Paronella Park
It's a living museum. In the ancient evergreen rainforests of Australia's Wet Tropics, waterfalls tumble into cool waterholes and giant kauri reach for the heavens.
Tropical North Queensland's World Heritage-listed rainforest is home to a third of Australia's mammal species, a quarter of its frogs, a third of the freshwater
fish and nearly half of its birds.
Earth's oldest surviving tropical rainforest is a world of contrasts where primitive species from 150 million years ago live alongside modern eco-resorts; where the green landscape is interrupted by the flash of a blue Ulysses butterfly; where the endangered cassowary can be spied from easy-to-access boardwalks.
The tropical beauty is best revealed in three key areas: Daintree and Cape Tribulation; the Atherton Tablelands with its serene volcanic lakes and spectacular waterfalls; and Mission Beach with its rainforest-clad, secluded beaches and offshore islands.
In the Daintree and Cape Tribulation region, the two World Heritage areas of the Wet Tropics rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef meet. Home to the Kuku Yulanji people, you can experience their culture through Dreamtime stories, bush walks looking for indigenous foods, learning to paint and hunt or feeling the healing powers of an Aboriginal spa treatment.
Cruise the Daintree River to spot prehistoric crocodiles, explore mangrove landscapes, immerse yourself in a forest of fan palms, surf through the jungle canopy or cool off in a rainforest stream. Leave the green for the blue and marvel at empty beaches where driftwood and shells wash up to form natural sculptures or take a high-speed trip to a sand cay to snorkel among the fish.
Mission Beach, south of Cairns, is home to the cassowary and the Ulysses butterfly, as well as being the place for extreme rainforest adventures before chilling out on deserted sandy beaches. The world's best whitewater rafting is nearby on the Tully and South Johnstone Rivers; visitors can kayak around nearby islands or skydive to the beach from 4000m.
Rainforest walks range from an easy stroll through a Licuala fan palm forest to the self-guided Mamu Rainforest Canopy Walkway where you can learn about the Ma:Mu people and see spectacular elevated views of their country. Experienced enthusiasts can try day walks or longer hikes of up to 72km on the high-altitude Misty Mountain Trails.
Quirky Kuranda at the top of the Great Dividing Range is known as "the village in the rainforest"' a popular destination with trips on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and Kuranda Scenic Railway. Follow a tunnel of green rainforest along Barron Falls Rd to see the spectacular Barron Gorge and its mighty waterfall, which powers a hydroelectric station.
A tour by army duck (amphibious World War II military vehicle) takes you on water and land to see snakes, birds and sometimes a cassowary in their natural habitat.
The village is the gateway to the Atherton Tablelands where the rainforest parts for deep, cool crater lakes and spectacular waterfalls. Platypus, tree kangaroos, wallabies and colourful finches are among the varied wildlife commonly seen; spend some time at a bird hide to see how many of the area's 230 species you can identify.
A network of self-drive trails highlight the best the region has to offer. It ensures you see spectacular rainforest species such as the curtain fig tree and the twin giant kauri, or stop at the best places to see wildlife, such as the platypus viewing platform at Yungaburra. Rainforest B&Bs are a popular accommodation choice on the Atherton Tablelands with luxurious tree houses ensuring you appreciate the rainforest by day and night.