Beauty of the Daintree

The Daintree Rainforest is the oldest forest in the world. The passing of centuries has allowed biological systems to become complex and incredibly diverse. The lush green trees, cool clear streams, vibrant butterflies, striking birds and loud, active nights create an unforgettable experience for any lucky enough to pass through.

It was under a bright blue sky that I rode down the Bloomfield track through lush rainforest of the Daintree.

My neck ached from hours of looking up into the tree canopy in search of tree-snakes, tree-kangaroos and tropical birds. The track itself was hard-packed dirt with the occasional shallow creek-crossing winding its way through the steep hills of the Great Diving Range. 

To be honest I didn't ride very far for the duration of the forest. The Bloomfield track only covers some 30km's of road, but the forest covers much more. In order to explore the forest a little more thoroughly I only covered some 15km's each day for four days. Including a rest day I was in the forest for five days - and I loved every minute of it.

It's worth noting here that being a 'rain'forest, one would expect a rainy day or two, if only a shower, but I was fortunate enough to experience lovely warm, dry weather until I departed. I have to say that as I rode my bike out of the national park on the my last day, I literally had to cover my mouth and nose as the rain came down so thick that I could not breath. I was drowning on my bike.

The forest came to life at night, and I had to become nocturnal in order to join in the fun. It was for this reason that I spent my days sleeping, riding late and resting. The hills of the Bloomfield are by far the steepest I have ever seen. Anywhere. Ever. EVER. The mountain ranges that I had to cross were at an incredible 30% angle, and I was forced to push my bike for the first time on the trip since the start. The immense humidity, blazing sun and gruelling pushing turned my body into a leaking mess.The trail of water droplets that had fallen from my body was clearly visible in the dirt behind me like a badly leaking car. Every time I stopped to catch my breath I formed a puddle on the ground within seconds. I had never sweated this way before, and it was hard work trying to keep hydrated. When I came across streams I just jumped in fully clothed (they were soaking anyway) to refresh my shrivelling body. I had to rip may leeches from my skin as a result. 

As I wiped the sweat from my eyes at the top of each rise I was instantly rewarded for my effort. The air was fresh, the birds sang and the views were to die for. Looking over the crest at the downhill beyond was daunting as the brakes on my bike screamed under the pressure to slow my bike to a safe speed - some 4km's/hour. If a car came the other way and I was going too fast it would all be over in one steep, slippery moment. 

I managed to find some truly stunning camp spots, both in the depths of the forest, and on the beach looking back into the gloom. 

Camping in the Daintree was perhaps the most magic experience of my life. Fireflies whizzed slowly through the air emitting radiant flashes of light through the darkness. I was able to catch them and look at their little bums light up in an effort to attract partners. Two chambers within their abdomens contain different chemicals which light up upon mixing producing almost pure light energy - 96% light and only 4% heat, compared with a house-hold bulb which produces 60% light and 40% heat. 

A saprotrophic fungi living within the small cavities in dead plant matter (such as dead tree stumps/branches) produced a faint glow in the darkness to attract insects which are responsible for spreading the spores. The effect was mind-blowing. A pitch-black forest buzzing with fireflies over a sea of glowing plant material. Had I crossed into the world of Avatar? 

When the darkness was complete and the animals began to call, it was time for me to take my torch and explore. I walked for hours each night in search of lizards, bats, insects and mammals. Over all I would say that I was largely unlucky with my findings. However I did find native giant rats (GIANT), possums, a beautiful Boyd's Forest Dragon, sleeping birds and some incredible insects.

The Daintree had exceeded my expectation and I was still to reach Cape Tribulation...