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!

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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!

January showers have really brightened up the rainforest with all our jungle looking that lovely shiny green green you only get in the wet season.  Hundreds of new leaves and baby trees sprouting each day too!

These large, attractive fungi were photographed on the high bank of the Daintree Rainforest’s Tassel-Fern Creek, decomposing rotten timber brought down from the canopy by Cyclone Olga (Feb. 2010).  The fruiting bodies are supported by a yellow-footed stem and have thin, funnel-shaped caps that are concentrically zoned in various shades of brown.

The underside of the cap is white with numerous tiny pores that conform with the genus name Microporus, whilst the species name xanthopus is derived from two Greek words for ‘yellow foot’.

The largest of the caps is about 150 mm in diametre.  The fungi have continued to grow for over a year, with the benefits of an extraordinarily wet year attracting 7.24 metres of rainfall.  This year has been considerably drier and cooler than normal, slowing the growth-rate to a standstill, but on those infrequent occasions when rain does fall, the inverted cups capture water and produce vivid colours.

Not only do fungi have decorative qualities, they assist in the breakdown and recycling of deadwood in the rainforest.  The medicinal value of various fungi have been known to the aboriginal people over thousands of years.  Passed down from generation to generation, this knowledge is an important factor in the relationships of the indigenous people with their landscapes.

The striking bright reddish-orange brackets of Pycnoporus coccineus  have been used among some tribes to treat mouth ulcers and oral thrush in babies.  Two antibiotic compounds have been found in Pycnoporus coccineus.

Oriental medicines describe another fungus Gannoderma lucidum as an interesting shelf fungus that is an important natural medicine in the far East including China, Japan and Korea.  Portrayed as a “cure-all” herbal remedy for treating conditions such as cancer, HIV, high and low blood pressure, rheumatism, heart conditions and many others it is also known as Reishi, ling chih and ling zhi.  It has antibiotic and anti-oxidant components and is used in a tea or taken daily in tablet form to promote well-being and longevity.

It’s interesting to consider that healing may be taking place within the natural environment through a variety of fungi that exist naturally in the area.  Withdrawal of people into unnatural man-made environments, polluted with exhaust fumes and other chemicals, may well contribute to a less robust species of homo sapiens!

Normally we complain about the cold for about 2 months - June and July before August when temperatures rise, birds build their nests and insects emerge.   Not this year.  It was well into September before these harbingers of warmer weather appeared.  Our night temperatures even dropped to 6 degrees Celsius, an unheard of unseasonal cold.  Was this the predicted global warming?

The unusually cold winter seemed to slow down the emergence of the insects.  By the time the stick insects Anchiale briareus, arrived most of their favourite food trees, the sour sop trees, Amazonian Custard Apple had their new leaves.  We had noted in previous years that the first sour sop tree to get its new leaves also got the stick insects en masse.  Through intensive research we discovered that this tree actually sent out a biochemical messages to inform the surrounding trees about the ravenous hordes that were chewing on the leaves. These later leafing trees were then able to change the nature of their new young leaves by adding a tannin to the composition of the leaves.  This discouraged the stick insects from spreading and rendered the first leafing trees as sacrificial trees.

The cleverness of the rainforest has never ceased to astonish us.  We are astounded at the diversity of plants, animals and insects, but these invisible catalysts, biochemicals, pheromones appear to be more diverse and prolific than we could possibly imagine.

Daintree Rainforest Pty Ltd trading as Cooper Creek Wilderness has successfullly completed its marathon application for Advanced Ecotourism Accreditation.

Our company believes that Ecotourism is the best means of providing an income that supports conservation.  Responsible travel and Ethical Travel are similar vehicles that encourage visitors to select products that actually conserve and protect the natural assets of the world.

Visitors need to feel that they can make a difference and that their payments will contribute to an ethical form of tourism.

This year we have added to our accreditation  "Climate Action Business" accreditation as further evidence to Ecotourism Australia of our commitment to the health of the Daintree Rainforest.

There is a huge battle waging between off-reserve conservation and mining.  Conservation Agreeements signed by landholders and Queensland Government have become worthless.  When sustainable tourism is as importsnt to our economy as the mining industry, then we might be able to protect our global treasures.

