The Daintree River is an ancient ecosystem, complete with a diverse range of native flora and fauna not found in any other part of Australia or the world.

Although it is probably most famous for its saltwater crocodiles, a plethora of other marine and estuary life call the river home, making it a popular destination for tourists looking to get an insight into the fragile environment of the region.

There are numerous operators that offer boat tours of the river, with experienced guides offering insights into the local wildlife, plants and other features unique to the region.

The Daintree Discovery Centre is another good starting point for visitors to learn about the beauty and danger of the Daintree, with a serious of elevated boardwalks that give a unique birds-eye view of the forest.

The Daintree National Park is the largest rainforest in Australia and covers more than 1,200 sq km and was added to the World Heritage List on December 9, 1988. 

The area is home to more than 3,000 species of plants and 315 mammal species, 13 of which are indigenous only to the Daintree area. 

The area began to form about 400 million years ago when Australia was still part of Gondwana, the original continent, and it was under the sea.

Thanks to the structure of the surrounding mountains, the landscape of the Daintree has remained largely unchanged allowing many plants and animals to remain unchanged from the time of the ice ages. 

There are 19 primitive plant families that can be found around the world and most of them also survive in the Daintree National Park.

There are also many endangered animal species, including Bennett’s tree kangaroo and the Spotted-Tail Quoll.

The Daintree has accommodation at spots like Cape Tribulation, Cow Bay and Cape Kimberly, all of which has a strong eco-tourism focus.

The Daintree River Ferry is around 50kms north of Port Douglas and is the only way vehicles can cross the river into the National Park, with close to 500,000 visitors using it every year.

The ferry operates 7 days a week, 365 days a year from 6am to midnight.

A return trip across the river costs $16 return for a car, with slightly more for busses and larger vehicles.

Private boats can also be used to cross, but there have been incidents with crocodiles in the past so visitors are advised to just catch the ferry.

No public transport exists within the Daintree, so your only options are via private vehicle or one of the many Daintree Rainforest Tours operating out of either Cairns or Port Douglas.

For more information about the Daintree or other tourist attractions in the region, please follow the links below:

> Daintree Rainforest National Park

> Daintree Discovery Centre

> Cairns Rainforests

> Cairns National Parks

 

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