Discover paradise in North Queensland

From the Great Barrier Reef to the Daintree Rainforest, natural wonders are galore and its the perfect region to simply pack a swimsuit and your camera. Visit a region of an unforgettable variety of natural beauty and you'll never want to leave.

1. To have a picnic on the private sand cay: Vlasoff Cay 
   
   Among the islands and coral cays, nestled among the picturesque coral-studded sea of the Great Barrier Reef and beyond Cairns lies Vlasoff Cay. It is all secluded pure white sand and crystalline waters, perfect for a picnic and a camera.
   

 


2. To pitch a tent under a ceiling of stars: Mission Beach 
   
   Beyond the sugarcane and banana farms between Townsville and Cairns is Mission Beach, four seaside villages linked by 14 kilometres of wide golden sands. Pitch a tent and stargaze under the north Queensland sky and when you wake, take your pick of water sports to capture some incredible images because nothing says #paradise like palm trees and beach front camping.

   



3. To SUP down a river with a history that dates back 40,000 years: Mossman Gorge 
   
   Stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) through a corridor of the World Heritage-listed Daintree rainforest is an extraordinary journey through natural history. Navigating the beautiful Mossman Gorge just near of Port Douglas provides the opportunity to capture one of its tens of thousands of species of plants and animals. 





4. Photograph the seriously photogenic Nudey Beach, which isn’t actually nudie at all: Fitzroy Island
   
   On the southwest side of Fitzroy Island, is a beach with walkable coral and partial sand spots blanketing a beach where clothing is optional. After embarking the ferry from Cairns, perhaps people get a little too warm after the 1.8-kilometre walk through dense rainforest to reach this gorgeous beach.


 

5. To dive into the World Heritage-listed aquatic wonderland: Great Barrier Reef 
   
   This stunning 2,300 kilometre ecosystem comprises thousands of reefs and hundreds of islands comprising over 600 types of coral. You'll dive into a magical underwater kingdom of colourful fish, turtles, dolphins and sharks and breathe in the beauty of one of the world's great natural wonders. Heaven on earth.

   
   
   

6. Rainforests here are Jurassic, like the Curtain Tree Fig: Atherton Tablelands 
   
   It is claimed to be one of the most amazing trees alive and tells more than a century of stories. The Curtain Tree Fig is a strangler – one tree was leaning against another on a 45-degree angle and the strangler vine grew along the oblique angle of the leaning tree. Thank you Mother Nature.





7. The sun always rises over the coral sea: Palm Cove 
   
   This seaside village just south of Port Douglas where paperbark trees stand sentry is a tropical paradise and a gateway to the reef, rainforest and wildlife, proving to be a perfect place for any photographer to watch the sun rise and more.





8. The best seat in the house is flying over two world heritage listed sites by microlight: the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef
   
   Witness turquoise waters and emerald rainforests as you soar over some of Mother Nature's greatest work by microlight and capture the most magnificent aerial scenery in the coolest way possible.





9. There’s no shortage of rainforest rock pools to take a dip in: Fairy Falls 
   
   Water cascades down the mountainside at Crystal Cascades and a private little area called Fairy Falls is the one to discover because reflecting on the beauty and staving of the humidity in a refreshing rock pool amidst the rainforest in pure bliss.