TREE kangaroos are strange creatures. Along with cassowaries, I field lots of questions from visitors who have never seen one in the wild, but are fascinated by their weird appearance and behaviour. I’ve only ever spotted one on my 4WD tours -18 months ago at Thompsons Creek near the Bloomfield River, crossing the road in mid-afternoon on its way to another snack of wild figs. Of course, I missed the photo. My indelible impression of this Bennett’s species, was its dark brown colouring, well-muscled shoulders and strong arms as it turned to face us before wheeling around to scramble back into the undergrowth. Plus its incredibly metre-long tail, 50 per cent longer than its head/body length. Add to this strangeness their tiny, rounded ears and their ability to move their rear legs independently, unlike all other macropods and you have a very distinctive and strange animal.

New Guinea is the centre and therefore the original home of tree kangaroos, where there are at least eight species, compared with our two in Far North Queensland. The other local is the Lumholtz from the Tablelands. All macropods originated from (possum-like) lemurs about 50million years ago, roughly when New Guinea started separating from Australia. Strangely, tree kangaroos have uniquely started a re-evolutionary process back into the trees to take the leaf-eating role that proboscis monkeys do in Indonesia. They eat more than 30 different plant species, mostly leaves, including fi gs and leaves from umbrella trees. They do not eat eucalyptus leaves, leaving those to koalas.
Regular sightings range from Shiptons Flat, Cedar Bay National Park and Wujal Wujal, right along the Track to Cape Trib at Jindalpa Boardwalk and even recently at the Alexandra Range Lookout. How to spot them? It’s difficult of course. While they are mainly nocturnal, like many macropods they are active on drizzly, overcast days (they hide with too much rain) often on the edge of branches. If you are near a boardwalk with high terrain, say at Jindalpa Boardwalk at Cow Bay, go looking in the late afternoon or early mornings. Better still, take a couple of spotlights and go looking for a dull red eyeshine. However, don’t expect them to stay around too long. They’re skittish.

Two Swiss visitors Wilfried and Annelise Cadow looked around the canopy for tree kangaroos with Frances Walker this week, and saw only green matchbox bean pods growing high above. A bonus second prize.

Another very happy couple were Lance and Elena Avery - retired and loving it. They have had a few health issues in recent years, but are nevertheless determined to get around and see some beautiful special places around the Daintree. They went looking for the colourful fl owers and odd-shaped fruit of the “bishop’s hat” or “barringtonia asiatica”, a common seaside tree. Its heavily scented fl owers have delightful puff balls white stamens tipped with pink, which open at night and attract large moths and nectar-feeding bats. So, it’s best to look for them very early in the mornings, or look on the ground for the fallen flowers.

If you’re travelling along the Track this weekend, the early morning tides are only around two metres so, crossing the Bloomfield River Crossing will only be difficult with very heavy rain. The afternoons have nice low tides below about 0.7 metres, ideal for beach-walking. So, get out and enjoy our great rainforest, creeks and coasts. The winds won’t get you there.

Happy travelling
Mike and Trish D’Arcy
D’Arcy of Daintree 4WD Tours

1. Romance is always in the air, with close to 500 couples saying 'I do' here in 2011.
2. You can view the biggest orgy on earth when the coral spawn occurs each year around November
3. The tiny larvae of coral reef fish are faster than our best Olympic swimmers with a speed of 20.6cm a second. A human swimming at that rate would complete 100 metres in three seconds. 
4. Nature's masterpiece the Daintree Rainforest, is home to Australia's largest fern, the king fern (Angiopteris evecta) and world's smallest kangaroo, the musky rat-kangaroo.
5. Prawns can be caught, sold and eaten on the same day in Port. 
6. Six of the world's seven turtles are found on the Great Barrier Reef. 
7. Indulge in a spa treatment at any one of the 10 spa resorts in the region, or have the treatment come to you. 
8. The Wet Tropics covers less than 0.1 per cent of the Australian continent, yet it is the country's most diverse region. 
9. It is the home of Australia's first and only origin chocolate made from locally grown cocoa. 
10. In 2012, it is the best place on the planet to witness the total solar eclipse as the central line crosses directly at nearby Oak Beach. 