Orange-footed Scrub Fowls (Megapodius reinwardt) have developed an innovative nesting strategy that relieves them of the need for sitting on eggs.  Residing within the same habitat as the Amethystine Python (world-champion at visualising the nocturnal infrared field), scrub fowls’ large heat-signatures would make them easy targets if they were required to sit on eggs for the full incubation period.  In an extraordinary display of adaptive genius, scrub fowls have learned to stockpile leaf-litter into giant mounds, to harness the heat generated through the de-composition of that compost, to incubate their eggs.

Yesterday afternoon Sunset paddlers saw not just one, but two dugong in Cape Tribulation Bay. It was beautiful to see them surface side by side. How lucky were they!

A visiting paleobotanist from Dresden, Germany, was returning to his homeland after presenting a paper  to a conference in Melbourne, entitled “Molecular Evolutionary History of Early Branching Angiosperms.”  One of the points that his dissertation made is that “Angiosperms might even be older than estimated in previous studies.”

The scientist and his wife visited the Daintree to build on their research into primitive angiosperms and decided to book onto a guided interpreted nocturnal walk with Cooper Creek Wilderness.  Little did they know that they would be entering the heart of the world’s oldest rainforest!  In the blackness of the night, it would be difficult to assess the forest, but on this particular night the tour guide decided to include some of the unique vegetation in his interpretation.  Imagine the paleobotanist’s surprise when he was shown the ‘green dinosaur’.   Idiospermum australienseis our prime piece of evidence of continuity of rainforest growth over 135 million years.

Trapped in the refugial areas at the base of the eastern flank of Thornton Peak, the fruit and flowers of this primitive angiosperm were first found in 1902 by another German Botanist, Ludwig Diels, who matched it with a fossil held in the Dresden Herbarium.  Scientists who returned to the site of the discovery a year later, were dismayed to find that the rainforest had been cleared for sugarcane.  The plant was rediscovered in 1971 when some cattle belonging  to a local Daintree farmer ingested the toxic seeds and died.  The seeds were eventually matched with Dresden Herbarium records that revealed a previous reference to the species (Calycanthus australiensis) (Diels 1902), however taxonomic anomalies favoured the discovery of a new species, which became (Idiospermum australiensis).

At the time, there were only seventeen known families of primitive flowering plant on earth.  Idiospermaceae became the eighteenth and Austrobaileyaceae from the same rainforest, the nineteenth.  The re-discovery of the rainforest dinosaur stimulated intense botanical interest in the rainforests of the Daintree.  The scientific community had discovered a living museum of plants and animals of indeterminate antiquity.

Through DNA testing, Idiospermum australiense was re-classified back into the Calycanthaceae Family about 3 years ago.  This piece of information was conveyed to me by a retired dendrologist who visited Cooper Creek Wilderness about 15 years ago and returned again this year with Outback Spirit Tours.

We are now informed that our forest is somewhere between 160 and 170 million years old, 25 to 35 million years older than previously estimated!

The coincidence of Technische Universitat Dresden in this latest study and the original  discovery of Idiospermum australiense by a scientist from Dresden herbarium forges links from the other side of the world to the Daintree Rainforest and with the advantages of modern computers, scientific research unites findings from around the world to seek a universal truth.

As inhabitants of this prestigious rainforest we have become recipients of information that we can include in our interpretation.   Conservation of Daintree Rainforest is supported by travellers from around the world who are looking for exceptional natural experiences.  The web of knowledge expands beyond the scientific world to the cultural world of the traditional owners, the Yalanji people who tell me the plant is poisonous and cannot be eaten, and the early European  settlers who found the tree provided a fine cabinet timber called “ribbonwood.”

Spectacular orange floral fungus enhances the beauty of the rainforest, with its bright colour attracting the appropriate insects to traffic spores in a general absence of wind. The yellow version is called  "witches butter" because it can unexpectedly appear first thing in the morning and it is gives a warning!

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November has been warm and moist providing perfect conditions for a multitude of fungi, mushrooms and toadstools to emerge.  As we struggle to identify each of these fungi, we are humbled by the complexity of these important members of our rainforest. 

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November has seen the flowers come out to brighten up the rainforest at Crocodylus.  We had a flower carpet from the buds falling from one of our large trees.  These blossoms also produced an amazing perfumes that floated through the air for days!

Dont have time to go shopping? Wait a While in the Daintree can deliver Gourmet breakfast and supper hampers on request. Hampers can be delivered to Wait-A-While In The Daintree prior to your arrival. 

Download a hamper menu or contact us for more information or to place an order. 

