With Port Douglas' tourist season attracting big numbers this year, maybe it's time to pack the tent, get the kids in the car (or leave them at home), and get away from the crowds for a relaxing weekend.

Our area is blessed with some beautiful national parks, and they don't come much better than Davies Creek National Park, off the Kennedy Highway between Kuranda and Mareeba.

Driving over the Kuranda Range you'll notice the landscape change from lush tropical forests to rugged eucalyptus woodland dotted with impressively large termite mounds.

As you turn into Davies Creek Road you'll see the hills on the horizon which give you a tangible sense of remoteness (more perceived than real).

After negotiating the corrugations in the dirt road that make your ribs feel like wind chimes in a cyclone, you'll arrive at the campgrounds on the rocky banks of Davies Creek.

There's no pre-booking at this campground and be sure to register and pay your fees (just $5 per person per night) at the notice board in the campground behind the amenities block.

Alternatively, there are six camp sites nestled among the tall open forest in Dinden National Park just a few kilometres up the road (these sites must be pre-booked).

So now you're here and the formalities are out of the way, what is there to do on your little weekend retreat?

Well you can do as much or as little as you like.

Swim in the cool, crystal clear waters of Davies Creek which flow just metres from your camp site.  Two kilometres further up the road, Davies Creek Falls crashes over its granite gorge and is a magnificent feature of Davies Creek National Park.

Or for those who are feeling a little more adventurous, pack a lunch, take some water, and follow the creek upstream from your campsite. There is a faint trail that disappears and reappears, but keeping within earshot of the flowing water will eventually take you to the base of the falls.

There's is a bit of rock hopping and scrambling involved, but it's worth it when you find your own secluded swimming hole where you can escape the heat.

The area attracts many birdwatchers who are keen to catch a glimpse of species such as the eastern yellow robin, the white-cheeked honeyeater and white-naped honeyeater.

Endangered northern bettongs are also found in Davies Creek National Park and parts of Dinden National Park. These rat-kangaroos, smaller than a rabbit, are found only in very limited areas of north Queensland and nowhere else in the world.

Researchers also recently discovered southern brown bandicoots residing in Davies Creek National Park - a long way from the nearest known population on the Cape York Peninsula.

Otherwise, just grab a book, a bottle of wine, and do absolutely nothing while your other half tries to remember how to put the tent up.


What to take:

Apart from your usual camping gear, visitors should bring a gas or fuel stove, fuel and drinking water. On the advice of DERM, creek water is not suitable for drinking.

It goes without saying that you'll need to bring a rubbish bag to take away what remains of whatever you've bought in. THAT INCLUDES CIGARETTE BUTTS (sorry, little bug bear of mine).

How to get there:

From Cairns take the Captain Cook Highway north to the Kennedy Highway. After travelling through Kuranda, go a further 21km before turning left on to Davies Creek Road. The campground is 7km along this road.


The road may be closed in the wet season (November - March) due to flooding. This road is gravel, corrugated and unsuitable for caravans and trailers.