Volunteer and escape to the lush cloud forests and wildlife haven of Northern QLD

Escape the sounds of the bustling city as you step into the lush and tranquil tropics on Earthwatch’s Wildlife of the Cloud Forests expedition. The sounds of a bird chorus at dawn and trickling waters of nearby creeks and streams, will be your new home, as you immerse yourself in this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

Inside the World Heritage listed Wet Tropics of Northern Queensland lies an exotic array of wildlife and plants. As the last remaining part of forest that once dominated half of Australia, you will find animals that cannot be found anywhere else in the world including cassowaries, a variety of parrots, pythons, possums, tree kangaroos and primitive looking reptiles.

Working alongside world renowned Ecologist, Prof. Steve Williams, you will move through a wide variety of landscapes from the crystal clear coral shorelines and beaches, to lowland lush rainforests right through to spectacular mountains covered in cloud forests. Throughout this time you will be helping to shape our understanding of what changes are occurring to our climate and landscape and what this means for the unique species in the area.

As part of a research team, you will be actively involved in a range of activities including:

• Bird watching
• Reptile trapping and surveys
• Nocturnal wildlife spotting
• Bat surveys

One or two weeks, it’s your choice.

Choose to join this expedition for either, the first week, the last week or continuing through for the entire two weeks. The first week will be spent in the beautiful South Johnstone Forestry Camp, while on the second week you move onto Shiptons Flat camp with a few days in Cairns in between. Both locations are on different tablelands to ensure a variety in wildlife and scenery and are often closed off to the wider public.

2012 dates and pricing:

-          7 days   | 5-11 Aug or 28 Oct-2 Nov       | $1,950

-          8 days   | 12-19 Aug or 3-11 Nov             | $2,250

-          15 days | 5-19 Aug or 28 Oct-11 Nov    | $4,200

Prices include all food, accommodation, return transfers from Cairns airport as well as a contribution to this important research.

Sign up today
So if you are looking for an excuse to escape, why not join one of our research teams and explore the hidden wonders of our most beautiful and remote rainforests. Book online, or call Earthwatch on 03 9682 6828

THE recent long weekend saw lots of locals out and about enjoying the scenic local streams and beaches, plus the excellent fishing. Many took advantage of the clear full moon and the extra low tides in the late afternoon to enjoy the “stairway to the moon” off the beaches at Cow Bay, Thornton, Cape Trib., Weary Bay and Grassy Hill at Cooktown. Low tides have also given us the chance to appreciate the very rare and special fringing coral reef. It’s spongy looking, but razor sharp. Drab brown and dead on top, yet awash with life and just wonderful from underneath.

It sits right alongside the coastline where the rainforest meets the reef. And it only exists in a few special places on the mainland of Australia - north of the Daintree River and at Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. You will find patches of this fringing reef between Cooktown and Cow Bay. There is a very stunning and complex system at Archer Point as well as hidden, less accessible spots around Cedar Bay. Further down, there is more between Cape Trib. Beach and the Beach House, off the Cape Trib. Campground, Coconut Beach and at Cow Bay around Black Rock to Snapper Island. Fringing reefs just can’t survive where the big monsoonal rains wash muddy water into the sea from the major river systems. However, along the Daintree Coast and up past the Bloomfield River short of the Annan River, where the mountains are close to the sea, the water is much cleaner, allowing the fringing reef to grow and survive. 

Bryn Jones, BSC, a zoologist with Cape Trib. Ocean Safari elaborates on aspects of the reef.

“The fringing coral reef actually sits around 0.8m higher than any other reef systems in the marine park. A large number of coral species not found anywhere else in the Great Barrier Reef have been discovered living and fossilised on the fringing reef."

“Although the majority above water level is dead, under the waterline lives a thriving ecosystem with many fish species such as groupers, rabbitfish, parrotfish and smaller reef fish species. Some of the largest turtles in the wild, mainly Green sea turtles and Hawksbill turtles inhabit the fringing reef along with sharks and rays.”

