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Great Barrier
Reef
One of the
world’s largest natural wonders, the Reef stretches
beyond the horizon off the Port Douglas coast, and its
wondrous bounties can be explored by taking one of the
countless tours on offer from the tour operators of
the town, or even by venturing out on your own.
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The Shipwreck Museum
Ben Cropp's
Shipwreck Museum on the wharf houses a collection of
material recovered from local shipwrecks and includes
everything from ballast to coins. A section of the decking
has been opened up so that visitors can view pieces
of wreckage in the sea just below the wharf, and there
is even a continuous video featuring Cropp's remarkable
underwater photography.
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Four Mile Beach
With its
hard, white sands and crystal clear blue waters, this
beach has a reputation as one of the most attractive
stretches in the area. A word of caution: a net is cast
about the beach from November to May to keep the deadly
box jellyfish away, but check with the lifeguards just
to be safe.
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Tjapukai Cultural
Park
A regular
winner of national awards, visitors are invited to a
contemporary, high-tech venue featuring live performers
and visitor interaction to present insights into most
aspects of the culture of the local Aborigine people.
The resident dance troupe is internationally renowned.
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Undersea World
With more
than 1200 marine creatures, 140 species and coral in
20 reef habitats, this Oceanarium is the best way for
visitors to appreciate the sea without getting their
feet wet! The biggest attraction is the hand feeding
of sharks and other fish, which happens four times daily.
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Wild
World
Visitors
can view the native wildlife close up and begin to understand
the animals’ environment and unique characters at this
major attraction in Cairns. Wild World gets visitors
acquainted with koalas, kangaroos, wallabies and other
native Australian creatures in an effort to foster respect
and love of the natural treasures of the continent.
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Rainforest Habitat
A
multi-award winning wildlife sanctuary near Port Douglas,
the Rainforest Habitat houses over 1,000 animals and
150 rainforest & savannah plant species within its exhibits,
and is a popular attraction, particularly those interested
in having a ‘Breakfast with the Birds’.
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Cape Tribulation
One of the
few places one earth where coral reefs grow right beside
a beach with a real rainforest backdrop. Situated about
two hours south of Port Douglas, this is a paradise
well worth the time to get there.
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Karnak
Nestled
in the rainforest below the mountains about a half hour’s
drive to the north-west of Port Douglas, the Karnak
‘Theatre in the Rainforest’ has been aptly described
as a ‘National Treasure’. The magnificent array of theatre,
dance, music and other events draws a large audience
from throughout the Queensland region.
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Mossman Gorge
Situated
in an easily accessible and scenic section of the World
Heritage listed Daintree National Park, the Mossman
River tumbles its way over and around huge granite boulders
that line the impressive gorge, creating cool clear
freshwater swimming holes.
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Atherton Tablelands
Elevated
200 to 300 meters above sea level, and situated to the
east of the shoreline, the Tablelands enjoy a somewhat
more temperate climate than the seaside coast, and remarkable
geographic and environmental diversity. Several towns
service the local farming communities here, and it is
a good area to find rural B&Bs and remote retreats.
The man-made Lake Tinaroo is centrally located, offering
incomparable scenery. Not surprisingly, a popular destination
for locals and visitors alike.
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