IT'S a balmy 27C. The warm winter sun streams through the car window. As I step on the accelerator, I watch as a congested strip of retail chains and fast food outlets shrink from sight in the rear view mirror.

Soon the busyness of Cairns makes way to a sea of vivid green cane fields, with the mist shrouded peaks of the Atherton Tableland as a backdrop.

Pictures: Cairns beaches

We’ve come in search of Queensland’s hidden beaches. Sure we’ve all heard of the famous Four Mile Beach in Port Douglas, Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsunday’s, Noosa’s Main Beach and lovely, tropical Mission Beach, but we want to see the secret jewels – the ones the locals don’t always tell you about.

We want to go where there is barely another footprint and hold hands as we stroll along secluded beaches. We want to breathe deep, feel our pulse return to normal and get to know each other again.

By chance a colleague suggests taking the Great Green Way between Cairns and Townsville, which is how we found ourselves, on a lazy, blue-sky afternoon, turning off the Bruce Highway just after Innisfail in search of secret beach number one.

As we pass though cane fields and lush countryside, the road winds its way upward and on the crest we look down on a gorgeous secluded bay, fringed by lush foliage at one end and a rocky headland at the other.

As we make our way down to Etty Bay, vivid blue Ulysses butterflies flit from tree to tree and we keep our eyes peeled for the elusive cassowary.

At the kiosk attached to the caravan park, we tuck into crisp, golden fish and chips while overlooking the secluded beach fringed by palm trees.

Robyn and her husband from Deception Bay near Brisbane have visited Etty Bay every year for the past decade and stay at the one and only caravan park which fronts the beach.

"When the sun’s out and the wind’s still, the water shimmers like glass," Robyn said, adding hastily, "But don’t tell too many people about this place.

"It’s our secret."

Pushing on, we head south towards Mission Beach, at the heart of two World Heritage areas, the Great Barrier Reef and the rainforests of the Wet Tropics.

But just before hitting town, we stumble upon the little unknown gem Bingil Bay, a picturesque rainforest-fringed inlet with magical views over the Coral Sea to Dunk Island.

There’s nothing here apart from an amenities block, and a lovely curve of sand lined by swaying coconut palms. Little crabs scatter about the rocks and we find ourselves completely alone.

We spread out a picnic blanket on the sand, open a bottle of wine and enjoy the seclusion. Later we discover we’re not the first to have Bingil Bay cast its spell.

In the early '60s Prime Minister Harold Holt would escape Melbourne’s winter and spend his birthday at their private Bingil Bay retreat. Today it looks pretty much how it must have then, and we can see why he liked it.

After soaking up the last of the afternoon rays, we make the short drive to Mission Beach, which is how Port Douglas must have looked 20 years ago.

It’s one of the most popular beach destinations in Far North Queensland, but retains a laid back, uncommercial feel.

Surrounded by rain forests inhabited by the rare cassowary, the beaches here, including Bingil Bay, are recognised the world over for their environmental importance. It’s also the jumping off point for many famous island resorts such as Dunk Island Resort and Bedarra Island Resort.

That night we have an ale or two at Piccolo’s, a friendly local pub, before sauntering over to the Shrubbery Taverna for a candlelit dinner. I tuck into a spicy green chicken curry with pappadums in the balmy, open-air courtyard and later drift off to sleep with the sounds of the rainforest infiltrating my dreams.

• Cairns beaches
• Cairns islands
• Mission Beach attractions
• Cairns accommodation

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