So, enjoy the fringing reef when you can get a low tide, below about 1.2metres. Over the next week, and, in fact, right through May, the daytime tides are low and good for reef and beach walking. The higher tides shouldn’t pose any problems for motorists on the Bloomfield River Crossing.

Cairns Regional Council has done a very nice patch-up job on potholes and one bad slippery patch on the Bloomfield Track. It’s sad to say, but the Ayton to Rossville section is still in poor shape, and a real suspension-cruncher.

Crocs are again starting to venture upstream and this week. We saw a four-metre beauty among the mangroves on Bloomfield River. So, get out this weekend and have a good look around our part of the world.

Happy travelling
Mike and Trish D’Arcy
D’Arcy of Daintree 4WD Tours

ERWIN Lambert from Holland reckoned Spartaca looked as fat as a pig, and he was right.

Spartaca is the nickname that has been given to the three metre croc that hangs out near the Wujal
Wujal Falls during winter, but spring has returned for her - at least for the moment.

Like any good croc, she finds the smell of a decomposing pig at the top of her regular pool compelling, and a good reason to return after about a six month absence. She was fat, relaxed and on display to travellers.

With the cooler weather and less river flow, crocs are being frequently sighted basking around the region’s rivers. We have spotted one regularly on the Annan and many along the Bloomfield.

Back at Cape Trib, a new reptilian enterprise has opened - the Snake House. Just across the road from Grays’ Orchard, it has a delightful and free display of pythons, a gift shop with lots of jewellery and woodwork from local artists. It is also now serving as a much-needed Visitor’s Information Centre.

During the week, visitors have reported daily sightings of armies of soldier crabs, especially along
those beaches associated with mangroves such as Cowie Beach, Archer Point or Finch Bay. Pelicans are on the move, maybe from central Australia. Like other Australians, many of them come up north or to the seaside at the end on the wet season to enjoy the rich fishing grounds. Our Australian pelican is one of seven world species and, of course, the biggest. Their huge bill can scoop between seven and 13 litres of fish, crustaceans and water. They hug their swollen bill close to their chest, expelling the water, but keeping the food. Pelicans can be both exciting and restful. It’s sensational to see them soaring on thermal currents up to two kilometres or so high in their elaborate courting displays; skid-landing on the water with wings outstretched; or herding schools of fish together in a mass feeding frenzy. It’s equally nice just to see them gliding peacefully along the water among the mangroves as our lucky visitors did this week.

“Oh, a wondrous bird is the pelican!
His bill holds more than his belican.
He can take in his beak
Enough food for a week.
But I’m darned if I know how the helican.”

(A poem by Dixon L Merritt via my Dad).

So, take a trip around the Cooktown or Daintree Coast this week and look for pelicans, crocs, soldier crabs, cassowaries and lots of other wildlife. 

The road conditions from Ayton to Rossville are awful on the unsealed parts, but much better on the Wujal/Cape Trib side. There are some wonderful scenery-inducing low tides in the afternoons for the next few days, and unless there are huge rainfalls, the creek and river crossings will be okay. But always be careful, look at the tide charts and talk with locals.

Happy travelling
Mike and Trish D’Arcy
D’Arcy of Daintree 4WD Tours

For those who prefer to make their own way around, most roads are sealed but travelers venturing off these must check road conditions before they leave, and make sure to let someone know where you are going and how long you expect to be gone. Pre-Booking of rental cars is recommended. 4WD travellers should take extra care in the more remote areas. Remember that creek causeways can quickly become impassable with heavy rain so don't cross unless you are sure that it is safe. A little patience spent waiting for the water to go down, usually at low tide, could prevent an accident. Always treat the road with the respect that prevailing conditions warrant.

In Port Douglas and Daintree, the rule is relax. The style is casual so all you need are comfortable, lightweight clothes. If you like, you can leave your jacket and tie behind, because they are not necessary even at formal restaurants. Don't forget to pack walking shoes, a hat, swimwear and sunglasses. Remember to minimize your sun exposure and bring a good sunscreen, or buy one locally. Don't forget your camera/video camera!

