Scale the heights of the rainforest at the Daintree Discovery Centre.
Standing 23m above the Daintree rainforest floor and gazing into the kaleidoscope of green colours that make up the one of the oldest and more complex ecosystems in the world is both a humbling and exhilarating experience.
It is high on the platform at the Daintree Discovery Centre that the sheer size and depth of the unspoiled lowland rainforest in the Daintree fills us with a deep respect and awe for Mother Nature.
Thousands of plants, some dating back millions of years, live alongside a diverse collection of insects, reptiles and rainforest mammals in this unique part of the tropics and to be so close to this natural beauty is breathtaking.
We reach the top of the tower, the only one of its kind in Australia, after stopping at four other viewing platforms where we spot colourful parrots, honeyeaters and a few fruit doves.
We meet and chat with an elderly couple from Germany and a family from England and continue to make contact with them as we all climb the tower at our leisure.
Before we came to the tower, however, we started our visit to the Daintree Discovery Centre on the spectacular aerial walkway – with our 48-page interpretive guide in hand.
This walkway, which is also wheelchair accessible, was an exhilarating way to start our visit to the centre because we could see above, below and mid-way through the mighty rainforest.
The walkway took us to the tower and the Interpretive Display Centre. The interpretive centre is the hub of information and is where you will learn more about the rainforest in an hour than anywhere else.
We explore the centre, discovering more about this ancient rainforest from touch-screen computers and interactive displays.
A range of preserved insects, butterflies, seedlings and plants are well presented with informative displays and we learn that the rainforest is home to 30 per cent of Australia’s marsupial and reptile species, 65 per cent of the bat and butterfly species and 20 per cent of the bird species.
We could have spent the entire day exploring this part of the centre, but we couldn’t wait to check out the boardwalk trails.
We spot a fleeing cassowary on the Cassowary Circuit and learn all about the medicinal and edible plants on the Bush Tucker Trail.
But we especially enjoy the new Indigenous Cultural Walk where we learn all about the traditional owners by using a state-of-the-art audio guide (which comes in six different languages).
We ran into our friends from Germany, who were enjoying the walk with one of the centre’s informative and friendly tour guides. They, too, spotted a cassowary and were excited to see a few electric blue Ulysess butterflies.
We also ran into the English family along the walk, where the kids were listening to their audio guide and pointing out different plant species to their parents. After leaving them, we headed to the café to enjoy a cool drink.
Sitting in the café, listening to the calming sounds of the insects and birds, we felt honoured to have been able to see such a pristine part of the world so closely.
And, thanks to the environmentally sensitive design of the centre, we felt even better knowing we could spend the entire day there without leaving any impact on its precious ecosystem.
INFORMATIONWHERE: Daintree Discover Centre is an easy two-hour drive from Cairns and 45 minutes from Port Douglas.
HOW MUCH: Adults $25, children 4-17 $10, families $58, concession $22.50, audio guides $5. Entry fees include a 48-page interpretive guide book. All entry fees are used to maintain and improve the centre.
DETAILS: Phone 4098 9171 or visit www.daintree-rec.com.au
