Port Douglas

Monday 1 July

We had booked a 1:30pm bus trip from Cairns to Port Douglas where we were to pick up our car and camper trailer. This was generously being driven up there by Stephen and Caz and they had organised for us to stay at Margaret and Bob’s townhouse for a couple of days.

After a slow start to the day, and our final buffet breakfast at Rydges, we grabbed some towels and decided to relax around the swimming pool in the middle of Cairns to laze away some time while we waited for the bus.

Public Pool in Cairns

After a quick bite to eat for lunch we boarded the bus for the hour-long trip before arriving in Port Douglas. After catching up with Steve, Caz, and the kids we relaxed over a few drinks and worked out which sights to see while we were there. We decided that the eight of us should go to Hartley’s Crocodile Farm, which is only a 20 minute drive from Port Douglas.

Tuesday 2 July

Hartley’s Crocodile Farm is set around a man made lake and provided a good opportunity to see some large crocodiles (both estuarine and freshwater) close up.

Help! I'm being attacked!

 During the feeding display the staff provided plenty of information about the feeding and living habits of wild crocodiles and after a walk around some of the other enclosures where we saw, koalas, birds, lizards and snakes we had some lunch. I had wanted to try crocodile and was pleased to find it on the menu. The salt and pepper crocodile was very nice and tasted a bit like tough chicken.

After lunch we took a short boat trip around the lake where our guide fed one of the crocodiles. As it is their dormant season he did well to entice one to jump out of the water at the bait.

The guide for our tour of the farm was very interesting. He pointed out that the crocs are grown for about 2.5 years and when they are killed every part of the crocodile is used. Louis Vuitton buy the skins for handbags, the meat is eaten and the rest of the croc is used by taxidermists. Once the handbags are made they only last on the shelf for an average of 4 hours before they are bought.

Having left Hartley's we headed in to Port Douglas township for supplies and to have a look around. As it is a tourist centre everything is quite expensive and geared around the tourist. Most of the buildings are either resorts, apartment blocks or shops providing the basic needs of tourists. The Four Mile Beach lookout provides a spectacular view of the coastline but the local council, in all their wisdom, have allowed a building to be built (which is currently under construction) directly in the line of sight.

Four Mile Beach