We decided to let someone else do the driving for the day and took a guided trip through the Cairns Tropical Highlands. Our first stop was Lake Barrine one of 2 volcanic crater lakes of tranqil pools of crystal clear rainwater fringed by the rainforest in the very heart of the World Heritage Wet Tropics.
We took a 45 minute cruise on the lake to spot the wildlife which included eels, turtles, python snakes, cormets and beautiful orchids growing wild in the rainforest. The lakes are about 65 metres deep and thought to be about 40,000 years old. (Australia & Africa have the oldest rainforests in the world).


We also had a short break at the quaint 80 year old tea house which has been maintained by the Currie family and passed down through the generations. They still live in a cottage beside the tea house and serve excellent Devonshire teas. In the gardens are twin Kuri Pines which are amongst Australia's largest trees - these 1000 year old giants give you a glimpse of what the first forests on earth were like. (sorry no picture available!)