Having worked in a government tourism department for a number of years I had previously been sent to a large number of Queensland's tourism ‘hotspots’, and I had generally been taken to places such as the Gold Coast, because this was the type of destination a large number of inbound tourists wanted to know about. Heavily promoted, and terribly glitzy as far as I was concerned, it was the place travellers went to, if they wanted your typical busy beach holiday with an active nightlife. Sadly, Queensland has become known more for this type of holiday than it has some of the truly natural beauty that exists in this state of Australia.



The often asked question of us as travel consultants was a quick itinerary, which allowed international travellers to see the Sydney Opera house, the Gold Coast and the Great Barrier Reef. Unfortunately for me, and to those international travellers on interacted with, we were unaware of the real Queensland, and what the world Heritage listed rainforests have to offer.

It was some 15 years after I began with the government tourism body that I finally had the good fortune to embark on a Billy Tea Safari. By this stage I was self-employed, and had chosen the safari based on its reputation with locals who had recommended it as the ideal way to see some of the uncharted territory in the beautiful tropical north Queensland region.

The tour bus picked me up at my accommodation in Cairns city, and we travelled north along the road to Port Douglas with which I was reasonably familiar. However, after passing the Port Douglas turnoff, we continued north, into some beautiful wilderness areas, which I'd never had the good fortune to discover in my many years travelling Queensland.

We approached the Daintree River, and it can only be said that the surroundings were quite spellbinding. After a brief morning tea, we took a fantastic river cruise, winding our way up some of the unspoilt reaches of the Daintree River. The news did not see the finished document no

While I don't have a horticultural background, seeing plants of such size and diversity in an amazing tropical climate, really left me dumbfounded. While some of the road is sealed after leaving the main road, you are still driving beneath a canopy of some of the most dense and beautiful vegetation that exists on the entire planet.

It was obvious to me within 10 minutes travelling inside the Daintree, why more savvy tourists, and those who love nature, spend a vast amount of their holidays taking tours such as Billy Tea Safaris.

The tour was guided by a qualified naturalist, and it was really educational to be guided along the elevated National Park boardwalk with interpretations of local flora and fauna. Unfortunately, we didn't spot one of the unique southern categories that inhabit the area, but they are apparently often seen during these tours.

We enjoyed a truly fantastic Aussie barbecue lunch, and then one of the nicest surprises of the tour took place. One of the key differences of Billy Tea safaris is their ability to get off the beaten track, so our entire tour group was driven beyond Cape tribulation and along the four-wheel-drive Bloomfield track to the beautiful area known as Emmagen Creek. Swimming in its pristine clear rainforest stream, surrounded by exotic birds and butterflies, and enjoying a piece of tropical fruit while sitting on a rock at the edge of the stream, easily rates as one of the most amazing naturally beautiful experiences I've enjoyed in my entire life.

At the completion of the day tour, it was obvious to me why so many of my fellow travellers were there on the recommendation of friends. The praise of the locals I had spoken with prior to booking was well and truly justified, and it seems almost criminal that I could enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience of the price of a day tour – and for not much more than it would cost to visit one of the theme parks on the Gold Coast !

Take a look at Billy Tea Safaris up close at http://www.billytea.com.au/. If you want to experience the world Heritage listed rainforest with access to the expertise of these easy going locals, then I suggest you can't go past a Billy Tea Safari Cape tribulation tour.