Mission Beach

 

In Mission Beach you can still come face to face with a cassowary
Photo by Rob Lapaer of Rainforest Hideaway B&B, Cape Tribulation, N.Qld.

Mission Beach's most spectacular animal would have to be the cassowary, up to two metres tall, covered in coarse black double stranded feathers, and with brilliant colors of red and blue on its neck and head. This elusive flightless bird is highly endangered and lives only in the Wet Tropics area of North Queensland, another patch of remote rainforest high up on the Cape York peninsula, and New Guinea.
The cassowary (Casuarius casuarius johnsonii) has been wandering around this planet since before the super continent Gondwana broke up in to several continents, and they have relatives in several distant continents. They belong to a family of birds called ratites and are related to the Emu, the Ostrich, the Kiwi (though there is a dramatic difference in size) and the South American Rhea - a little known bird that resembles a small emu and runs around plains in Patagonia. They are also related to the now extinct Moas of New Zealand and the Elephant Bird of Madagascar. In New Guinea there are two other species of cassowary too but in Australia the only species is the Southern Cassowary. More about the cassowary...

Cassowaries like to chase people so if you come face to face with one do not turn your back and run, this will encourage him to chase you and you can run for miles, the bird can do 50km/h so you are not going to outrun him anyway. Back off slowly, hold something in front of you, go behind a tree or raise your arms up to look taller. Most people that report cassowary attacks have simple been chased for some distance, if the bird did not catch up with you it means he was not even trying to catch up! More on cassowary attacks...

Annual events

Mudfest - usually held in June, a music and dance festival with various arts and crafts stalls.

Accommodation in Mission Beach

<div id="wtfContainer" class="wtf-container"> <div class="wtf-header"> <a href="http://www.wotif.com/?<%= additionalUrlParams%>" target="<%=target%>"><img src="http://promo.wotif.com/newsletter-template/images/wotif-logo.png" border="0" width="213" height="70" alt="Wotif.com"></a><p class="wtf-title"><%=title%></p> </div> <div id="wtfInnerContainer"> <% for ( var i = 0; i < hotels.length; i++ ) { if (imagesOnly && (!hotels[i].image || !hotels[i].image.thumbnail)) continue; %> <li class="wtf-property-2 <% if (i == 0) { %> wtf-first-property <% } else { %> wtf-not-first-property<% } %><% if (hotels[i].flaming) { %> wtf-flaming <% } %>"> <a class="wtf-property-link" href="http://www.wotif.com/hotel/View?hotel=<%=hotels[i].id%><%= commonParams%>" target="<%=target%>"> <div class="wtf-property-image-2"> <% if (hotels[i].image && hotels[i].image.thumbnail) { %><img class="wtf-property-photo-2" alt="" src="<%=hotels[i].image.thumbnail%>"><% } else { %> <% } %> </div> <div class="wtf-property-info-2"> <div class="wtf-property-blurb"> <h3 class="wtf-property-name-2"><%=hotels[i].name%></h3> <p class="wtf-property-address-2"><% if (hotels[i].location.address && hotels[i].location.address[0]) { %><%=hotels[i].location.address[0]%><%}%><br /> <%=hotels[i].location.city%> <%=hotels[i].location.state_or_region%></p> </div> <% if (hotels[i].cheapest) { %> <div class="wtf-property-price-2 <% if (hotels[i].cheapestIsFlaming) { %> wtf-flaming-rate<% } %>" style=""><div><i>from</i><b><sup style="vertical-align: super;"><%=hotels[i].currency.symbol%></sup><%=Math.round(hotels[i].cheapest)%></b><em>per night</em></div></div> <% } %> </div> </a> </li> <% } %> </div> </div>

Mission Beach Bed and Breakfast

Hibiscus Lodge Bed and Breakfast, - Hibiscus Lodge is a colonial Queenslander set on 2.5 acres of tropical gardens surrounded by rainforest with the beautiful Mission Beach just a five minute walk away.

