The Life That Thrives Along the Daintree River

The Life That Thrives Along the Daintree River

Written by: Cameron Ward

Published: 05/12/2015

Reading time: 2 mins

The Daintree River is an exquisite river that carves through the lush surroundings of the Daintree Rainforest in Queensland.

Situated around 100km northwest of Cairns, it boasts a tropical climate rich in vegetation and fauna. In 1988, UNESCO chose to add the river to the World Heritage List. Today it is a hugely popular tourist attraction.

Set amongst kilometres and kilometres of wet, tropical landscape, the Daintree River is a hive of animal and plant life. But it also harbours a fascinating history that weaves through the twists and turns of the scenery.

The Kuku Yulanji Tribe

The Daintree River holds a special place in Australia’s cultural history too. Kuku Yulanji are the Indigenous people from this area. They were hunter-gatherers who lived in small communities and camped along the banks of the river. They have clever methods of using all that the rainforest could provide them. Living in small groups of around ten people, they set up camp along the river and created recipes using the local wildlife.

You can learn more about the areas traditional owners on a cultural tour.

The Flora and Fauna of the Daintree River

The Daintree River and its surrounding landscape is known for having some of the most exciting and exotic species in the world. Thanks to its wet, tropical climate some incredible plants and animals thrive here. Surrounded by a mountainous horizon, animals flock here for shelter and protection.

You can find an abundance of unique plant life around the Daintree River. Look for She-Oak, the only remaining species of the Gymnostoma plant group in Australia. The plant only grows in tropical river banks around Australia. This isn’t an isolated case, either. In fact, there are a large amount of plant varieties that you can only see around the Daintree River.

Animal lovers will enjoy the landscape, too, which is home to a handful of quirky creatures. Look up for ringtail possums thriving amongst the dense vegetation and refreshing river scenery. This is the Herbert River ringtail possum, a species that was once extinct. However, were sighted in again in 1988 around the Daintree River.

You can also find a large number of saltwater crocodiles along the length of the river. So be sure to stay away from the banks and avoid swimming in the river at all costs.

Cameron Ward
Cameron Ward
Managing Director at Sightseeing Tours Australia

Cameron Ward turned his travel passion into a thriving Australian tourism business. Before he co-founded his own business, Sightseeing Tours Australia, he was enjoying being a Melbourne tour guide. Even now, Cameron delights in helping visitors from all around the world get the most out of their incredible Australian trip. You’ll see Cameron leading tours or writing about his favourite Australian places where he shares his local insights.