Britz Destination of the Month - Archives -Cairns/Cape Tribulation

The successful outcome of any holiday adventure will often be dependent upon the effort placed into prior planning.

And when it came the time for Robert and myself to travel to Far North Queensland’s tropical city of Cairns, we called in the experts.

In this age of convenience, doesn’t it make sense to hook up with a licenced travel agent?
Tina Redmond of Cairns Travel and Sportfishing ensured that we would jam-pack our four days in Cairns with something special.

High on our agenda was wanting to experience the North’s majestic tropical rainforests as well as to fish the cool, clear freshwater streams for Sooty Grunter and Jungle Perch, species we couldn’t catch at home. Being a fair dinkum local meant that Tina knew the ins and outs of the city and surrounding areas and had plenty of potential locations for us to visit.

We had previously arranged to have on hand a Bushcamper 4WD vehicle for the duration of our stay. We collected the vehicle from the Britz Cairns branch which is located only 5 minutes from the airport. A 4WD vehicle meant that we could access pristine wilderness areas to the North.

Rafting Adventures

Cairns is not only renowned for its 1000lb plus black marlin, giant trevally and queenfish but also the gin clear rainforest streams that hold something special for the angler.

For a completely different fishing trip, we hooked up with Kim Anderson to partake in a fishing expedition in the freshwater, by raft. Yes, the ones they use for white water rafting but we were to fish the vessel in tranquil, calm waters for sooty grunter, jungle perch, barramundi and mangrove jacks.

Jumping into the raft from the bank took me back to my childhood days at the local fete where the blow up jumping castle would always attract my attention. I knew from the start I was going to really enjoy this day on the water.

Under the propulsion of a small outboard and the use of oars, Kim manoeuvred the raft downstream from our drop off point.

We saved our casts for areas which were prominent fish holding points: eddies, deep water, and snags. If the overhanging of a tree provided shade in these areas, all the better.

The day started reasonably slow with our casts being ignored by the fish. However, as time went by and the temperature increased, I was the lucky first to bring a fish to the boat.

My cast landed the lure underneath a canopy of bushes in deep water. The first twitch of the lure was responded to immediately and a subsequent hookup occurred. Fortunately the fish made its way into the clearer water midstream away from the snags where I managed to land a solid mangrove jack.

The fish was photographed and promptly released. Further snags and fishy looking waters beckoned us as we continued our way downstream.

Barramundi are regularly caught over the summer months in the streams surrounding Cairns.

We glided effortlessly over shallow waters with the raft providing a simply perfect means of negotiating the river. We took in the every-changing environment of rainforest-clad hills to the rolling green fields of sugarcane and agreed that even for a non-angler, the trip would still be enjoyable.

Casting periodically at prime areas heralded the crew on board with more feisty mangrove jacks and finally, our sooty grunter, barramundi and jungle perch.

As the water was so clear, lures up to 5cm in the natural colours of brown, gold and silver were used. A slow, jerky retrieval meant the lure stayed within the strike zone for a longer period of time, enhancing the chance of a hookup. The Tilsan Bass in Brown and the Rapala suspending minnows in gold and silver proved successful on the day.

The water clarity provided the perfect view of the lure action and the fish in hot pursuit of their quarry. On many occasions, more than one fish would follow the lure almost to the raft before they turned away and returned to cover.

There are many places along the Captain Cook Highway to pull over to appreciate the views.

We relaxed substantially as the day progressed. Between casting at various hot spots along the river, we leisurely sat back and enjoyed the scenic views in which the tropical north is famous for.

By and large, the river offered a pleasant and calm journey interrupted occasionally by the odd mini rapid which added a different dimension to the trip. Skeletons of old rail and road bridges provided additional fish holding structure and another interesting obstacle to negotiate the raft through.

Kim has at hand a host of freshwater streams in the vicinity of Cairns to fish and varies trips accordingly to angler’s needs. Best time of year to fish the freshwater is during the warmer summer months.

Cape Tribulation and the Bloomfield River

Not all of our time was spent fishing and our itinerary allowed for a couple of days to explore the wilderness area to the North of Cairns. Although Cairns itself has an abundance of natural rainforest habitat on its doorstep, the allurement of Cape Tribulation to the North was just too great.

The drive along the ever changing and very scenic Captain Cook Highway took us past the Port Douglas turnoff, through Mossman and towards the Daintree River Ferry.

A creek crossing for old times sake. Roads are fully sealed from the ferry to Cape Tribulation.

Various detours were made throughout the journey to explore a few of the freshwater creeks located off the main highway. Most of the creeks supported fish life and a mental note was made to come back at a later date to target the jungle perch in these waters.

We also spoilt ourselves by stopping to purchase fresh exotic fruit direct from the farm. No fruit in a city supermarket could compare with the delicious and flavoursome fruits we consumed during our stay.

