10 of the best Port Douglas tours - Australian Traveller

Make the most of your time between the rainforest and the reef with these top tours to book in Port Douglas, Queensland.

An hour north of Cairns and a lifetime from worry, the seaside Queensland haven of Port Douglas is perfectly positioned to make the most of the two World Heritage sites that cocoon it: the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. From First Nations walking adventures to coral-chasing sailing trips, these Port Douglas tours are the best ways to experience all parts of this bustling tropical destination.

1. Dreamtime Tour, Mossman Gorge

a Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk with a local Elder, Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre, Port Douglas tours — Embark on a Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk with local Elders. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Meet your Kuku Yalanji guide at the Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre (where there is, pro-tip, a wonderful gift shop and cafe on site that support and train the students of the onsite National Indigenous Training Academy) before embarking on a Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk with local Elders and a maximum of 14 other guests. Following a welcoming smoking ceremony, you’ll be guided on private walking tracks that loop around sacred sites and glorious rainforest, learning about native foods, toxic plants and the sacred Indigenous history of this exceptional ancient rainforest. Your ticket includes free access to the Mossman Gorge shuttle bus service, which recently added two electric buses, minimising the impact on the community that lives within the rainforest.

From $100 per adult.

2. Hook-a-Barra farm tour

a couple fishing in the Daintree, Hook-a-Barra farm tour, Port Douglas — Cast a line and hook a barramundi.

Fancy catching a barramundi at the base of the Daintree Rainforest? At Hook-A-Barra in Wonga Beach, a 30-minute drive north of Port Douglas, you can pick up a rod and fish for these commanding saltwater fish, which are grown from tiny fingerlings into specimens upwards of a metre long. Each pond contains fish of a different age, and each pond is filled with saltwater direct from the Daintree River, ensuring the barramundi get the same nutrients they’d get in the wild (and then some). An on-farm tour includes visiting the different nurseries, feeding fish, throwing in a line or two and learning from the farmers, then topping it all off with a tasting platter of barramundi four ways, including buttery sashimi. Harvest is done on a Wednesday and packing on a Thursday, so book accordingly to see the team in action as they bring in and pack fresh barramundi for dispatch around the country.

From $67 for adults. 

3. Australian Chocolate Company farm tour

It’s a full-circle operation at this family-run cocoa plantation , a 15-minute drive from Port Douglas. Beyond the cafe and chocolate shop at the front is a four-acre farm that’s best experienced on a guided tour that dives into the process of how cocoa is grown, harvested, processed and turned into the chocolate bars we know and love. It also includes a tasting experience alongside a hot or cold cocoa beverage, so you can pick your favourite flavour before investing in a bar of dark chocolate tinted with lemon myrtle or kakadu plum-spiked white chocolate.

From $55 per adult. 

4. Sailaway Low Isles

the Low Isles Great Barrier Reef as seen from above — Set sail in a luxury catamaran to the Low Isles. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Experience the inner pockets of the Great Barrier Reef on these eco-conscious sailing tours , which take small groups of travellers out to the Low Isles – 15 kilometres offshore – in a luxury catamaran. When the wind picks up, the adventure does too, with the boat bobbing and bucking over waves and the sea salt spraying in the breeze. Meals, snacks and drinks are included, as well as a guided snorkel tour with a marine biologist, a journey out to the snorkel site in an electric-powered glass bottom boat, a guided history tour on the island and sundowners on the journey back. Spy the green sea turtles and Hawksbill turtles that frequent this part of the world, and the juvenile reef sharks that keep them company.

From $343 per person.

5. Shaolin Seafood Cruise

Held on a traditional Chinese junk boat designed and built in Hong Kong by an American sailor and his librarian wife in the late 1960s, this off-beat tour is intimate, quirky and deeply unique, offering exploration with a side of history and seafood snacking. Running as a charter boat in Port Douglas since the 1980s, the timber vessel is perfect for the leisurely 90-minute lunch cruise, which heads out to the sea and then wraps back in through Packers Creek on the lookout for crocodiles. Along the way, guests are treated to a glass of sparkling, an entree of spring rolls – barramundi in one, croc in the other – and a plate of freshly caught local prawns with buttered bread.

From $75 per adult.

6. Forever Reef Project site tour

The world's first coral biobank — See the world’s first biobank on a 45-minute tour with a marine biologist.

