Crocodiles, village vibes and sophistication are what draws tourists in Cairns to drive to Port Douglas, writes Tan Bee Hong
AFTER all the adventure and action in Cairns, our media group moves northwards to Port Douglas. Halfway there, we make a pit stop at Palm Cove to soak in its village atmosphere.
This quiet enclave by the sea has lots of palm and Melaleuca trees lining the esplanade. But what really makes it different from Cairns is the gentrified air here. There is a sense of camaraderie and it feels like the sort of place where everybody knows everybody.
The beach front is lined with white-washed resorts, restaurants, quaint boutiques and gift shops.
Popular resorts include Peppers Beach Club & Spa Palm Cove and Reef House. At one end of the esplanade too is the Palm Cove Watersports Centre and Palm Cove Holiday Park, a powered site for camping and RVs.
GET THAT CROC
Just 15 minutes drive north of Palm Cove brings us to Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures (www.crocodileadventures.com). Spread over 10 hectares, Hartley’s is home to over 2,000 crocs and other animals.
It started as Hartley’s Creek 80 years ago by Herb Evans who wanted to appease customers at his wayside teahouse who were disgruntled over having to wait for his wife Mabel’s tasty scones. There were just too many orders for Mabel to cope with.
In 1935, he saw an advertisement for a live croc for sale and bought it. The Old Croc, as he was called, was a hit with the customers who named him Charlie. It finally died of cancer in 2000.
Built in 2002, Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures is just 500m south of Hartley’s Creek.
It’s more than just looking at crocodiles. Visitors can hike along the Wildlife Discovery Trail, a 720m loop that passes large estuarine crocodiles, birds, lizards and turtles.
Then take a cruise on Hartley’s Lagoon. The 25-minute boat ride is informative and, depending on your cruise guide, bone-tickling and entertaining too.
You can watch the crocodiles, birds and wildlife on the wetlands. There are 24 crocodiles in the lagoon, of which six are males, including Paul, the largest at 4.5m and weighing 700kg.
The newest addition is Gondwana Gateway, a 650m walk through a sanctuary for kangaroos, wallabies and snakes. You may even meet Tonka, a fat, giant and friendly wombat.
There are lots of birds here too, from emus to parakeets, pink cockatoos. Or take the Cassowary Walk to get up close to the black flightless bird that’s the third tallest and second heaviest living bird. But be careful as cassowaries have powerful feet that can cause fatal injury. Then pose for pictures with koalas or a baby crocodile in your arms for bragging rights.
The Crocodile Farm is a guided tour that leaves at 10am and 1.30pm daily. Visitors are shown how a commercial crocodile farm works, including how eggs are collected and artificially incubated.
Don’t worry if you miss the tour. All entry tickets are three-day passes. Even better, visitors are allowed to bring food and drinks, so you can have a picnic on the grounds.
But if you’d rather not, Lilies Restaurant, which overlooks Hartley’s Lagoon, has a rather comprehensive menu. You can feed on seafood (fish, bay bugs, prawn), exotic meats (kangaroo, crocodile) or salads. Vegetarian options are also available.
When your energy is spent, wind down at the Paperbark Gift Shop on the way out and perhaps pick up a crocodile leather bag. By the way, Hartley’s crocodile skins are used by some of France’s top brand names for their bags.
WHERE TO STAY
We check into QT Port Douglas Resort (www.qthotelsandresorts.com/port-douglas), where the vibe is instantly hip and vibrant. At the lobby, there are quirky designs and decor, from the wall of hats to the cocktail bar and interactive market-like restaurant.
Water is everywhere and boardwalks take one from the lobby to the rooms and restaurant.
The apartment villas are perfect for families as these have a lounge, kitchen facilities and laundry facilities. However, there is no lift, so if you’re not keen on lugging your bags to the upper floors, ask for a ground level villa or room.
WHERE TO DINE
Guests at QT Port Douglas Resort can cook their own meals. Otherwise, the dining scene in town is bustling. We sit down at 2Fish (www.2fishrestaurant.com.au), an award-winning seafood restaurant. My pick of Katafi Crusted Tiger Prawns is deepfried prawns blanketed in vermicelli-like pastry and served on a bed of salad sprouts.
Then comes Line Caught Coral Trout, a busy dish of fish with beansprout and papaya salad, crispy lotus root and a mango-chilli salsa.
The Risotto Al Fungi is deliciously satisfying, with an earthy flavour imparted by the use of shitake and oyster mushrooms as well as truffle oil.