An exciting day for our Daintree Dreaming customers today with the commencement of a new tour guide Cris Wilesmith. A young enthusiastic Aboriginal guide who has completed stage one of his training, Cris will be complete his training in 6 weeks and will guide the tours each Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. 

Time your visit to coincide with the 2012 Cooktown Discovery Festival which will take place from June 08-11, hop on board Adventure North Australia for a memorable weekend.

http://www.cooktownandcapeyork.com/events/cooktowndiscoveryfestival

A fully costumed re-enactment of the landing of Captain James Cook and his first meeting with the local Guugu Yimithirr people.  

Travel up with Adventure North on the 1 Day Cooktown Adventure (at $250per person) and Stay the entire weekend! Travelling up on Friday 8th June and returning on Monday 11th June 2012. Accommodation cost additional which we can assist you with.

See http://www.cooktownandcapeyork.com/events/cooktowndiscoveryfestival for further informationion of all the celebrations throughout the weekend.

Jungle Surfing Canopy Tours are delighted to announce the opening of Snake House Cape Tribulation on Sunday 1st April 2012.

Snake House is the new central pick up point for Jungle Surfing customers and offers a small collection of native live snakes on display, tour bookings and local information, gorgeous unique gifts from around Australia, Jungle Surfing merchandise and souvenirs, plus coffees and cold drinks.

Jungle Surfing will continue to pick up customers from all resorts in Cape Tribulation, but all self drivers should meet at Snake House to complete pre-tour paperwork and for courtesy transfers to Jungle Surfing.

Snake House will be open to visitors 9am to 6pm daily and you’ll find just us north of PK’s Jungle Village on the main road at:

Snake House
Lot 2 Cape Tribulation Road
Cape Tribulation
QLD 487
Tel: 07 4098 0190
Email: snakehouse@junglesurfing.com.au

We look forward to welcoming you! 

Looking for a unique Aboriginal cultural experience in Tropical North Queensland, look no further than the 1 Day Daintree Dreaming Day Tour from Cairns and Port Douglas

Kubirri Warra brothers Linc and Brandon Walker of KuKu Yalanji Cultural Habitat Tours and Adventure North Australia offer this exclusive tour each Mon, Wed, Fri and Sun.

Cooya Beach is a special place and is a traditional fishing ground of the Kuku Yalanji Bama people. This unique coastal place has three diverse eco systems - beach, mangroves and coastal reef, learn how to hunt and gather bush tucker and medicines.

Visit the spectacular Niau waterfall, lunch with magestic views of the Mossman River and rainforest at Silky Oaks, and enjoy an Aboriginal art class with a difference.  See our facebook page for some amazing photos of recent tours.  http://www.facebook.com/DaintreeDreamingDayTour

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Observing the June 6th 2012 Transit of Venus from Australia

After all the heavy rain early in the week and the Captain Cook Highway being closed at Buchans Point, just north of Cairns, we are now back and operating as of 22nd March, we are getting all the way through to Emmagen Creek north of Cape Tribulation with our high clearance 4WD vehicles and not having any problems.  We are seeing lots of crocodiles, pythons, on the Daintree River Cruise and we are seeing a resident Male Cassowary and chick on our guided board walk.

Looking for something to do come and join us.

THE Cooktown cemetery is one of the “must-do” visits for many tourists with a sense of history.

The feel of the old rogues and characters of the gold rush andearly European settlement days is still around in bucket loads. The Normanby Woman, captured against her will by well-meaning settlers, and Mary Watson, her son Ferrier and Ah Sam their servant, who perished after fl eeing from Lizard Island are all remembered.

I took Kevin “Tombstone” and Mary Jordan from Adelaide to our famous cemetery last week and, as often happens, they finished up showing me a few things. Unlike his nickname, “Tombstone”,
Kevin is a bright, cheery bloke, happy to pass on gems from his 45 years experience as a Master Monumental Mason (that is, tombstones and things).