The ferry trip across to the northern side of the Daintree River highlighted the popularity of the Daintree and its World Heritage Rainforest. A number of sightseeing boats could be seen working their way up and down the river. The ferry itself was loaded with eco/4WD vehicles and a multitude of hire vehicles.

In addition, the road to Cape Tribulation is now full bitumen which means even those in 2WD vehicles have easy access to the area. Robert remembered the last time he visited the area in the 70’s when the track was dirt and the road more difficult to negotiate.

Possibly taking away from the "wilderness experience" was the number of accommodation houses, cafes, shops, caravan parks and information outlets situated all the way to Cape Tribulation. Accommodation including camping grounds, backpacker hostels and resort style accommodation is available to suit every traveller’s needs.

A level vehicle makes for a comfortable nights’ sleep. A rock under the tyre can quickly alter unlevel vehicles.

However, you must simply leave the car to experience the splendour of some of the world’s oldest rainforests. Walking tracks abound and time should be set aside to marvel at the pristine wilderness away from the main road.

Guided rainforest tours are available through the Daintree Environmental Centre (for a fee) which allows wildlife enthusiasts the chance to really appreciate what they are viewing. Ascending the Rainforest Canopy Tower is included in the price of the tour.

Besides the obligatory meander through the rainforest tracks, it is also a must to stop and enjoy the panoramic views from the roadside lookouts. Take the time to walk the many unspoilt beaches. Boardwalks are common and make for an easy stroll though the vegetation. Information boards have been provided outlining details of history, habitat and flora and fauna of the area. All areas of interest are well signed.

We lunched at Myall Beach which has a great park, BBQ facilities, fresh water, restrooms and walking tracks.

We stopped briefly at Cape Tribulation to take in the views before making a start on the Bloomfield Track, a 4WD only track to the Bloomfield River.

The Bloomfield Track, almost a pure wilderness experience. The family sedans are left behind at Cape Tribulation and the adventure begins. The now dirt road takes travellers up and down many steep hills (some have been concreted for safety reasons), through clear mountain streams and more amazing tropical rainforests.

4WD didn’t need to be engaged but we did get down to first gear ascending the hills.

This is not the place to be travelling after rain as the roads become dangerously treacherous. It is not uncommon for vehicles to end up sliding down hills, sometimes with disastrous results. During the dry season, the track is quite safe though you do have to slow down for the potholes, corrugation and creek crossings.

As we neared the Bloomfield River and the end of the Bloomfield Track, we had a laugh at being diverted through a paddock of cows due to road works. Ahh… "the wilderness"!

With darkness settling in, we decided to camp beside the Bloomfield River and made ourselves comfortable for a good nights rest. Obviously we were travelling in our accommodation as the Britz 4WD campervan provides a sleeping capacity for three persons.

Oh yes, for a good night’s sleep, make sure the vehicle is level. A piece of wood or rock under the tyre will do the trick. A glass filled with water is the perfect guide to check your level.

The next day we turned around to journey back to Cairns spending time to walk a few of the creeks as well as exchange tales with fellow travellers.

We travelled exactly 333km from our starting point at Clifton Beach to the Bloomfield River and back to Clifton Beach. The highlights of Cape Tribulation can be discovered during the course of a day. If travelling to the Bloomfield River, allow an extra day to really appreciate the amazing landscape.

For the angler, common northern fish species including the Barramundi and Mangrove Jack can be caught in the Bloomfield River and the Daintree River. There are limited opportunities in between these rivers to wet a line. During our travels, the beaches were unfishable due to windy conditions. Of course, Jungle Perch are prevalent in most freshwater creeks.

Our Britz

The Britz 4WD Campervan is a reliable Toyota 4WD, a home away from home with simple luxuries provided including a fridge, cooking utensils, gas stove (& cylinder), sink, hand held shower as well as pillows and sleeping bags.

You can quite comfortably stand in the back of the vehicle whilst preparing meals. The vehicle has bedding for three, one double bed (2m x 1.3m) and a single bed (1.9m X 1m).

Long range fuel tanks means there is no need to constantly visit service stations.

FACT BOX - Cairns, the Daintree and Cape Tribulation
For information and bookings on accommodation, fishing charters, sightseeing and adventure packages and general information contact:
Cairns Travel & Sportfishing Pty Ltd P.O. Box 231 F Freshwater Qld 4870 Shop at: Marlin Marina, Telephone: 07 4031 6016 Fax: 07 4031 6061 Email: info@cairns travel.com.au Website: http:www.cairnstravel.com.au	Cairns Fishing Charters: Kim Anderson Sport Fishing Charters P.O. Box 231 Edmonton Qld 4869 Telephone: 07 4054222 Fax: 07 4054 2322 Mobile: 0408 187 291	Daintree Fishing Charters: Daintree River Fishing & Photography Tours David Patterson P.O. Box 448 Mossman Qld 4873 Phone: 07 4090 7776 Fax: 07 4090 7660 Mobile: 0412 341 098