This past week, has seen a lot of cassowaries around especially with new chicks.  These cassowaries have been seen regularly.  Also there are crocodiles been active on the river as it is coming into there breeding season.

Don't waste a day because of your flight times! 

International Coaches can pick you up and drop you off at a time that suits you. We will also collect your luggage and store it while you are on tour, we will then drop you and your luggage to the Airport or Hotel after your day tour! Kuranda is a perfect option for your arrival or departure day! 

Enquire about our tour options now! 

This little fella, an Amethystine Python, was found under the wheelbarrow beginning to shed his skin, something we all feel like doing as the wet approaches!

Crocodylus Village's own free orange rope walk continues to delivery wildlife to the walkers on a daily basis.  Today's sightings included a mail cassowary with his chick and a large lace monitor plus of course the usual turtles and fish in the creek.  Unfortunately the mozzie numbers are up too so plenty of bug spray! 

Nat Geo have been here over the last few weeks filming our cassowaries.  This guy was the centre of attention albeit his chicks really stole the limelight.  Unfortunately you will have to wait for almost two years to see the footage on tele!!

Spring is a wonderful time to visit Cooktown and the Tropical North as there are birds galore with orchids and flowers blooming everywhere.  And of course its great fishing!

Keen anglers are taking advantage of increased sunny days and lower wind conditions. You will see many locals and visitors alike at the  Cooktown wharf.

Cook Shire is such a diverse and widespread landscape with natural beauty in abundance.

The legendary Crocodile Trophy MTB stage race commenced for the 17th time this year in Australia.  After ten days racing, participants will finish their race for the first time on Grassy Hill in Cooktown, on the 27th October 2011

Experience 1 or 2 days tours to Cooktown with Adventure North from Cairns and Port Douglas  via the 4wd only Bloomfield Track through the heart of the World Heritage Daintree National Park.REturn journey is via the Great Dividing range, Mulligan Highway which is the outback of Far North Queensland.

Sun Palm Transport welcomes a new addition to our luxury fleet.  A 53 Seater Coach featuring the latest in safety, technology & engineering. Fully air conditioned, lush leather seats, seatbelts, DVD and CD player.

Arriving at the airport or your accommodation has never been as easy and reliable as it is with Sun Palm Transport, your corporate and conference bus charter experts. Sun Palm Transport will provide your group or organisation with a coach charter service that is professional, uniformed and qualified drivers.

At Sun Palm transport, we also believe that having someone there to meet you upon your arrival is equally important. Sun Palm Transport Group is the only licensed transport operator authorized at Cairns international and Domestic Airport. With a strong emphasis on customer service Sun Palm Transport Group provides 24 hour, 7 days a week, meet and greet service at Cairns Airport (including delayed flights).

So whether its a general airport transfer, stretch limousines, luxury sedan or a luxury coach transfer for your VIP Guests, Incentive Programs, Weddings, Tour Groups, Events - We'll take you there.

Even though Cairns and surrounding areas have received some heavy rain, it is nothing out of the ordinary for this time of year which is coming up to the start of the wet season.  Yesterday on our Daintree Cape Tribulation tour we had a few showers then it cleared as we got up into the Cape Tribulation area, despite being the wettest place in Australia with an average rainfall of 5 - 6 meters.  On the river cruise we saw 4 crocodiles out and about foraging for their breakfast, a few green tree snakes and a Great Billed Heron which is a usually very shy rare bird to see on the river, alot of the trees are in fruit, so this is providing ample food for the many different species of birds and wildlife.

On our board walk at Jindalba we saw a female cassowary and also spotted the Buff Breasted Paradise Kingfisher which is a rare migratory bird from Papua New Guinea.  These amazing birds wait for the start of the wet to then start their migration to this area to nest and rare their young before heading back to New Guinea on their epic journey.  So don't let a little bit of rain bother you come and see the amazing wildlife and all the waterfalls that are running.  Billy Tea Safaris also have high clearance 4WD vehicles to allow us to get to these areas despite the weather.  The forecast is the weather is clearing by Friday.

'Daintree Explorer'
at Exclusive Daintree Secrets

Minimum 5 Night Stay - $295 per night (Usually $370 pn) 

• Plus Champagne on Arrival

• Plus 2 X 2pax personalised Wilderness Walk

• Plus Return Daintree Ferry Passes
  (Saving $420) 
  
  For up to 4 people travelling
  Valid for stays 1st October 2011 to 31st March 2012