“Tombstone” explained: ‘The old marble tombstones were all brought in from the famous 2000 year old Carrara marble quarries in Italy, but later the industry moved to granite, a more durable
material when machinery improvements enabled it to be used’.

“In recent years, the Australian War Graves Commission has been providing headstones for thousands of forgotten service people around Australia. 

“They’re all the same size and thickness."

"The cemetery is very well kept and obviously treasured by the locals.” 

“I just loved to see the plug and feather techniques used to split the granite on the kerbs and gutters around town. 

“I can’t recall any place that has such an extensive use of granite, both in the uprights and the flagstone (paver) - it’s a unique part of Australian history.”

The heavy rains over the last few days are less unique at this time of the year. Crossing has been impossible both at Bloomfield and Woobadda. With the monsoonal trough on its way down, the
situation probably won’t change much in the next few days. So, enjoy your local beaches and rainforest over the next few days.

As well as the diverse flotsam on the beaches, we’ve seen lots of starlings, torresian/nutmeg pigeons and buff-breasted paradise kingfishers stocking up and practising their flying before returning to Papua New Guinea in a few weeks.

A few golden pendas are in flower, and it’s a treat to see the rainbow lorikeets indulging themselves, if you get the chance.

Happy travelling
Mike and Trish D’Arcy
D’Arcy of Daintree 4WD Tours

Adventure North Australia celebrate taking over 10,000 customers on their 4wd Adventure tours to Cooktown. Now thats a lot of happy customers

The Sit Down Comedy Club opened the Cairns Comedy season for 2012 to a full house of 260 people and 13 fabulous contestants at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival's RAW COMEDY open mic competition.

All the upcoming shows at the Cairns Comedy Club are now locked in and ready for you amusement.  Fiona O'Loughlin, Chris Franklin, Greg Sullivan, Nik Coppin and more...Check out whos performing at www.festivalsupnorth.com.

Did you know if your birthday is on a Cairns Comedy Club date that you can come celebrate your birthday with us for free?  That's right, for a hassle free birthday with guarenteed laughs, grab your friends and head to the Sit Down Comedy Club.  *Proof of id required for refund or free entry

One of our younger guests has made very good friends with our Giant Stick Insect - they really did get up close and personal - check out our facebook to see the whole album

Earthwatch is a Not for Profit who connect the public to science through volunteer work. They have just launched a new expedition The Daintree's Hidden Coastline for May 25 2012. 

Volunteers are needed to protect the stunning Daintree rainforest – one of the world’s best preserved mangrove coasts.

The exotic Daintree River is a haven for rich mangrove forests, rare and threatened plants and animals and crystal clear waters. Covering over 1200 square kilometres, the Daintree is one of the most unique areas in the world, where two World Heritage Sites intersect – the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest.

Mangroves protect coral reefs by filtering runoff from storms and floods and absorbing a vast amount of greenhouse gases - up to five times more than land based tropical forests. With increases in land clearing, the use of pesticides and climate change, mangroves are now among the most threatened habitats in the world, with 35 per cent already gone.  

Volunteers are needed to help scientists collect information that will be used to effectively manage these vitally important mangrove ecosystems. Exploring the river by boat and on foot, volunteers will film the shoreline, measuring habitats and conducting field biomass assessments.

During your time you will also have the unique opportunity to meet with the Kuku Yalanji people, the traditional inhabitants of this area, at Mossman Gorge and learn about indigenous cultural heritage, the dreamtime narrative of the rainforest and the people’s special relationship with the environment.

The Kuku Yalandji people will describe traditional uses of rainforest plants, identify bush tucker sources, share their legends and explain the history and significance of cave paintings.

The Daintree’s Hidden Coastline expedition is running its first ever team on 25 May with more teams to follow. Total cost for the 10 days on the expedition is $2,200 which covers all food, accommodation, activities as well as a contribution towards funding this vital research and science.

To make booking or an enquiry please contact Kirsty Richardson at Earthwatch on 03 9682 6828 or krichardson@earthwatch.org.au

Or alternatively please visit their website: www.earthwatch.org.au

Cairns Airport welcomes the return of Tiger Airways. 

