Australian Adventures, Part VII - the Daintree Rainforest
Normally, one would think that part of being on vacation is being able to sleep in whenever you like. Unfortunately, the price for sleeping in is missing out on the expensive tours that you've already booked. Wasn't about to let anything like that happen on this trip. So, I crawled out of bed at 6:30 in the morning (far later than some wake-ups I've had in my military career) and waited at the street for a bus to take me on the tour of the Daintree Rainforest.
The Wet Tropics are one of Australia's numerous World Heritage Sights, as identified by the United Nations (something that ceases to impress many Americans, but works for the rest of the world). It is a vast rainforest contained within Australia's northeastern peninsula, although much of the land was cleared for crops of fruit trees and sugarcane, some of it has been preserved in numerous of Australia's enormous national parks, and through efforts of the local people to preserve this incredible natural splendor for future generations, and future generations of tourists. For once, the ornery hordes of sight-seers seem to be doing something good by miraculous coincidence.
I was fortunate enough to have a quite amiable guide who was well versed in both the ecology and cultural history of the area, being a local raised in Cairns. I think I laughed to pretty much every joke, which is something I'm prone to do with any subtle and sarcastic humor, especially if done at my expense. I hope I wasn't too annoying to the others on the trip.
The group was fairly small, just two small buses of around 12 people each. In an environmentally conscious effort, the tours have tried to reduce carbon load and fuel usage by using fewer vehicles, as they used to have enough 4x4s for each person on the tour. Also, most of tour was done within identified track, no bushwhacking here. I'm kind of glad for it, though. The rainforest was quite foreboding deep within its recesses. Apparently, even the indigenous peoples of the areas wouldn't live in the forest proper, preferring the open areas outside of it for their communities, and the forest itself for sustenance and resources. Now, of course, you can buy real estate in this precious environment. Despite World Heritage status allowing the government to stop the logging and agricultural industries from raping and pillaging the land and forest, you can still buy the land for residential development. In another (and I must admit, clever) government bureaucratic move, there's so many building codes and regulations that must be completed in order to put a house in this area (there's no power, all water and sewage must be self-contained in special units, and all the materials allowed in follow strict guidelines), that few people even get past the red-tape to even develop. For this reason, many conservation groups are trying to buy up the surrounding land and return it to the state to be added to the existing Daintree National Park. I could get behind an effort like that, despite it seeming like great fun to live in a jungle (I imagine its not quite as fun in reality).
We spent part of the time driving through the highway built through the Daintree itself. The highway is sealed, but also littered with Cassowary crossing warnings. Despite this effort, there are still accidents (see previous note on cassowaries). We hoped to see a Dad leading his offspring through the woods, but were not so fortunate. Alas, the only I've seen have been in captivity. Though I did have the thrill of seeing other wildlife, such as a variety of smaller lizards, spiders, tropical birds, insects, snakes, and even some crocodiles. The latter were sunning themselves on the banks of the Daintree River which we did a boat tour through while waiting for our vehicles to cross the ferry. We also got a close up look at the mangrove forests. Interestingly enough, this rainforest is most particularly interesting in that the mangrove forests blend in with the more inland vegetation as the close proximity causes a varying flooding of fresh water from inland, to saltwater tides from the Pacific.
We had a few opportunities for lookouts over the forest valley as it spread up to the Ocean and the coves. We also got to hike through some of the boardwalks in the forest itself. It wasn't quite as magical as if we were the first ones there, but there are longer camping tours you can take deeper in to the forest itself (I might have to try one of those some day). I was fortunate to meet a fellow traveler, a young Canadian from Vancouver who described his own treks across Australia. In meeting alot of young people like him, I'm inclined to realize its alot easier to just pick up and go across the country, working and living as you can, than I had assumed previously. I know there are plenty of folks in the States who'd love to be able to do that, but it doesn't seem as possible as it once did. Here, though, there's certainly quite a lot of people who are having a go at it.
The tour's highlight was a brief stop at a local watering hole in a forest stream (not too far from the crocodile warning signs, but still at the assurance of our guides. Note that I wasn't the first one in). The water was warm, crystal clear, and the forest was absolutely beautiful. We were treated to a snack of various fruits grown locally, some exotic, and others native. Everything from familiar mango and papaya, to avocado relatives that were sweeter, to organic bananas that were sweet and absolutely delicious - I'm only ever buying organic fruit from now on. Mmmm, so good, and good for you! We also had some of the famous Australian "damper," a bread made from just flour and water, and lots and lots of butter. Ours had enough additional ingredients to make it much more tasty - although damper was originally made over hot coals by bush pioneers who lacked such rustic supplies as convection ovens. There was also "billy tea." A tasty tea brewed on an open fire, and was actually quite tasty, though our guide had a funny way of separating the water and the leaves - involving swinging an open metal pot of boiling water in a circle over his head. If I wasn't so confident in the laws of physics, I would think it was just a stunt to amuse tourists. Ah, to be free of such a label. Such is life.
We also had a great buffet lunch including grilled meats and steak. All in all, it was a tour in style, but I was most glad for the guide. He made the trip well worth it, and I learned a great deal, aside from the jokes. One thing I was fortunate in was that my hostess at the guesthouse only booked with tour groups that were original. That is, the owners and guides were all locals who started their businesses before Cairns became a tourism hotspot, and consequently inundated by more "professional" commercial groups that began edging in on the market, for higher costs and I daresay, more fluff. I was glad to have the experience I did. And just to check, I found out that numerous other more eco-friendly and responsibly managed travel groups also recommended them. Score bonus.
