Cairns (Port Douglas & the Daintree Rainforest) in 2003

@consciouscat · 2025-08-16 05:47 · hive-184437
Brad (@new.things) had the excellent idea of pulling out all my physical photos of trips I did before I met him, and sharing them with you all. It has been a trip down memory lane, I can tell you!Now in my mid-forties, to look back at this photo is wild. I was 22. Mum was only a few years older than I am now. Crazy how time flies. I can barely remember the person I was back then; I have grown and changed so much.
Brad (@new.things) had the excellent idea of pulling out all my physical photos of trips I did before I met him, and sharing them with you all. It has been a trip down memory lane, I can tell you!Now in my mid-forties, to look back at this photo is wild. I was 22. Mum was only a few years older than I am now. Crazy how time flies. I can barely remember the person I was back then; I have grown and changed so much.
It was my final semester at university, and Mum thought it would be fun for her to fly up from Sydney, meet me in Lismore (where I was doing uni), and then continue up to Cairns together. It was the first trip I did alone with my mother, and it was pretty good.
It was my final semester at university, and Mum thought it would be fun for her to fly up from Sydney, meet me in Lismore (where I was doing uni), and then continue up to Cairns together. It was the first trip I did alone with my mother, and it was pretty good. 
While we flew in and out of Cairns (the biggest city in Northern Queensland), I don’t seem to have any photos of the city. That’s probably because it wasn’t really that attractive. My photos here seem to be of the Daintree Rainforest, which we accessed via a bus tour that also took us through the small tourist town of Port Douglas.
While we flew in and out of Cairns (the biggest city in Northern Queensland), I don't seem to have any photos of the city. That's probably because it wasn't really that attractive. My photos here seem to be of the Daintree Rainforest, which we accessed via a bus tour that also took us through the small tourist town of Port Douglas.
The only thing I remember about Port Douglas was buying a giant, awesome, bright kids’ toy for my boyfriend at the time. It was a plush toy, you know, the soft and squishy kind? It was in the shape of a fish, and though he was in his 30s, I had a sense that he’d love it. (And he did.)
The only thing I remember about Port Douglas was buying a giant, awesome, bright kids' toy for my boyfriend at the time. It was a plush toy, you know, the soft and squishy kind? It was in the shape of a fish, and though he was in his 30s, I had a sense that he'd love it. (And he did.)
But what I remember the most about this trip was just how stunningly beautiful the Daintree Rainforest was. A good handful of hours north of Cairns, this pristine wildness has Cassowaries (very, big scary birds that must be avoided), GIANT trees (such as the fig tree in this photo) and rainforest that came all the way down to the beach.
But what I remember the most about this trip was just how stunningly beautiful the Daintree Rainforest was. A good handful of hours north of Cairns, this pristine wildness has Cassowaries (very, big scary birds that must be avoided), GIANT trees (such as the fig tree in this photo) and rainforest that came all the way down to the beach.
I think the travel info I read at the time said that this was the only place in the whole of Australia where ”the rainforest meets the beach”. And I would believe it.See, here in Australia, we are very fortunate: we have a LOT of coastline and a LOT of incredible beaches. But because we LOVE our beaches, we build towns and cities along them! So, to get to a place where there are (far) more trees than buildings near a beach, you usually have to get a LONG way away from a major city.
I think the travel info I read at the time said that this was the only place in the whole of Australia where "the rainforest meets the beach". And I would believe it.See, here in Australia, we are very fortunate: we have a LOT of coastline and a LOT of incredible beaches. But because we LOVE our beaches, we build towns and cities along them! So, to get to a place where there are (far) more trees than buildings near a beach, you usually have to get a LONG way away from a major city.
It was incredibly beautiful. From the sandy white beaches to the washed-up coral beaches (like above), I was seeing things there I had never seen before. (The washed-up coral was courtesy of the nearby, world-renowned, Great Barrier Reef.)
It was incredibly beautiful. From the sandy white beaches to the washed-up coral beaches (like above), I was seeing things there I had never seen before. (The washed-up coral was courtesy of the nearby, world-renowned, Great Barrier Reef.)
As someone who had grown up 2,500 kilometres south of here (yes, Australia is THAT big... and bigger!), I had never seen palm trees in person before. I was wild to think that here I was, seeing all these new things, right alongside my darling mum. These are cherished memories indeed.
As someone who had grown up 2,500 kilometres south of here (yes, Australia is THAT big... and bigger!), I had never seen palm trees in person before. I was wild to think that here I was, seeing all these new things, right alongside my darling mum. These are cherished memories indeed.

Tell me: Have you ever been to Far North Queensland? If so, where have you been?

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