The Daintree Rainforest

Have you ever seen a Cassowary up close among the fig trees and idiot fruits? Maybe you are not quite sure what a Cassowary is. A year ago, I had never even heard the word. There are only a couple of places in the world to go if you want to see one.

The Daintree Rainforest, located in the far north on the coast near Cairns in Queensland, is the world’s oldest rainforest at 135 million years. It is one of the most complex ecosystems on Earth and is home to 430 species of birds, 13 of which are exclusive inhabitants. One of those 430 species includes the Cassowary.

In case you were wondering, the other place to find a Cassowary is in New Guinea.

The Daintree, however, has a lot to offer aside from Cassowaries, starting off with trail hikes that allow you to absorb the beauty of the various trees, plants, animals and flowing water. Its intricate ecosystem harbours massive trees of various types, such as fig trees and Blue Quandons, which are not only the giants of the Daintree, but they hide other plants from the sun and also produce a small blue fruit. 28 of Australia’s 36 species of mangrove can also be found in this beautiful habitat.

The rainforest is also teeming with animals apart from the Cassowary, who plays an integral role in the ecosystem by being a seed disperser for over 100 species of large fruit-bearing rainforest plans. Other fauna include crocodiles, who line the banks of the Daintree River, the Musky Rat-Kangaroo, feral pigs, the Azure Kingfisher, the Crab Spider, the Spotted Cuscus (similar to a sloth), Sugar Gliders and Bandicoots. There are also millions of insects, Rufous Owls, Golden Orb Spiders and Goannas, just to name a few.

You can even take boat tours on the Daintree River to spot several of these animals, including those massive crocodiles. I was lucky enough to see some of the river’s largest. While on the boat, we discovered some unannounced passengers; little frogs glued had themselves to the back of seats!

There was one thing I discovered while visiting the Daintree that I hadn’t anticipated at all. Before getting aboard the boat, I was offered coffee or tea. But this was not just any tea – it was tea grown in the rainforest! I’m not a tea drinker, but Daintree Rainforest tea is in a league of its own!

The Daintree Rainforest is one of Australia’s most lush and beautiful areas. It used to stretch out into what is now the country’s Red Centre, where Ayers Rock (Uluru) can be found. The vast canopy of the Daintree should not be missed – just don’t leave anything other than footprints, or take anything other than photographs.