We are proud of our achievements over the past 3 years, having been voted in the top 1% of Hotels in the World by Expedia.

The Expedia Insiders' Select List is as voted by guests - based on value, service and customer ratings. We have been in the top 1% for 2007, 2008 and now 2009.

Don't take our word for it, come and experience quality for yourself!

Rainforestation Army Duck Driver Murray Freeman has celebrated reaching his 30th year of employment at the award-winning Rainforestation Nature Park in Kuranda.

Murray started working at Rainforestation on 23rd September in 1979, when it was known as Mountain Groves. At the time, the only other army duck driver was founding Managing Director Charles Woodward.

Murray remembers starting his employment with the company particularly well as he married his wife Laura the following week.

“So techinically, you can say I’ve been married to my job longer than I have my wife!” he said.

In those early days, Murray’s duties were varied and extended beyond just driving an army duck, from serving behind bar, to helping out in the restaurant.

“I remember on my first day, I wore good clothes to work, then my first task was a trip in the old truck to the dump – with a particularly messy batch of rubbish,” he said.

Over the years, Murray has seen the attraction evolve from a small business employing six people, to an internationally successful operation with currently 75 employees.

Due to his extensive knowledge of amphibious war vehicles, Murray has often been used as specialist consultant for film and television productions, such as the Steven Speilberg produced mini-series The Pacific which is currently in production.

Rainforestation Managing Director Charles Woodward said it was great to see a long-term employee remain so dedicated and passionate about their work.

“After 30 years, his tours have remained fresh and interesting – although some of his jokes haven’t changed,” he said.

“Murray has been presented with many opportunities to move into more senior roles, but has turned these down as he is content in this role, and continues to give it 100%. We are pleased to see him reach this milestone, and are proud of his ongoing commitment to Rainforestation,” he said.

Today, Murray has the additional responsibility of training the army duck drivers on driving, safety skills and guiding.

The award-winning Rainforestation Nature Park in Kuranda has just completed a successful exchange of koalas with Alma Park Zoo in Southern Queensland for breeding purposes.

The aim is to introduce new genetics into the breeding programmes at both Rainforestation Nature Park and Alma Park Zoo, Queensland's longest running zoo, situated 30 minutes north of Brisbane.
Sakura, a 2 year old female koala born at Rainforestation in their successful breeding program, has
swapped places with Alma Park Zoo's Kodi, a 3 year old male koala.

Rainforestation Head Wildlife Keeper Kate Coughlan said it is hoped Kodi will become one of their
top breeding males, as well as a star in the "Koala Experience" for koala photos.

"Kodi has settled in nicely and is revelling in his new role posing in the Koala Experience, so we're
also hoping he will take to two of our female koalas in the next couple of months," she said.

Meanwhile, Sakura is also expected to be a future breeder at Alma Park Zoo, with Rainforestation to
receive the first female offspring she produces, bringing new genetics into the koala colony again.

Both Rainforestation and Alma Park Zoo plan to work together for Koala management for the future,
thus beginning a long term partnership between the two parks.

For more information or to arrange a photo opportunity, please contact CaPTA PR Manager Ben
Woodward on 0406 384 886 or 07 4041 9401.

GUESTS ENJOY THEIR STAY AT "AMAROO"

01/10/2009   Pinkwart Family, Germany   -   Perfect accommodation

01/10/2009   Berzins Family, London   -   Great place to stay

03/10/2009   Maree Jones, Melbourne   -   Great place. Staff very good.

01/10/2009   Karen Clarke, California, USA   -   A wonderful place to be.

09/10/2009   Annette & Dave Haworth, Australian Capital Territory   -   Great stay. We will be back.

10/10/2009   Anna, Sweden   -   Wonderful stay. Thank you

13/10/2009   Lisa & Michael Hall, Perth   -   What a lovely spot Trinity (Beach) is. Great service from the Amaroo

19/10/2009   Jackie Brown, Canada   -   Beautiful place

21/10/2009   Anthony & Nuala Corish, Ireland   -   THE BEST !!!

24/10/2009   David & Ang Murray-Blyth, United Kingdom   -   Brilliant

30/10/2009   Debbie Rotherham, New Zealand   -   Will be back!

04/11/2009   Olle & Cat Holmberg, Sweden   -   Loved every minute. Had a great time

Sea Change Beachfront Apartments at beautiful Trinity Beach is offering hot deals for the spring & summer months. So come out of the cold and experience Cairn's premier FIVE star property. The two deals are:

• Stay 5 nights, and only pay for 4 nights (from 1st September), and
• Stay 7 nights, and only pay for 5 nights - that's two FREE nights (from 1st November)

Both specials expire 31 March 2010 and conditions apply.  

Passengers aboard the Tropic Sunbird, operated by Sunlover Reef cruises were treated to the whale encounter of a lifetime on Tuesday when a very large female Humpaback whale and her newborn Calf treated them to an amazing acrobatic display only 5 metres from the vessel.

The vessel which operates out at thier pontoon on Moore Reef regularly encounter Humpback whales on their journey out to the reef during the Whale migration season.

This encounter was one of the best encounters ever experienced by Sunlover Reef Cruises as the mother and calf approached the vessel from a distance as the vessel stopped to observe the whales from a distance.

"The whales deliberately changed their course and tracked directly towards the Tropic Sunbird.