I can't really describe the emotional feeling though. I've always been fascinated by tropical rainforests since I was a kid. They're just full of so much mystery and magic, a natural wonder with a diversity of wildlife at your fingertips, but found nowhere else in the world. Such oases of biodiversity in the world are rare indeed, but to be able to actually see one is a rare experience. I was very glad for it, and I can honestly say it was something I'd do over and over again, for longer and with more rustic means. Hope to get the chance again.
The Wet Tropics are one of Australia's numerous World Heritage Sights, as identified by the United Nations (something that ceases to impress many Americans, but works for the rest of the world). It is a vast rainforest contained within Australia's northeastern peninsula, although much of the land was cleared for crops of fruit trees and sugarcane, some of it has been preserved in numerous of Australia's enormous national parks, and through efforts of the local people to preserve this incredible natural splendor for future generations, and future generations of tourists. For once, the ornery hordes of sight-seers seem to be doing something good by miraculous coincidence.
I was fortunate enough to have a quite amiable guide who was well versed in both the ecology and cultural history of the area, being a local raised in Cairns. I think I laughed to pretty much every joke, which is something I'm prone to do with any subtle and sarcastic humor, especially if done at my expense. I hope I wasn't too annoying to the others on the trip.
The group was fairly small, just two small buses of around 12 people each. In an environmentally conscious effort, the tours have tried to reduce carbon load and fuel usage by using fewer vehicles, as they used to have enough 4x4s for each person on the tour. Also, most of tour was done within identified track, no bushwhacking here. I'm kind of glad for it, though. The rainforest was quite foreboding deep within its recesses. Apparently, even the indigenous peoples of the areas wouldn't live in the forest proper, preferring the open areas outside of it for their communities, and the forest itself for sustenance and resources. Now, of course, you can buy real estate in this precious environment. Despite World Heritage status allowing the government to stop the logging and agricultural industries from raping and pillaging the land and forest, you can still buy the land for residential development. In another (and I must admit, clever) government bureaucratic move, there's so many building codes and regulations that must be completed in order to put a house in this area (there's no power, all water and sewage must be self-contained in special units, and all the materials allowed in follow strict guidelines), that few people even get past the red-tape to even develop. For this reason, many conservation groups are trying to buy up the surrounding land and return it to the state to be added to the existing Daintree National Park. I could get behind an effort like that, despite it seeming like great fun to live in a jungle (I imagine its not quite as fun in reality).
We spent part of the time driving through the highway built through the Daintree itself. The highway is sealed, but also littered with Cassowary crossing warnings. Despite this effort, there are still accidents (see previous note on cassowaries). We hoped to see a Dad leading his offspring through the woods, but were not so fortunate. Alas, the only I've seen have been in captivity. Though I did have the thrill of seeing other wildlife, such as a variety of smaller lizards, spiders, tropical birds, insects, snakes, and even some crocodiles. The latter were sunning themselves on the banks of the Daintree River which we did a boat tour through while waiting for our vehicles to cross the ferry. We also got a close up look at the mangrove forests. Interestingly enough, this rainforest is most particularly interesting in that the mangrove forests blend in with the more inland vegetation as the close proximity causes a varying flooding of fresh water from inland, to saltwater tides from the Pacific.
We had a few opportunities for lookouts over the forest valley as it spread up to the Ocean and the coves. We also got to hike through some of the boardwalks in the forest itself. It wasn't quite as magical as if we were the first ones there, but there are longer camping tours you can take deeper in to the forest itself (I might have to try one of those some day). I was fortunate to meet a fellow traveler, a young Canadian from Vancouver who described his own treks across Australia. In meeting alot of young people like him, I'm inclined to realize its alot easier to just pick up and go across the country, working and living as you can, than I had assumed previously. I know there are plenty of folks in the States who'd love to be able to do that, but it doesn't seem as possible as it once did. Here, though, there's certainly quite a lot of people who are having a go at it.
The tour's highlight was a brief stop at a local watering hole in a forest stream (not too far from the crocodile warning signs, but still at the assurance of our guides. Note that I wasn't the first one in). The water was warm, crystal clear, and the forest was absolutely beautiful. We were treated to a snack of various fruits grown locally, some exotic, and others native. Everything from familiar mango and papaya, to avocado relatives that were sweeter, to organic bananas that were sweet and absolutely delicious - I'm only ever buying organic fruit from now on. Mmmm, so good, and good for you! We also had some of the famous Australian "damper," a bread made from just flour and water, and lots and lots of butter. Ours had enough additional ingredients to make it much more tasty - although damper was originally made over hot coals by bush pioneers who lacked such rustic supplies as convection ovens. There was also "billy tea." A tasty tea brewed on an open fire, and was actually quite tasty, though our guide had a funny way of separating the water and the leaves - involving swinging an open metal pot of boiling water in a circle over his head. If I wasn't so confident in the laws of physics, I would think it was just a stunt to amuse tourists. Ah, to be free of such a label. Such is life.
We also had a great buffet lunch including grilled meats and steak. All in all, it was a tour in style, but I was most glad for the guide. He made the trip well worth it, and I learned a great deal, aside from the jokes. One thing I was fortunate in was that my hostess at the guesthouse only booked with tour groups that were original. That is, the owners and guides were all locals who started their businesses before Cairns became a tourism hotspot, and consequently inundated by more "professional" commercial groups that began edging in on the market, for higher costs and I daresay, more fluff. I was glad to have the experience I did. And just to check, I found out that numerous other more eco-friendly and responsibly managed travel groups also recommended them. Score bonus.
I can't really describe the emotional feeling though. I've always been fascinated by tropical rainforests since I was a kid. They're just full of so much mystery and magic, a natural wonder with a diversity of wildlife at your fingertips, but found nowhere else in the world. Such oases of biodiversity in the world are rare indeed, but to be able to actually see one is a rare experience. I was very glad for it, and I can honestly say it was something I'd do over and over again, for longer and with more rustic means. Hope to get the chance again.