Day 18. Today we took a 'swamp tour' up the Daintree River. The views of the rainforest are spectacular from the river. Sadly, the contrast with the cleared land and terrible soil erosion with the million year old rainforest is stark. We saw the smallest crocodile we have ever encountered. The tour was spoiled for us by the old boatman telling a quite sexist 'joke'. Couldn't wait to get off! Had a look at Wonga Beach. Much like Newell. After lunch, RM went to se...

Day 17. Leaving Elle to mind the camp, we drove appropriately through misty rain to Mossman Gorge. "Nestled in the World Heritage Listed Daintree Rainforest, Mossman Gorge contains the oldest, continuously surviving rainforest on earth. Just one hectare of the 120,000 hectare forest can contain over 30,000 species of plants and animals. Considered by many to be the evolutionary cradle for much of Australia’s plant and wildlife species, the forest has managed t...

Day 16. Spent the day driving up to Cape Tribulation. It is only a short drive from Newell Beach but the wait for the ferry adds a couple of hours to the trip! The drive from the ferry to Cape Tribulation is a winding scenic route. There is a lot more development here than we expected but always the rainforest backdrop and lovely coves improve the view. The rainforest really does meet the reef! Nature blows you away up here. You feel very small when confronted by...

Day 15. Today we drove from Mission Beach to Newell Beach near Mossman. We drove via Cairns, although managed to keep to the outskirts. The scenery all the way was beautiful, particularly when we got onto the Captain Cook Hway, which meanders along the coast with stunning beach and rain forest views. The farming country of banana and sugar plantations is lush. Everyone along the route appeared to have mown any grass within sight of the road. We weren't sure whet...

Day 14. Grey skies today but warm and a bit humid. I sorted out our access to the Sydney Morning Herald App via their new subscription system. It only took two emails and two phone calls. We subscribed via iTunes but only one iPad could read it. Now both can. Then joined RM and Elle on the beach for a walk. After breakfast, we had a look around the area, the rain forest NPs and some of the beaches. It is a pretty area with no high rises. Mostly just houses and s...