Daintree Forest - 6 Reasons to visit the Daintree Discovery Centre

Daintree

Feb 15

As a local living in Tropical North Queensland I’ve always baulked when it comes to forking out $$$ just to walk around the Rainforest - BUT, when I became a mum the scales readjusted a little. I discovered not so long ago that there are a number of benefits that come with visiting the Daintree Discovery Centre. Here’s my list on why a visit here with kids is a must……

1. Education

The Daintree forest is the oldest continuous rainforest on earth, its World Heritage listed and it’s an iconic destination of Tropical North Queensland but teaching the importance of this to your children (and keeping it fun) can be a bit difficult at times.

**How do you impart on the kids the significance of this area??**

This is where the Daintree Discovery Centre can help - Visual, Audio, Tactile, the Discovery Centre has it all. It’s an informative learning environment for the kids, as well as yourself. You really will walk away with a richer knowledge of the area after a visit here.

Daintree Discovery Centre Audio Tour @adventuremumma.jpg

Daintree Discovery Centre Jurassic 'Dinosaur' Walk@adventuremumma.jpg

There’s lots of things to check out at the Daintree Discovery Centre.

Breaking News!!! Discover Daintree have a Jurassic 'Dinosaur' Walk. Check out our latest video below.....

2. Ease

If you’re taking young children into a rainforest you really don’t want them bolting too far ahead without you (I don’t know about you BUT it’s a common hassle for me!!). This is where the layout of the Discovery Centre will help.

The aerial walkway keeps children contained and ‘on the path’. There are lots of 'levels' to this walkway too, so the kids will enjoy discovering things in the rainforest that are at all the different heights.

Plus I’ve found that even for the Adventurous soul amongst us walking on a steel walkway is much more preferable to letting your feet ‘squelch’ along on a wet rainforest floor.

**So happy to avoid these little fellows on the Rainforest Floor!**

Yes! You may have guessed that I’m not a huge fan of leaches ;)

3. Fun

There’s an audio package supplied at the Discovery Centre specially designed for kids, and it really does help slow them down. Just the novelty of having their own ‘talking phone’ with a keyboard and numbers to punch helps keep them that little bit more focused.

The kids loved being in charge of their own ‘phones'

Listening AND Learning in the Daintree Rainforest

The children’s audio also sounds a bit like Steve Irwin talking - it has plenty of drama and edge to keep your kids entertained with the occasional gory and delicious detail plus the odd snippet of music. It's a truly entertaining package for the young-at-mind. In fact I was tempted to listen to their audio over mine when I kept seeing them falling about in a heap of giggles.

But it’s not just the audio that helps. Armed with the animated map the kids can help navigate to all the different places highlighted on the walk.

The kids loved the Touch Table

Lots of things to play with here!!

Half-way along the walkway, at the Interpretation Centre you’ll find interactive touch-screens and poster displays on interesting rainforest facts and a touch-table full of objects that are often found discarded on a typical forest floor.

**Inside the Interpretive Centre you’ll find a whole lot more to keep them interested.**

There’s also a collection of fish in aquariums along with a small reptile house, just in case you don’t spot all those critters that camouflage themselves so well amongst the rainforest.

4. Adventure

Did I mention the Canopy Tower yet? Climbing up the Tower’s stairwell allows you to get above the tree line and enjoy a totally different environment to the forest floor.

**The Canopy Tower is another adventure for the kids**

If you’ve visited a rainforest before you’ll know that most of the ‘real’ activity happens up the top. Birds, bats, butterflies and even flowers were amongst the list we spotted – we definitely saw a lot more ‘action’ up here.

**Big views at the top of the Canopy Tower**

Suitably impressive for the children are the life-sized metallic silhouettes of extinct mega-fauna scattered along the walkway. It gives them a glimpse of how the rainforest may have looked million years ago.

**Spot the Mega Fauna in the Rainforest**

5. Spot a Cassowary

At one stage these beautiful birds could be spotted wandering around suburban Cairns (True story!! I used to see them in my friends backyard in the eighties). Nowadays you have a far better chance of seeing them in a Zoo.

**You may even be lucky enough to see a cassowary**

However there are some known 'Hot Spots' where cassowaries are regularly spotted, and of course the Daintree forest is one of them. AND the Daintree Discovery Centre is lucky enough to have regular visits by the local cassowary population. Apparently they LOVE visiting Macleans Creek which runs beneath their walkway.

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A post shared by Daintree Discovery Centre (@daintreediscovery)

We were lucky enough to spot one on the day - they love hanging out in 'Macleans Creek' so a visit here can increase your odds for a rare sighting (check out our video to see a 'daddy' cassowary and its chick).

6. The Journey

Believe it or not travelling from Cairns to the Daintree Discovery Centre (a 2-hour journey) with the kids can be an enjoyable experience!!

**Enjoy the Coastal drive between Palm Cove and Port Douglas**

There are plenty of spots to stop along the way which helps make a ‘simple’ visit to the rainforest a whole day adventure.

Here’s my suggestions:

Saviour the views along the Captain Cook Highway – from waterfalls cascading off the hillside (during the wet), to secluded bays and to drop-dead views of the coral sea, this stretch of highway is one of the best in Tropical North Queensland.

**Make sure you stop at the Big Croc along the Daintree River for a picture pose**

And don't forget to pull in at the lookout on the other side of the Daintree River.

Daintree Alexandra Lookout @adventuremumma.jpg

Just a simple ride on the Car Ferry can make the day a BIG adventure for the kids

All kids love the ride across the Daintree on the Ferry

And on your return to Cairns make sure you pull over for a few stops too - Pebbly Beach near Yule Point is excellent for a run around (and to get the silly’s out)

**Enjoy some beachcombing at Pebbly Beach near Yule Point**

And a stop at Rex’s Lookout to take in the views on the way home to Cairns is a must.

**Enjoy the view of Wangetti Beach from Rex’s Lookout**

Ultimately, what would have taken my children normally 15-minutes to look around took them well over an hour to explore. Add in the fact it was a whole ‘day-trip’ from Cairns and it helped create a real adventure (that is still remembered 2 years on).

They definitely returned from our day outing with more knowledge of the Daintree Rainforest than I could have imparted on them during a normal ‘rainforest’ walk.

Good Things To Know:·

The audio guides are available in 8 languages and include an indigenous and a children’s tour.
The info guide has some other recommendations for short walks around the Daintree.
Get the kids to wear enclosed shoes. My 6-year old was tripping over her thongs continuously along the walkway.
Best age – 5 years and up. Although the walkway provides safe and easy access for strollers and prams it would probably be easier to use a child backpack to access all parts.
Between Nov 1 – Feb 28th locals can benefit from the FREE Daintree Ferry option. Click HERE for more details
On public holidays the wait for the Daintree Ferry can get long....beat the crowd and head off early and try and leave the Daintree before 5pm (better yet, stay over night).

Have you visited the Daintree yet? Have you got any other family friendly recommendations for around this year?

We received a complimentary visit BUT all views, opinions and photos in this article are my own

.If you would like to BOOK this family friendly Daintree Activity Click HERE for more info on prices at the Daintree Discovery Centre.