Tropical Escape Bed & Breakfast - Luxury B&B on 1.5 acres of rainforest and tropical garden. Walk 8 mins to pristine beach via shady beach access track. Pool, BBQ, 2 lounge areas with pool table & bar. Walk to shopping village, pub and restaurants. Not suitable for children

Licuala Lodge Licuala Lodge is an award winning timber pole house set in the peaceful and tranquil township of Mission Beach. They have a great swimming pool, guest accommodation is separate to the main house, and they serve a famous 'All you can eat Breakfast', and included in the tariff are complimentary drinks - tea, coffee, soft drinks and BEER - how good is that !! More info....

 

Mission Beach backpackers accommodation

Scotty's Beach House Scotty's Beach House is the only hostel on the beach with a bar and grill. Relaxing hammocks in a garden setting with the largest pool in town, great music playing in the open yard makes it easy to meet new people. For the people that like to party, our adjascent bar and grill offers excellent meals at discount prices and happy hour that offers $4.50 jugs of beer and $1 glasses of wine. For people that wish to have a quiet one, our 24 hour kitchen and 24 hour television room are ready for you. No matter who you are, how old you are or what you want to do, Scotty's Beach House is the place for everything. More info and online reservations....

Mission Beach camping

Hideaway Holiday Village - Porters Prom
Beachcomber Coconut Village - Kennedy Esp South Mission Beach
Dunk Island View Caravan Park - 175 Reid Rd

Mission Beach Eco Lodges

Sanctuary at Mission Beach Sanctuary at Mission Beach is an affordable accredited rainforest eco-lodge at Mission Beach, North Queensland, Australia, half way between Townsville and Cairns. Set on 18 hectares of lush tropical rainforest overlooking the Coral Sea, Sanctuary is as much a refuge for travellers as it is for wildlife. Blessed with an abundance of nature, there is much to see and do in Mission Beach. The closest mainland point to the Great Barrier Reef means that travel times are shorter and with only two reef boats, your experience of this amazing natural wonder is shared by only a select few. Just offshore are many deserted islands to sail or sea-kayak to and explore, most of which are protected National Parks. Mission Beach Contact via email Visit website for more info.... Phone 07 - 4088 6064

Transport to Mission Beach

You can get to Mission Beach by bus, Adventure Tours Australia includes Mission Beach on its stops between Cairns and Sydney on the 14 day bus pass.

Unless you live in north Queensland you will have to fly to the nearest international airport Cairns first, or to Townsville airport.
If you are already in Australia then go to our page Cheap Domestic Flights in Australia for a good choice in cheap domestic airfares to Cairns and Townsville.

 

If you are still in your home country then you will need to get an international flight to Cairns, but be aware that although Cairns is an international airport, not too many airlines go straight in to Cairns, you will usually have to fly via Brisbane or Sydney.

 

ZUJI is an online travel agent with offices throughout the Asia Pacific region, offering you a choice of more than 400 airlines and 60,000 hotels, as well as car hire and travel insurance.

 

Feel more comfortable to book your airfares to Cairns online with a travel business from your own country that you know and trust?

Then choose your home country here:

 

Transport around Mission Beach

Getting around the Mission Beach area is easy, the Mission Beach Bus Service does a regular run around the area and there are bicylces for hire. You can reach Mission Beach from Cairns with Coral Reef Coaches, and other companies like Greyhound stop here on their route along the east coast.

There is a wide choice of car rental companies where you can book your car or campervan online to be assured of a car on your arrival in Mission Beach or at Cairns airport, and most offer one way rentals between major cities. Nothing beats the freedom of having your own car to explore and stop when and where you want.

 

 

 

Budget Car Hire needs little introduction, the name says it all: car hire at Budget Prices with a car hire company with an international reputation, and this sites makes it even easier to find yourself a cheap hire car, or anything else with wheels: trucks,buses, campervans, utes, four wheel drives etc.