Hidden in an unassuming spot at the Crystalbrook Marina in downtown Port Douglas, this epic coral-centric centre is slowly but surely collecting and cataloguing 417 species of coral endemic to the Great Barrier Reef. (The team aim to open three more reef hubs across Australia by 2026, and one in Cairns by the end of the year.) Book in for a 45-minute tour with an on-site marine biologist and learn about how this world-first biobank is helping to future-proof reefs around the globe, donning special UV-blocking glasses to see the full spectrum of colour emitted by the soft and hard corals in the on-site nursery.

From $35.

7. Back Country Bliss River Drift

river sleds floating along the Daintree River, Back Country Bliss — Drift along the Daintree River on a river sled. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland)

The sweet serenade of Mossman River water gurgling over ancient stone boulders is a constant soundtrack on this immersive two-hour outdoor experience , which takes small groups of guests out to the sandy riverbanks – ecological insights included – beneath the rainforest canopy in pursuit of the gentle rapids that will deliver the ultimate relaxation experience. Your raft and a wetsuit are provided, and the crew will take the pictures, so you can focus on making the most of the otherworldly quiet, navigating the underwater gems, and letting the soothing current be your core focus.

From $145 per adult.

8. Walkabout Cultural Adventures

Local Aboriginal guides share their cultural connection on a Daintree tour with Walkabout Cultural Adventures. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland)

The day-long adventures hosted by Walkabout Cultural Adventures , founded by Kuku Yalanji man and Mossman local Juan Walker, are never short of educational, inspiring and fun activities that truly epitomise the heart of this exceptional region: where the rainforest meets the sea. The Daintree-focused Ngana Julaymba Dungay tour can be enjoyed as a full-day or half-day experience and includes lunch and morning tea, exploration of coastal habitats, a guided walk through Mossman Gorge and hands-on lessons about bush tucker and native produce. Transfers from Port Douglas – and delectable snacks of fresh homemade damper with golden syrup – are included in the ticket price.

From $190 per person.

9. Hook Up Fishing Charter

If fishing is your passion, the rainforest estuaries and pristine coastal environment surrounding Port Douglas are perfect for experienced anglers and amateur fisherfolk alike. The private Hook Up charters – which take place on a custom seven-metre boat owned by a fisherman with more than 25 years of charter and commercial fishing experience – target coral trout, Spanish mackerel, giant trevally, nannygai and others on half-day or full-day tours. Prices are fixed for private charters, whether you’re a party of one or a group of five, but shared charters offer access for a cheaper rate – and the chance to meet other passionate anglers to boot.

From $168 for shared charter.

10. Hartley’s Wildlife Adventures

a huge saltwater getting fed in the Daintree, Hartley’s Wildlife Adventures, Port Douglas tours — See saltwater crocodiles up close in the Daintree. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Saltwater crocodiles have called the Daintree home for an estimated 200 million years and have been known to frequent some of the region’s popular golf courses more recently, too. Spot them at this crocodile farm and wildlife conservation hotspot , 30 minutes south of Port Douglas by car. Your ticket price includes access to interactive displays, wildlife presentations (including snake shows and crocodile feeding exhibitions), a 20-minute boat ride on the melaleuca wetland lagoon to spot crocodiles in real time, and endless walks around 2500 metres of trails through the 10-hectare property. There are also farm tours twice a day (included in your ticket price) that give a behind-the-scenes look at the on-site ranching and captive breeding program of crocodilians.

From $48 per adult.

Discover the best places to stay while you’re in Port Douglas.

Under wide-open outback skies, discover a fossicking gem that’s managed to slip under the radar.

While the name Clermont may feel new to even the most intrepid traveller, its gilded history stretches back centuries. You’ll find it just off the highway, humming quietly under the hazy veil of Queensland’s outback sun. It’s here, hemmed in by mountains and perched atop soil heavy with the earth’s treasures, that one of Australia’s most accessible outback adventures awaits.

Thanks to deposits of gold, copper and gemstones – souvenirs left by exploding supernovas and the heave of tectonic plates – Clermont became a centre point of Queensland’s Gold Rush. And now? Australia’s fossicking capital is yours to discover.

Getting there

car driving along Capricorn Way in queensland — Take a drive through Queensland’s Mackay Isaac region. (Image: Sean Scott/ TEQ)

You’ll find Clermont in Queensland’s Mackay Isaac region. To get here, it’s an easy three-hour drive over sealed roads from Mackay. Or, if you’re heading from the Sapphire Fields of Emerald, the drive will carve out just over an hour from your day.

