focustravel.
with Susie Boswell
T R AV E L D E S T I N AT I O N : MISSION BEACH, NORTH QUEENSLAND is-
sion Beach. Perfect. An exotic Tropical North Queensland holiday at a spot that offers everything you desire in the Great Barrier Reef’s friendliest, most welcoming location. Mission Beach has the lot. Sun-kissed white sand beaches stretching along a magnificent 14km. Calming ocean vistas. Picture-book waves tumbling gently to shore, inviting a paddle and some beachcombing. Level flat sands that insist you take a bicycle and pedal along the scenic coastline or play ball games from dawn to dusk. Superb fishing for everyone from the sportsman to toddlers learning to cast their first line. A lush green environment splashed with scarlet and purple bougainvillea and fragrant frangipani. Barbecues in the open air with heaps of room for play. A safe holiday destination untouched by developer scourge, with roads and walkways demanding you stroll along, enjoying the laidback atmosphere, discovering rock pools teeming with marine life, stopping for a snack or a cool drink, browsing small stores for a sarong, swim goggles, a new lure or a souvenir for folks at home. No concrete high-rise, no honking traffic or parking snarls, no rip-off restaurants, greasy burger joints, noise or crowds. An atmosphere that makes you want to open your arms wide and gulp in the glorious fresh salty air, dance and frolic in the warm evenings as the sun sinks and the barbecue tongs come out. We flew Port-Brisbane-Cairns in a jiffy with Virgin, collected a nifty hire car at the airport and in the blink of an eye were r-e-l-a-x-e-d at our destination. Our lightweight luggage of cossies, sandals and casual wear was unpacked in a moment. A bonus that had us enjoying the tropics instantly was the amazing journey en route to Mission Beach, 90 minutes south of Cairns - through the most beautiful drive anywhere in Australia via lush World Heritage rainforest country, patchwork green plantations stretching way to the horizon to the foot of Queensland’s tallest mountain, Mt Bartle Frere. An imposing, awesome sight, the landmark is so tall its peak is often circled by a coronet of wispy cloud: not surprising that at the top enjoys a nourishing rainfall of 8000mm, or more than 300in, a year! Mission Beach though enjoys the perfect tropical climate. It’s at the centre of the Casso-
wary Coast, named for its remarkable emu-like native birds. Strikingly situated at the edge of the Coral Sea, it looks across to Dunk and Bedarra islands, close to shore, and Hinchinbrook, a national park, a little further in the distance. Best of all, it endures as a rare hideaway in Oz today: a simple seaside village set on picturesque beaches that’s grown just enough to include modern amenities and sophisticated food and accommodation choices, without spoiling the rustic charm most of us look for in a break far away from the everyday. Accommodation ranges from the luxury of a low-rise resort right on the main beach, motels, and upmarket or simple beachfront homes and rental units, to B&Bs, rainforest retreats, idyllic foreshore cabins and other budget options. There’s no easier or surer way of securing what’s ideal for your needs and pocket than contacting Mission Beach Tourist Information Centre, right in the centre (www.missionbeachtourism.com tel 07 4068 7099). Both staff and enthusiastic volunteers are experts at suggesting unbiased choices and the timber cottage is a must-visit for generous information on holiday activities. The list includes snorkelling, kayaking, diving, fishing, hire-a-tinnie, sailing, tropical fruit safaris, tandem skydiving, bird watching, golf and white-water rafting. Mission Beach is well placed to strike out for all the region’s traditional tours and day trips - via cat to the reef itself; meandering elevated walkways on the canopy of nearby Mamu Rainforest; exploring Paronella Park (castles, waterfalls, tennis, fish feeding and much more); hippie markets, crater lake swimming holes, picnic spots, train rides and lots of fauna on the Atherton Tablelands, plus plenty more. There’s a wide range of cuisine. We enjoyed delicious bistro-style steaks, prawns, salad and frites on the alfresco deck of Castaways Resort, overlooking its pure blue swimming pool, just 20m to the surf and sand. There are many other casual dining opportunities, bars, coffee shops and takeaways, and shops and a supermarket for stocking up for self-catering and grilling that fish you just caught on the free waters-edge barbecues. For holidays romantic, family, camping or caravanning … make it your Mission. Lovely people, lovely environment, lovely memories.
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