Blog Archives

Day hikes in Lake St Clair

There is a good range of hiking trails in the southern – Lake St Clair – part of the national park. These include the Watersmeet walk (1 hour), which is noted for its wildflowers that bloom in springtime. It is possible to continue on along the Platypus Bay track and the Woodland Naturewalk (1½ hours).

Deep Sea Divers Den dive courses

Deep Sea Divers Den is one of several companies in Cairns that offer scuba dive courses. These dive courses include several dives on the reef and upon completion give you PADI certification, which is essential for diving on the reef.

Like other dive schools in Cairns, Deep Sea Divers Den has several different courses but the open water courses are the most popular; these courses combine theory and pool dives with a couple of dives on the Great Barrier Reef. Open water PADI courses generally run over four to five days, the cheaper courses involve daily trips out to the reef and the more expensive course include accommodation aboard a boat on the reef.

You can still dive without PADI certification, but this will involve doing an introductory dive as part of a day trip to the reef. An introductory dive is a good way to find out whether diving is for you.

Diamond Tree

The Diamond Tree is a giant tree with a wooden viewing platform 52m above the ground and it was used as a fire lookout between the 1940s and the 1970s. The tree is still occasionally used by officials from the Department of Environment & Conservation, but it is also open to visitors who want to climb up for a look.

Discovery Bay (Whale World)

Albany was home to the Cheynes Beach Whaling Company, Australia’s last whaling station, which ceased business as recently as 1978. The old whaling station has now been turned into the country’s largest whaling museum. Discovery Bay (formerly known as Whale World) features exhibits about whaling, displays of enormous whale skeletons and theatres converted from three whale oil storage tanks. There are two guided tours a day that show you things that aren’t on display in the museum.

Domino's Pizza (Airlie Beach)

There is good pizza in Airlie Beach. Often, Beagle Pizza (293 Shute Harbour Road, Airlie Beach) and the pizza restaurant in Magnum’s (Shute Harbour Road, Airlie Beach) compete with Domino’s (Shute Harbour Road, Airlie Beach) by offering huge bargains. Walk through town and check them all out, it only takes a few minutes.