Whether you’re road-tripping through outback Queensland or just tracing your way through all that Australia has to offer, Clermont is remote but easily accessible.

Best accommodation in Clermont

Theresa CreekDam in clermont — Camp by Theresa Creek Dam. (Image: Riptide Creative/ TEQ)

All accommodation comes with a generous helping of country hospitality here. The choice is yours between modern hotels, parking up the camper or pitching a tent.

Theresa Creek Dam lies just outside town. Begin each day with crisp country air and bright outback sunrises. Spend the night under the sparkling country stars and your days out on the dam fishing or kayaking. Even if you aren’t camping, be sure to save space in your itinerary for an afternoon on the red dirt shore.

To stay closer to town, opt for a central hotel to base yourself between exploring and fossicking, like Smart Stayzzz Inn and Clermont Country Motor Inn .

Things to do in Clermont

three people on a tour with Golden Prospecting — Join a tour with Golden Prospecting.

One does not visit Clermont without trying their hand at fossicking. There are strict rules when it comes to fossicking, so stick to areas dedicated for general permission and make sure you obtain your license beforehand. Try your luck at McMasters , Four Mile , Town Desert, McDonald Flat and Flat Diggings . To increase your odds, sign on for a tour with the expert team at Golden Prospecting . They’ll give you access to exclusive plots and expert advice along the way.

Once you’ve tried your luck on the gold fields, head to the Clermont Township and Historical Museum . Each exhibit works like an archaeologist’s brush to dust away the layers of Clermont’s history. Like the steam engine that painstakingly relocated the entire town inch by inch to higher ground after it was decimated by flooding in 1916. See the tools that helped build the Blair Athol mine, historic fire engines, shearing sheds and all sorts of relics that make up Clermont’s story.

The historic Copperfield Chimney offers a change of pace. Legend has it that fossickers found a solid wall of copper here, over three metres high, kick-starting Queensland’s first-ever copper mine.

Bush Heli Services flying over clermont queensland — See Clermont from above with Bush Heli Services. (Image: Riptide Creative/ TEQ)

For hiking, nearby Dysart is the best place to access Peak Range National Park. Here, mountainous horizons stretch across the outback as if plucked from another world. Set off for a scenic drive along the Peak Downs Highway for access to countless geological wonders. Like the slanting rockface of Wolfang Peak. Summit it, and you’ll find yourself looking out across a scene surely conjured up by Banjo Paterson. Dry scrub dancing in the warm breeze, grazing cattle, eucalypts and the gentle creak of windmills. Don’t miss visiting Gemini Peaks, either, for one of the park’s best vistas, and a blanket of wild flowers after rain.

Then, take to the skies with a scenic helicopter tour with Bush Heli-Services . Shift your perspective and cruise above all the sights from your trip. Spots like Lords Table Mountain and Campbell’s Peak are best viewed from the skies.

Before you head home, be sure to explore the neighbouring townships. Spend a lazy afternoon in the shade of Nebo Hotel’s wrap-around verandahs . The hotel’s 1900s dance hall has since been replaced with one of the area’s biggest rodeo arenas, so consider timing your trip to line up with a boot scootin’ rodeo. Or, stop by a ghost town. Mount Britton was once a thriving town during the 1880s Gold Rush. It’s been totally abandoned and now lies untouched, a perfect relic of the Gold Rush.

Best restaurants and cafes in Clermont

meal at Commercial Hotel — Stop into the Commercial Hotel Clermont.

Days spent fossicking, bushwalking and cramming on history call for excellent coffee and hearty country meals. Luckily, Clermont delivers in spades.

Lotta Lattes Cafe is beloved by locals for a reason. Start your days here for the best caffeine fix in town and an impeccable brunch menu.

For a real country meal, an icy cold beer and that famed country hospitality, head straight to the town’s iconic hotel: the Commercial Hotel (known endearingly to locals as ‘The Commie’). It’s been a staple in Clermont since 1877. The hotel even survived the flood of 1916 when it was sawn in two and moved to higher ground.

Naturally, time spent in the outback must include calling into the local bakery. For delicious pies and a tantalising array of sweet treats, make Bluemac Bakehouse your go-to while in town.

Discover more of The Mackay Isaac region, and start planning your trip at mackayisaac.com.

10 of the best tours in Port Douglas