Daintree River
Encyclopedia
The Daintree River runs through the Daintree Rainforest
in the Cape Tribulation
region of Queensland
in northern Australia
. It is located about 100 kilometres northwest of Cairns in far north tropical Queensland and drains an area of 2,125 square kilometres. The river, along with the Daintree Rainforest encircled by it was given Wet Tropics Word Heritage Listing in 1988. The area is now primarily a tourist attraction
.
People are drawn to the area for its ancient vegetation, scenic surroundings and the vast array of native wildlife and plant matter that inhabit the area. Currently there is no bridge to enable crossing the river, so access is limited to the Daintree River Ferry
, a commercial ferry that transverses the river for the purpose of tourism. Other features that surround the river include Black Mountain
, Daintree Range
, Thornton Peak
and the Cape Tribulation Rainforest. The Daintree River is home to a dazzling array of tropical life. It supports saltwater and freshwater marine life, including the saltwater crocodile
. The mouth of the Daintree River opens onto a giant sandbar that shifts with each changing tide. The river winds through thick mangrove
swamps where the water remains very salty. As it progresses through the rainforest, the water turns fresh. At this convergence point, an abundance of wildlife
congregate, particularly fish.
. The Daintree River was first discovered in 1873 after European
s were attracted to nearby regions due to its vast natural reserves of gold
. The river was discovered by George Elphinstone Dalrymple, who was the Queensland Gold Commissioner on the Gilbert gold field at that time. He named the river after Richard Daintree
, who was an English geologist
and the Agent-General for Queensland in London.
levels swamped roads and properties throughout the Daintree region. Statistics gathered at the time recorded 606 millimetres of rain
falling in 24 hours.
In 2011 two new causeways were completed over Cape Tribulation Road, making the drive mostly floodproof in all but the most severe rain events. In particular, the notorious bottleneck at Cooper Creek was raised three metres.
, an indigenous tribe once inhabited the regions surrounded by the Daintree River. The tribe were hunter-gatherers that lived in groups of eight to twelve, camped along the banks of the river. They lived on a staple diet that included the vegetation from the forest surrounding the Daintree and practiced a culture unique to Indigenous tribes in Australia. It has been estimated that the tribe resided on the banks of the Daintree river for over 9,000 years.
, and its relatives are still found in parts of the Pacific and south-east Asia.
Of the five species of ringtail possum found in north Queensland rainforests, the Daintree River Ringtail Possum (Pseudochirulus cinereus) is almost wholly restricted to the Daintree catchment. Within the park, this species is found only in upland rainforest on Thornton Peak and the upper reaches of the Daintree and Mossman Rivers. Once considered a light-coloured form of the Herbert River Ringtail Possum
, commonly found throughout the Atherton Tablelands, it was described as a distinct species in 1989. Black and white Striped Possum
s (Dactylopsila trivirgata) are quite common throughout the park, particularly in the coastal lowlands north of the Daintree River, although to see one while spotlighting requires a mixture of luck and know-how.
Due to the river's isolation saltwater crocodiles have flourished in recent years. There have been numerous reports of deaths in the Daintree River from crocodile attacks, so it is important not to step close to the riverbank and absolutely never swim in the river.
Daintree Rainforest
The Daintree Rainforest is a tropical rainforest on the north east coast of Queensland, Australia, north of Mossman and Cairns. At around 1200 square kilometres the Daintree is the largest continuous area of tropical rainforest on the Australian continent...
in the Cape Tribulation
Cape Tribulation
Cape Tribulation is a headland and locality in northern Queensland, Australia north of Cairns. It is located within the Daintree National Park and the Wet Tropics World Heritage area. At the 2006 census, Cape Tribulation had a population of 101....
region of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
in northern Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is located about 100 kilometres northwest of Cairns in far north tropical Queensland and drains an area of 2,125 square kilometres. The river, along with the Daintree Rainforest encircled by it was given Wet Tropics Word Heritage Listing in 1988. The area is now primarily a tourist attraction
Tourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities....
.
Attraction
Daintree River Ferry
The Daintree River Ferry is a cable ferry across the Daintree River in Queensland, Australia. The ferry is situated some north of Port Douglas, and gives access to the northern section of the Daintree National Park and to Cape Tribulation...
, a commercial ferry that transverses the river for the purpose of tourism. Other features that surround the river include Black Mountain
Black Mountain National Park
Black Mountain National Park is a 781 hectare protected area in the Queensland, , 25 km south west of Cooktown. It is managed and protected as a national park under the Nature Conservation Act 1992....
, Daintree Range
Daintree Rainforest
The Daintree Rainforest is a tropical rainforest on the north east coast of Queensland, Australia, north of Mossman and Cairns. At around 1200 square kilometres the Daintree is the largest continuous area of tropical rainforest on the Australian continent...
, Thornton Peak
Thornton Peak
Thornton Peak is a prominent mountain that rises above the Daintree Rainforest to a height of 1374 m. The mountain is located about 32 km northwest of Cairns within the catchment of the Daintree River....
and the Cape Tribulation Rainforest. The Daintree River is home to a dazzling array of tropical life. It supports saltwater and freshwater marine life, including the saltwater crocodile
Saltwater Crocodile
The saltwater crocodile, also known as estuarine or Indo-Pacific crocodile, is the largest of all living reptiles...
