Far North Queensland boasts some of the most unique wildlife on the globe, and Port Douglas is situated right where the Rainforest meets the Great Barrier Reef, so we have countless wildlife experiences for you to enjoy, here are just some of our favourites.

 

Breakfast With The Birds

The award winning Wildlife Habitat offers a broad range of wildlife experiences including Breakfast with the Birds and Lunch with the Lorikeets, a truly unique experience. Guests enjoy the wetlands environment over a sumptuous breakfast of fresh tropical fruits, fresh baked pastries, cereals and a selection of hot drinks. Grab your morning coffee and enjoy the sights and sounds of the wildlife as they wander freely through the space.

Breakfast with the Birds operates daily from 9:00am to 10:30am. 

Or if you prefer a lie in perhaps Lunch with the Lorikeets is more your style, where you can enjoy seasonal produce prepared by an in house chef in the Curlew Cafe. Open from 8am – 3pm daily the Curlew Cafe is fully licensed and stocks a variety of beer and wine for an afternoon tipple for enthusiastic twitchers.

 

 

Crocodile feeding show

If you want see Crocodiles feed up close and personal, Hartley's Crocodile Adventures is a must do!
Located half way between Cairns and Port Douglas (25 minutes drive south of Port Douglas), Hartley's Crocodile Adventures is a sprawling 10 hectare wildlife sanctuary. You can take guided or self guided walks through the secured wetlands and see crocodiles lounging in the sun or book in a lagoon boat tour and see crocs leap from the depths in an impressive display! Once you've seen our most famous reptiles there is also a daily snake show, a koala feeding show as well as cassowaries, quolls and a menagerie of other native wildlife.

 

Crocodile spotting river tours

Right here in Port Douglas go aboard the iconic Lady Douglas Paddle Wheeler as it takes you up Dicksons Inlet on a 2 hour croc spotting river tour. Learn about the region and its vast collection of other fauna and flora from well informed local tour guides. Tours depart 5 times a day including a sunset and evening tour.

Experience crocodiles in their native habitat on a croc tour on the mighty Daintree River. Jump aboard and see everything the Daintree has to offer from the comfort of a guided tour boat run by local experienced operators. You can also expect to see a wide variety of birdlife, butterflies and a spectacular viewing point for the Daintree River Mangrove eco system along the rivers edge. Tours depart daily from just by the Daintree River Ferry, located around 50km north of Port Douglas.

 

The Great Barrier Reef

The worlds largest living organism is on full display for you visit, with over 400 species of coral and 1500 different types of fish, the Great Barrier Reef is an absolute bucket list item. Reef tours depart daily from the Crystalbrook Super Yacht Marina with a variety of operators to choose from.

There are three main reef trip experiences. 

1. Outer reef trips. Full day trip. Passengers can snorkel or dive right off the vessel on reefs that are located at what is called the outer edge of the Continential Shelf. 

2. Island Tours. Full day trips. Passengers can snorkel right off the beach and enjoy the crystal clear waters of a Great Barrier Reef Island at either Low Isles or Mackay Coral Cay.

3. Half day or 

There are two main way to travel to the reef off Port Douglas. High speed catamaran or jet boats or sailing catamarans. 

If you get the opportunity, snorkelling with a turtle is a must do. You can try one of the amazing island tours to Low Isles or Mackay Coral Cay to experience this.


Jungle Surfing

The rainforest canopy is a fascinating ecosystem just begging to be explored and what could be a more exciting vantage point that swinging through the Daintree Rainforest on a guided zipline tour. Jungle Surfing Canopy Tours and Night Walks offers both day time rainforest canopy tours and night time rainforest floor tours. Take to the skies on the connected tree platforms that wind through the forest, then when the sun goes down see the rainforest come alive as experienced guides show you through the oldest rainforest in the world. No experience is necessary and all ages are welcome.


Cassowaries

Of all the quirky local creatures we have here, perhaps none spark more interest than the Southern Cassowary. The large flightless birds can weigh up to 45kg and live on a specialised diet of forest fruits and plants. Highly endangered, there are only around 2000 cassowaries left in the wild which makes spotting one tricky.

A visit to the Wildlife Habitat will guarantee you come face to face with the prehistoric bird but a drive through the Daintree rainforest on a self drive tour is one of the best ways to get your chance to see a Cassowary in the wild. It is vital visitors don't approach or feed the cassowaries and motorists should heed speed warning signs as Cassowaries with chicks can often be seen on the side of roads.

Danitree Rainforest tours you can take in the hope to see a cassowary in the wild.