2024 IASNR Conference Optional Field Trips
Optional Pre & Post Field Trips
Pre and post conference tours will be offered through experienced Cairns tourist operators who work with local guides and specialist transport providers including four wheel drives, white water rafting and fast boats to reach the Great Barrier Reef. In addition to general tours, Cairns offers many options to specialist interests (e.g. scuba diving; horse riding, crocodile viewing, sea kayaking, sky diving, and more).
Below is a list of tentative field trips. This list will be finalized by the end of March 2024. Please email [email protected] if you have any questions.
Green Island & Great Barrier Reef Adventure
The complete reef and island experience awaits with this exciting cruise. A fast 45 minute catamaran ride will take you to beautiful Green Island to enjoy two hours on this unique reef and rainforest coral cay. A day of adventure and discovery continues onto Great Adventures’ spacious activity platform moored on the majestic Outer Great Barrier Reef.
Green Island is a beautiful 6000 year old coral cay located in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park – a premier world heritage site and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Green Island’s unique reef and rainforest environment offers an array of activities. You can stroll through the magical rainforest, laze on white coral sand beaches, swim, or snorkel…
Then escape into a world of surprises to experience the breathtaking beauty of the Outer Great Barrier Reef. From the comfort of the stable reef activity platform, this is the perfect base for swimmers and non-swimmers to explore. Snorkel and dive, visit the underwater observatory and cruise in a semi-sub, or just relax on the sundeck with a delicious buffet lunch. The pontoon features undercover seating and tables, a sundeck, full bar facilities, swimming enclosure for children, change rooms with fresh water showers, and scuba diving facilities with a semi-submerged dive platform.
Kuku Yalanji Dreamtime Walk: after arriving at Mossman Gorge, you will be treated to a guided rainforest walk along private, easy graded tracks (600m approx), visiting special places and culturally significant sites, past traditional bark shelters and over cool rainforest streams. Your experienced interpretive Indigenous guides demonstrate traditional plant use, identify bush tucker sources, share their dreamtime legends, explain the history of cave paintings and provide an enchanting narrative of the rainforest and their special relationships within this unique tropical environment. After your 1.5hr walk, enjoy tea, damper and question time with guide.
Silky Oaks Lodge is the lunch venue today where we enjoy their specialty Barramundi lunch [alternate options available] in this beautiful oasis amidst the rainforest, overlooking the Mossman River.
Daintree River Cruise: Enjoy a fascinating hour cruising through this wildlife environment, which is home to birds, tree snakes, unique plants and the estuarine crocodile – a great photo opportunity.
Scomazzon Fruit & Cane Farm: Tropical fruit tasting of fruits in season is included as a special treat.
Port Douglas: Enjoy a short tour of the historical town of Port Douglas. We then continue back to Cairns.
Daintree Walkabout (1 day)
Tropical Waterfalls Tour
Tour of Atherton Tablelands with the option to swim in 4 natural water spots, under waterfalls, on a natural slide, and partake in a unique float/swim while in a volcanic crater lake. Locations include:
- Babinda Boulders
- Josephine Falls (natural rock slide)
- Crawfords Lookout (big high lookout)
- Millaa Millaa Falls (world famous hair flick waterfall)
- Mount Hypipamee (Dinner Falls and the Crater)
- Curtain Fig Tree (biggest tree you’ll ever see)
- Platypus viewing
- Lake Eacham (swim in a volcanic crater lake)
This breathtaking journey on one of the world’s most scenic train routes will take you through hand-hewn tunnels and across bridges with amazing views. Stop at Barron Gorge to view the Falls before arriving at beautiful Kuranda Station. The remainder of the day is free for you to explore the “”Village in the Rainforest””. Explore the markets or visit the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary and colorful Birdworld.
At the scheduled time, board Skyrail which takes you on an amazing experience over Australia’s World Heritage listed Tropical Rainforest canopy descending into the forest at two stations, Red Peak and Barron Falls. You can enjoy spectacular views from three lookouts at Barron Falls station and learn more about the environment from ranger guided tours at Red Peak Stations. Your journey ends at Smithfield Skyrail Terminal where your coach is waiting to take you back to your accommodation.
Cost as at February 2017: $143 ($108 US) inclusive of transport only (train and cable car)
