Free trips for locals a Daintree ferry-tale

FAR North Queenslanders will travel for free on the Daintree River ferry for the next four months as Douglas Shire Council encourages locals to get on-board.

The usual fee of $28 will be scrapped until February 28 for locals who live from Cardwell to Cooktown, including the Atherton Tablelands.

Private motorists can apply online to Douglas Shire Council for a Douglas Card, which gets them free return travel on the vehicle barge.

The cable-powered ferry near the end of the Daintree River is the only way to reach the region by road all year round and is the continuation of the Great Barrier Reef Drive — a 140km long road that stretches along the coastline from the Northern Beaches of Cairns to Cape Tribulation.

Tourism Port Douglas and Daintree executive officer Tara Bennett said the card was an incentive for local people to explore the Daintree Rainforest on their doorstep.

“Find out why David Attenborough called it the most extraordinary place on earth,” she said.

“The Daintree river and the ferry crossing is the gateway to the ancient forest, incredible wildlife and pristine landscapes that encompass two World Heritage Sites.

“While the Daintree is admired for its beauty and isolation it has incredible tourism infrastructure with more than 40 places to stay and a number of restaurants and cafes to choose from.”

Ms Bennett said visitors could zip-line, go croc spotting, take night bush walks or Great Barrier Reef trips “as well as just reveling in the lush rainforest and gorgeous coastline”.