When they reached our boat the young calf put on a very close and deliberate jumping show just a few metres from the boat. it was just absolutely amazing, and overwhelming. The emotion I felt when the cute little calf danced around for us just blew me away. I couldnt contain the joy the calf gave me knowing it was showing off for us," said Gemma Bedlington, a dive Instructor from Sunlover, who witnessed the encounter.

we have been seeing a lot of eagle rays jumping from the water latley

also the osprey eagles are hunting the fish on top of the water right in front of the kayaks and there have been many blue spot lagoon rays in front of the double island resort along with 1 pair of long fin bat fish who seem to have taken up residents at the exclusive resort

Sea Change Beachfront Apartments and Ocean Spirit Reef Cruises have accommodation and reef cruise packages available.

These packages include a minimum of 4 nights in your choice of either a One, Two, or Three Bedroom Beachfront Apartment, plus a 5 star Reef Cruise to Michaelmas Cay for each person on Ocean Spirit's luxurious sailing catamaran.

So while you enjoy the privacy of a luxurious, five star apartment situated on the tranquil shores of the Coral Sea, you can also experience the spectacular Great Barrier Reef.

You will be personally met at Cairns airport on arrival and transferred to Sea Change Beachfront Apartments. You will then be taken to your spacious apartment which will have expansive views over the beach and ocean. Sea Change is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the sounds of the waves crashing onto the white sands of Trinity Beach.

Next is a Cruise to the Great Barrier Reef with “Ocean Spirit Cruises” enjoying the splendour of “Michaelmas Cay”. Snorkelling equipment, morning & afternoon tea, a sumptuous lunch (inc. seafood), reef viewing on semi submersibles, marine biologists' presentations on board, champagne on the homeward sail, and all transfers are included.

The packages that we currently have available are:

• One Bedroom Beachfront Apartment: (maximum of 2 persons) Stay 4 nights, pay for 3 nights, plus a Great Barrier Reef cruise to Michaelmas Cay.
  From $470 per person (normally $689 per person).
• Two Bedroom Beachfront Apartment: (maximum of 4 persons) Stay 4 nights, pay for 3 nights, plus a Great Barrier Reef cruise to Michaelmas Cay.
  From $305 per person (normally $469 per person).
• Three Bedroom Beachfront Apartment: (maximum of 6 persons) Stay 4 nights, pay 3 nights, plus a Great Barrier Reef cruise to Michaelmas Cay.
  From $260 per person (normally $409 per person).

For further information on these great package deals, complete the inquiry form and advise us of what package you are interested in, and we will email you a quote. Please note, these accommodation & reef packages can only be booked directly with Sea Change. In addition, if you want to stay longer than 4 days you can, and you will receive one FREE night with EVERY booking.

Sunrise at 6.31am & first light at 6.09am, seen every day from a hot air balloon here in the tropics in May, is displaying some amazing colours.

Taking off on the Atherton Tablelands, west of Kuranda and Port Douglas daily, the ballooning industry keeps the most up to date weather information to determine balloon launch sites & flight plans. Temperatures this week will range from an overnight of 19 degrees to a high of 27 in Kuranda and Mareeba. We suggest a light jacket and enclosed shoes, when starting your early morning tour and definitely sunglasses and a hat for after breakfast. To see photos of today''s weather on the Atherton Tablelands go to www.hotair.com.au  

It will be mostly fine and sunny inland for the week ahead though you will notice a difference driving from the Atherton Tablelands back to Port Douglas where the forecast is for moderate SE winds, fresh at times along the coast.

The Prince Albert II is owned by Silversea Cruises- an Italian company reknowned for its high class service and spectacular itineraries. The Prince Albert II is the newest member of their fleet, it was only launched in May of this year, and is the companys only expedition ship. She carries up to 135 passengers.

Robin was invited to join a hand picked Expedition Team to lead the ships inaugural journey to Antarctica.

Robins duties include lecturing on a range of environmental topics, leading shoreside excursions to look for penguins, seals and other wildlife, as well as driving the zodiacs. Zodiacs are rubber inflatable boats that are used to transport passengers to and from the shoreside. These zodiacs are also used to conduct cruises amongst the huge icebergs and glaciers that Antarctica is so well known for.

Robin joined the Prince Albert II in Mexico and sailed down the entire western coastline of South America to Ushuaia, Argentina the disembarkation point for Antarctica. She has just completed the inaugural trip from Ushuaia, to the Falklands, to South Georgia, to the Antarctic Peninsula and across the Drake Passage back to Ushuaia. She is currently in the middle of her second voyage back down to Antarctica. Robin will remain in Antarctica until early Jan when she will return to Cairns for a brief stop over before joining a similar ship in the Indian Ocean to take the same message of environmental and marine conservation to the islands around the Seychelles, Madagascar and East Africa.

This year Passions has raised five thousand dollars.

Passions want to thank each and every one of its passengers who has contributed to this amazing accomplishment by buying a t-shirt from us. If you are interested in purchasing one of our t-shirts and helping us save sharks, please contact us.

Tuesday's event, held where Captain James Cook beached his damaged ship Endeavour in 1770 and later made peace with local Aborigines, carried a reconciliation message and provided the opportunity to reflect ahead of next week's Australia Day festivities.

In Cooktown, Gilchrist also made time to learn about local culture and visit Aboriginal rock art with an elder, Willie Gordon.

Gilchrist described it as a moving experience that had also shown him how little he knew about indigenous culture.