DOING THE DAINTREE DASH
The atmosphere seemed to shift as we rolled off the Daintree River Ferry and onto the northern bank. Afternoon light was dappled by the thickening canopy and brushed across the LandCruiser as we relaxed into the day's final drive. Our cohort had risen well before sunrise and followed a militaristic itinerary of scenic stop-offs, as we traversed the coastline from Townsville.
The pace had been blistering and tension had risen – though everyone in our three car convoy remained in good spirits – as we raced to beat the crowds before the last ferry ran at 4:30pm. It wasn't until later that we learned the ferry actually runs until midnight. Who was the one responsible for that Google search?
BEYOND THE RIVER
By this point the calming effect of the rainforest had started to wash through us and the day's hustle was soon forgotten. For me, this was new territory. I'd never been further north than the river. In fact, my memories of a childhood trip to Daintree National Park were focussed more vividly around gift-shops than the natural wonders. With the perspective of a