. The mouth of the Daintree River opens onto a giant sandbar that shifts with each changing tide. The river winds through thick mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
swamps where the water remains very salty. As it progresses through the rainforest, the water turns fresh. At this convergence point, an abundance of wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
congregate, particularly fish.
History
Due to the ever-shifting deep centre of the sandbar, entering the Daintree River has always been a problem for ship captains. The area was missed by Captain Cook when passing in the voyage where his ship was wrecked on the Great Barrier ReefGreat Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world'slargest reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres over an area of approximately...
. The Daintree River was first discovered in 1873 after European
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
s were attracted to nearby regions due to its vast natural reserves of gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
. The river was discovered by George Elphinstone Dalrymple, who was the Queensland Gold Commissioner on the Gilbert gold field at that time. He named the river after Richard Daintree
Richard Daintree
Richard Daintree was a pioneering Australian geologist and photographer. In particular, Daintree was the first Government geologist for North Queensland discovering gold fields and coal seams for future exploitation...
, who was an English geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
and the Agent-General for Queensland in London.
World Heritage listing
World Heritage Wet Tropic Listing was given to the river in recognition of "its outstanding natural universal value as an outstanding example representing; the major stages of Earths evolutionary history, significant ongoing ecological and biological processes, superlative natural phenomena and as containing important and significant habitats for in situ conservation of biological diversity. The river is part of a much larger region in Northern Queensland encompassing 894,000 hectres.Flooding
The river is surrounded by mountains and deep valleys. Combined with the climatic conditions of the area the river is prone to quickly developing floods with little warning due to the high rainfalls on the 1000 metre high mountain ranges around the catchment and the influence of the cyclonic forces in the adjacent Coral Sea. In March 1996, record floodFlood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
levels swamped roads and properties throughout the Daintree region. Statistics gathered at the time recorded 606 millimetres of rain
Rain
Rain is liquid precipitation, as opposed to non-liquid kinds of precipitation such as snow, hail and sleet. Rain requires the presence of a thick layer of the atmosphere to have temperatures above the melting point of water near and above the Earth's surface...
falling in 24 hours.
In 2011 two new causeways were completed over Cape Tribulation Road, making the drive mostly floodproof in all but the most severe rain events. In particular, the notorious bottleneck at Cooper Creek was raised three metres.
Indigenous population
The Kuku YulanjiKuku Yulanji
The Kuku Yalanji are an Indigenous Australian group originating from the rainforest regions of Far North Queensland. They are also known as the "Rainforest People". Kuku Yalanji also lived in coastal and riverine regions with territory from Port Douglas in the south, Cooktown in the north,...
, an indigenous tribe once inhabited the regions surrounded by the Daintree River. The tribe were hunter-gatherers that lived in groups of eight to twelve, camped along the banks of the river. They lived on a staple diet that included the vegetation from the forest surrounding the Daintree and practiced a culture unique to Indigenous tribes in Australia. It has been estimated that the tribe resided on the banks of the Daintree river for over 9,000 years.
Ancient flora and fauna
The river and its surroundings are home to some of the most primitive forms of animal and plant life in the world. The surrounding mountains and valleys provided protection from the forces to adapt to climate change by sheltering several species of plants. A notable example is the primitive She-oak Gymnostoma australianum. This pine-like tree is the only remaining species in the Gymnostoma group of plants in Australia, and is now restricted to very isolated pockets north of the Daintree River. The genus was once widespread throughout GondwanaGondwana
In paleogeography, Gondwana , originally Gondwanaland, was the southernmost of two supercontinents that later became parts of the Pangaea supercontinent. It existed from approximately 510 to 180 million years ago . Gondwana is believed to have sutured between ca. 570 and 510 Mya,...
, and its relatives are still found in parts of the Pacific and south-east Asia.
Of the five species of ringtail possum found in north Queensland rainforests, the Daintree River Ringtail Possum (Pseudochirulus cinereus) is almost wholly restricted to the Daintree catchment. Within the park, this species is found only in upland rainforest on Thornton Peak and the upper reaches of the Daintree and Mossman Rivers. Once considered a light-coloured form of the Herbert River Ringtail Possum
Herbert River Ringtail Possum
The Herbert River Ringtail Possum is a species of possum found in northeastern Queensland, Australia. It a dark brown to black species, sometimes with a white belly....
, commonly found throughout the Atherton Tablelands, it was described as a distinct species in 1989. Black and white Striped Possum
Striped Possum
The Striped Possum is a member of the Petauridae family, one of the marsupial families. The species is black with three white stripes running head to tail, and its head has white stripes that form a 'Y' shape...
s (Dactylopsila trivirgata) are quite common throughout the park, particularly in the coastal lowlands north of the Daintree River, although to see one while spotlighting requires a mixture of luck and know-how.
Due to the river's isolation saltwater crocodiles have flourished in recent years. There have been numerous reports of deaths in the Daintree River from crocodile attacks, so it is important not to step close to the riverbank and absolutely never swim in the river.