Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
DON'T MISS
TULLY RIVER RAFTING
The Tully River provides thrilling white water year-round thanks to Tully's trademark bucket-downs and the
river's hydroelectric floodgates. Rafting trips are timed to coincide with the daily release of the gates, resulting in
grade-four rapids foaming against a backdrop of stunning rainforest scenery.
Day trips with
Raging Thunder Adventures
( 07-4030 7990;
www.ragingthunder.com.au
;
standard/
'xtreme' trip $189/215) or
R'n'R White Water Rafting
( 07-4041 9444;
www.raft.com.au
; $189) include a
barbecue lunch and transport from Tully or nearby Mission Beach. Transfers from Cairns are an extra $10.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Mission Beach
POP 4000
Less than 30km east of the Bruce Hwy's rolling sugar-cane and banana plantations, the
hamlets that make up greater Mission Beach are hidden amongst World Heritage rain-
forest. The rainforest extends right to the Coral Sea, giving this 14km-long palm-fringed
stretch of secluded inlets and wide, empty beaches the castaway feel of a tropical island.
The frightfully powerful Cyclone Yasi made landfall at Mission Beach in 2011, strip-
ping much of the rainforest and vegetation bare. However, the communities here re-
covered quickly - within two weeks, water and power was restored and most businesses
and tourist operators were running normally.
Although collectively referred to as Mission Beach or just 'Mission', the area com-
prises a sequence of individual villages strung along the coast.
Bingil Bay
lies 4.8km north
of
Mission Beach proper
(sometimes called North Mission).
Wongaling Beach
is 5km south; from
here it's a further 5.5 kilometres south to
South Mission Beach
. Most amenities are in Mission
proper and Wongaling Beach; South Mission Beach and Bingil Bay are mainly residential.
Mission is one of the closest access points to the Great Barrier Reef, and the gateway to
Dunk Island. There are plenty of opportunities for on-foot exploring here: walking tracks
fan out around Mission Beach, with Australia's highest density of cassowaries (around 40)
roaming the rainforest. While Mission's coastline seems to scream 'toe dip!', don't just
fling yourself into the water any old where: stick to the swimming enclosures, lest you
have a nasty encounter with a marine stinger…or croc.
