Spend more than a day in Mission Beach

By Bobbi Lee Hitchon // 11 May 2010 // Comments: 0 // Related Categories: aboriginal, aboriginese, rainforest

After a few months of traveling to well-known tourist towns and attractions, travelers may long to visit a place off the beaten path. An on-the-rise destination that people can say they visited long before it was 'the place to be." Some place exotic they can tell all their friends about at home and be asked in return, "What's the name of this place again?"

Mission Beach.

Located in between Airlie Beach and Cairns, two heavily toured towns, a lot of backpackers don't think to stay in this small beach town. But those just passing it on a Greyhound usually end up returning from Cairns to partake in two activities, skydiving and white water rafting on the Tully River.

Mission Beach is one of the most talked about locations to skydive in Australia and the Tully River is a must-see in the country. A lot of people just visit Cairns with plans to do these two activities, unknowing that they will have to spend hours being shuttled to and from Mission Beach. Not only do tourists waste time commuting, but they also miss out on all the other unique things to do in the town.

Visitors can learn about the Aboriginese at Echo Creek, ride in a Sealegs (a boat that can drive on land), visit Dunk Island, maybe even spot a cassowary in the wild.

I was lucky enough to see a cassowary on the side of the road in Mission Beach, QLD. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

There's so much to see and do in the area and the best part is that it's still pretty authentic. It's not a concrete jungle backpackers just cross off in their guidebook. It may host some of the wildest activities in Australia, but it's still a quiet town with a small population, zero McDonald's and a well-preserved natural landscape. From here visitors can trek through the Wet Tropics Rainforest and reach the Great Barrier Reef in 90 minutes.

Mission Beach is an ideal place where travelers can take a break from plastic attractions and take advantage of Australia's pristine natural wonders. Instead of only passing through the town or returning for two activities, stay for a few days and try something different.

Spirit of the Rainforest Tour

Follow aboriginal guides through the World Heritage-listed Wet Tropics Rainforest.  During the four-hour hike, guides will point out different plants and their purposes, talk about aboriginal culture, share different traditions and take a break at pristine Echo Creek Falls.

Tonya Grant, an Aboriginal tour guide at Echo Creek, shows a group black beans during a rainforest walk. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

This is not a simple walk. Guides lead groups on a real adventure that will have them jumping rocks across streams, getting wet and hiking up hill a bit. Make sure to bring insect repellant, sneakers or hiking boots, plenty of water and lunch.

Echo Adventures: Spirit of the Rainforest Tour
www.echocreek.com.au
(07) 40689161
Adults: $80, children (6-14): $60 and families (two adults, two children): $245
(Includes shuttle to and from accommodation, as well as National Park fees.)

Tours operate Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
 
Great Barrier Reef

Everyone knows Cairns as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, but there are plenty of other locations on the east coast that are also great access points to the Reef. Calypso Adventures offers scuba diving trips out the the Reef from mainland Mission Beach and Dunk Island daily.

The boat ride to the Reef takes about an hour and a half from Mission Beach. Once there, people have three hours to see a part of the Reef that is not visited as much as that Reef usually visited from Cairns.

Calypso Adventures
www.calypsodive.com
(07) 4068 8432
Scuba diving: two dives for certified divers with gear: $250, two dives for introductory divers: $295 and two guided dives for certified divers: $260.
Tours depart from Mission Beach at 9 a.m. (return at 5 p.m.) and Dunk Island at 9:40 a.m. (return at 4:30 p.m.) daily.

Mission Beach: The Shrubbery

The town center along Port Promenade may look like just a few stores from the road, but it has a surprising number of shops, cafes and restaurants nestled between the road and beach. Here people can find everything from one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces at the Helen Wiltshire Gallery to world-class cuisine at The Shrubbery.

Patrons dine at The Shrubbery, Mission Beach Saturday night. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

The Shrubbery in itself is a reason to stay in Mission Beach. This unassuming restaurant with a small bar and outdoor patio is a favorite among locals. It features daily entertainment, from live music Friday night to Art Del Mar, local art show, Sunday morning and afternoon. Its natural decor, palm plant holders and jagged-edge wooden tables, match the town's untouched character.

The restaurant atmosphere and decor may be very town, but the food is out of this world. The restaurant only serves a few items on its menu, but prepares and presents each item to perfection. At $A14, the restaurant's seafood chowder served with Turkish Bread, is a filling and delicious option that's practical for low-budget travelers.

The Shrubbery

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44 Marine Parade Mission Beach, QLD

(07) 4068 7803

Sealegs

It's the crocodile of transportation. A boat with wheels. A car with fins. Calypso Dive's Sealegs can pick people up at their accommodation in Mission Beach and drop them off at Dunk Island, Kurrimine, and Family Islands without transfers. It looks pretty interesting on land and provides an even more interesting ride on water.
Photo privided by Calypso Adventures

Hold on tight as the speedy, little boat collides with big waves. It makes getting to local islands an experience in itself and is worth at least one ride to or from an island destination.

Calypso Adventures
www.calypsodive.com
(07) 4068 8432
One way: adults, $22 and children, $11. Ask what specials the company is running.
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Dunk Island

A little piece of paradise, Dunk Island offers serene beaches and fun activities. It's a short walk from end to end of the island and it only has one resort. The island is an ideal day trip for those looking for some r&r, but one that with plenty of activities for those that prefer to keep busy.

Photo provided by Calypso Adventures

The resort offers jet ski tours around the island, spa packages and tours and features a nine-hole golf course. People can also tour the island's natural wonders like Mount Kootaloo ( 271 meters), 360-million-year-old rocks at Muggy Muggy Beach and 20-meter-tall cyclone trees at Coconut Beach.

Dunk Island
www.dunk-island.com
(07) 4047 4740
People can visit the island by ferry, Sealegs or water taxi for free. A day pass to use resort facilities costs $A40 for adults and $A20 for children.