the time) Alan's Wildlife Tours http://www.alanswildlifetours.com.au/ operates as a step aboard guide who travels with you and customises the tour to your needs. He has a sure fire spot for platypus, a number of kangaroo species and other mammals.
mobilemc, the US arm did tests on vitamin B as a deterent for biting insects and the results were inconclusive. I am not highly attractive to insects but do find that if my vegemite intake is higher I am less likely to react to the bites I do get.
May 6th, 2010, 06:34 PM
#5
I'm a mozzie magnet and the best mozzie & fly repellent I've found is chemo! Playing golf in a foursome some years ago, everyone except another chap and I were being eaten alive - and we had absolutely nothing, no flies, no mosquitos. Turns out we were both on chemo. Got to be some useful side effects!
Some friends who are keen fishermen take extra vitamin B, and I think, Vitamin C, before their annual camping/fishing trip in the tropical north of Australia, and say it helps them, so maybe there is something in it. Clearly, I don't eat enough Vegemite.
The chemo has long worn off and I'm back to the proprietary stuff - find Rid Tropical Strength, Bushmen's and another one whose name escapes me and also contains DEET, to be quite effective. Very light cotton long sleeved shirts & pants helps too.
Some friends who are keen fishermen take extra vitamin B, and I think, Vitamin C, before their annual camping/fishing trip in the tropical north of Australia, and say it helps them, so maybe there is something in it. Clearly, I don't eat enough Vegemite.
The chemo has long worn off and I'm back to the proprietary stuff - find Rid Tropical Strength, Bushmen's and another one whose name escapes me and also contains DEET, to be quite effective. Very light cotton long sleeved shirts & pants helps too.
May 6th, 2010, 06:49 PM
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Thank you for the information. Checked out wildwatch but the tour was high for the 4 of us. Do I have to worry about bugs at the end of May? Will only be in the Cairns area for 3 full days so don't have time to stay on the Tablelands.
May 6th, 2010, 09:26 PM
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Bokhara2, glad the side effects had one positive for you.
Very few insects at that time of year usually, but it has been unusually wet. There may be a few leeches in the rainforest. Avoid getting bitten in inhabited areas during the day as Dengue has broken out in Tully and Townsville.
For four of you the cheapest and probably best option is to hire a car and drive to the Tablelands for the day where you can have Alan show you around, make sure it is big enough to take Alan too. http://www.alanswildlifetours.com.au/ . Only problem is the best times are early morning and evening. I am sure that he could show you a few kangaroo species during the day as well as the platypus.
Very few insects at that time of year usually, but it has been unusually wet. There may be a few leeches in the rainforest. Avoid getting bitten in inhabited areas during the day as Dengue has broken out in Tully and Townsville.
For four of you the cheapest and probably best option is to hire a car and drive to the Tablelands for the day where you can have Alan show you around, make sure it is big enough to take Alan too. http://www.alanswildlifetours.com.au/ . Only problem is the best times are early morning and evening. I am sure that he could show you a few kangaroo species during the day as well as the platypus.
May 7th, 2010, 06:08 PM
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How close is tully and townsville to the tablelands? I will wear long sleeves and long pants but how do I avoid getting bitten??
Bokhara2- glad to hear you are done with the chemo.
Also, has anybody been on the boat the quicksilver???
Bokhara2- glad to hear you are done with the chemo.
Also, has anybody been on the boat the quicksilver???
May 8th, 2010, 08:35 AM
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On my first trip, we also stayed in Palm Cove (loved it!) and did our own tour of the Tablelands via rental car. The area is just beautiful - we enjoyed all the termite hills along the road, the huge fields of lime, avacado and macadamia trees, we had lunch beside Timoroo Lake, stopped at the curtain fig tree where we saw bush turkeys and almost got car sick while returning to Cairns on the road called the "Gillies." This area is very close to Cairns so we had plenty of time; in fact, even stopped in Cairns to explore along the waterfront before heading north to Palm Cove. So, get a car and enjoy!
May 8th, 2010, 09:55 AM
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Hi bgale and mobile -- we are in the midst of the frequent debate on where to stay in Cairns area -- Palm Cove, Trinity Beach, or up to Port Douglas? So many opinions and reviews everywhere, it's hard to decide! 
We'll be in the area in late October for 6 days, and have the typical plan -- snorkel GBR once or twice, see Daintree, Cape Trib, maybe Kuranda, maybe Tablelands...
Where in Palm Cove did you stay?
We'll be in the area in late October for 6 days, and have the typical plan -- snorkel GBR once or twice, see Daintree, Cape Trib, maybe Kuranda, maybe Tablelands...Where in Palm Cove did you stay?
May 9th, 2010, 08:44 AM
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SB_Travir, we loved Palm Cove - see my comments above. I don't know about Trinity Beach - I've read that Port Douglas is a more active tourist destination. Palm Cove is perfect if you want tranquil - it was recommended by dear friends from Perth. Palm Cove seems well located for the places you want to visit. We didn't rent a car but had the tour companies pick us up and deliver us back to the resort. Also, less hassle and less expensive than renting a car. You simply don't need a car in Palm Cove - you can walk end-to-end in 10 minutes.
We stayed at the Melaleuca Resort and were very happy. I found it on Tripadvisor - it was very highly rated and was a great price for a 1-BR apartment. It has a washer/dryer which was very handy, and a beautiful pool area. Margaret, the owner/manager (with her husband Stephen) were terrific - they booked all tours and transportation for us.
We stayed at the Melaleuca Resort and were very happy. I found it on Tripadvisor - it was very highly rated and was a great price for a 1-BR apartment. It has a washer/dryer which was very handy, and a beautiful pool area. Margaret, the owner/manager (with her husband Stephen) were terrific - they booked all tours and transportation for us.
May 9th, 2010, 09:52 PM
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Thinking of resistance to bites: I once noticed two shrivelled leeches on my leg. I had been taking a herbal remedy for worms at the time and decided then and there that I had reached the efficacious dose and stopped.