The airline announced today it will resume flights into Cairns with a daily Melbourne – Cairns return service, commencing 25 April 2012.

International Coaches & Tours can provide private transfers to your Cairns and Port Douglas Accommdation: http://www.internationalcoachesandtours.com.au/transfer.html

Cairns Airport Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Brown, said Tiger’s resumption of the busy Melbourne – Cairns route has been long awaited.

“That Tiger will again operate services into Cairns on what has been voted Australia’s fastest growing route just ahead of our peak season is very welcome news indeed.”

“Tiger commenced flights into Cairns in September 2010 and proved a popular airline even while operating on late night arrival and early morning departure times,” Mr Brown said.

“We also welcome the fact that Tiger is going to provide a daytime service, arriving into Cairns at 12:15pm and departing at 12:45pm, offering greater convenience for its passengers.”

“It is also excellent news for the regional economy with a daily domestic service calculated on average to provide an additional $75million per annum in gross regional product and generate 843 new jobs in the region.”

Today’s announcement comes after ongoing negotiations between Cairns Airport and Tiger Airways that commenced soon after services where withdrawn due to action by CASA in 2011.

“We have worked closely with Tiger Airways to find the right time to relaunch their Melbourne – Cairns service,” Mr Brown said. “With those flights set to recommence we will continue our negotiations and are confident we can work with Tiger to achieve further growth on Melbourne – Cairns as well as encourage them to introduce new routes.”

The Golden Orbs are just going crazy at the moment. We have some as big as our hands and they are spinning up a storm everywhere making it imperative to carry a web wand with you wherever you go!  Some of the strands are so strong you almost bounce off them!

Despite the grey skies above the water visibility has been amazing.  We could see right to the bottom all the way from Cow Bay to Shipwreck Bay and even around Black Rock.  This morning's kayakers couldn't believe it could be so clear!

Sun Palm Transport are on Facebook
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On November 14, 2012 (Cairns time) a solar eclipse will be visible in Northern Australia and the Pacific Islands. Very few people have the opportunity to view a total solar eclipse as the shadow only covers a very small area of the Earth and you must be in a limited zone to see the moon cover the entire face of the sun.

Seeing a total eclipse is perhaps one of the most spectacular astronomical phenomenons that you will ever see. Being in the right spot is essential on November 14, 2012.

Port Douglas will be the best viewing for the 2012 Solar Eclipse.

Sun Palm Transport are taking all bookings for airport transfers, luxury sedans, stretch limousines and private transfers.

Make sure you make your booking soon to secure your transport.

Even seeing this amazing spider with its newly hatched brood is an achievement, but its identification is yet another challenge for Cooper Creek Wilderness and Daintree Rainforest.

Neil, with his finely-tuned vision, detected a shading on a leaf of the small-leaved fire vine Tetracera nordtiana, almost like a silhouette.  He discovered the green camouflaged female spider and young blending in beautifully with its green surrounds.

Have a look at the enlarged image:  http://www.ccwild.com/blog/?p=4272#more-4272

We don't like to be nuisances, so we try to identify as much as we can from the web.  An excellent web site  www.findaspider.org.au has images of many spiders found in South-east Queensland and has helped us a great deal in the past.

This elegant specimen was not there.  Next step is to appeal to the author of this site, Arachnologist Ron Atkins, who has obligingly helped us to identify many species over the years.

Ron's response goes into details about the possibilities, "No, this is not a spider I recognize. Its leg arrangement is suggestive of a huntsman (Family Sparassidae) and some of the Australian Neosparassus species are green. However, the eye pattern does not look like that of a typical huntsman and I have never previously seen a sparassid with what looks like a sharply narrowed end to its abdomen. Unfortunately, the photos don't show enough anatomical details for me to make a guess as to which other family this spider might belong to. This specimen illustrates the fact that there are so many North Queensland spider species still waiting to be discovered and named."

You can extend this observation to many other critters in the Daintree Rainforest, a treasure trove of biodiversity and antiquity!