Dive in

Published on Friday 15 February 2008 13:09

IT'S A perfect day for flying. The sun is warm, there's no wind and the blue skies are dotted with fluffy white clouds. I'm on my way to Bedarra Island, a tiny speck in the Great Barrier Reef, just south of Cairns on Australia's north-east coast. As we soar over lush rainforest-covered mountains, which fall off the coast into the reef's shimmering blue waters, the pilot points out a migrating whale moving elegantly through the tropical waters below.

Bedarra, a favourite with the rich and famous thanks to its guaranteed privacy, is so small we can't land there. Instead, the plane touches down at Dunk, one of Australia's most beautiful tropical islands, and we cover the final 20 minutes to our destination by motor launch.

The journey is worth it. Our all-inclusive resort on Bedarra consists of 16 gorgeous villas on stilts. Guests can take a small boat to one of the secluded private beaches that surround the island and enjoy an indulgent picnic, or sail to the Barrier Reef, play tennis or just relax by the pool.

Back on Dunk, with horse-riding, diving and sea kayaking in the company of green turtles on offer, there is no shortage of things to occupy your time.

It's hard to leave the glorious turquoise waters of the Barrier Reef, but the blow is softened when we see where we're heading next: the oldest living forest in the world, on the coast a little to the north of Cairns in the Daintree River National Park. As well as stunning wildlife – birds and butterflies, in particular – you might be rewarded with a glimpse of Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou or Matthew McConaughey, all of whom are regulars at Silky Oaks Lodge in the heart of the rainforest. With cabins and treehouse rooms built among the giant trees and vines, you soon begin to feel at one with nature.

The spectacular Mossman Gorge, also in the Daintree National Park, is a wonderful place to explore. These are the hot and humid tribal lands of the indigenous Kuku Yalanji tribe, who offer guided walks through the spectacular gorge, where giant vines dangle from towering trees and the sun only occasionally breaks through the canopy, lighting up the damp, mossy forest floor. Our guide takes us through the ancient rainforest, explaining the traditional uses of plants and how to identify various morsels of bush tucker.

At the end of our sweaty trek, it is an utter delight to cool down with a swim in a rockpool, after which we are treated to freshly brewed tea and damper (outback soda bread), with a didgeridoo performance to help it all slip down.

When you've had enough of the steamy pleasures of the forest, it's time to experience another quintessential Australian landscape: the dry, dusty outback. And, just 300km from Cairns, you can immerse yourself in its wild, rugged beauty. Wrotham Park Lodge, in northern Queensland, may be a working cattle station, but it's a luxury version, with ten spectacular guest quarters. And a little luxury is what you'll need if you've arrived after a four-hour drive over rough, unmade roads. (A more civilised, and more expensive, alternative is to take the 40-minute flight from Cairns by private charter to the lodge's own airstrip.)

We immerse ourselves in cattle station life, rounding up the cattle, riding horses, quad biking and fishing, and are rewarded for our efforts with fabulous outback-influenced food.

Our final Cairns highlight lies 20 minutes north of the town at Palm Cove, where we get up close and personal with wombats, koalas, dingo puppies, snakes and parrots at the tropical zoo. It is a hands-on experience but the massive crocodile collection is something we are happy to keep at arm's length.

FACT FILE: CAIRNS

Austravel (www.austravel.com, 0870 166 2070) offers a ten-night Queensland Experience from 2,899 per person. This includes flights from Edinburgh to Cairns, transfers, car hire, three nights on Dunk Island, two nights on Bedarra Island, three nights at Silky Oaks Lodge and two nights at Wrotham Park, plus some activities.

A 90-minute guided walk at Mossman Gorge costs 12 (www.yalanji.com.au).

Return flights from Cairns to Dunk Island cost 85 per person, and a boat from Dunk to Bedarra costs 58 return per person.

Entry to Cairns Tropical Zoo (www.cairnstropicalzoo.com) costs 13.