Easter is only a few days away so here are our trading hours during this period.

Thursday 29th March     8am - 5pm
Friday 30th March     8am - 7pm
Saturday 31st March     8am - 7pm
Sunday 1st April     8am - 7pm**
Monday 2nd April     8am - 2pm

**Sunday night between 5.30pm and 7pm we will be serving delicious roast pork with vegetables, gravy and apple sauce.
Please call 4068 8248  to make a booking to eat in or takeaway.

In evolutionary terms, the flightless birds, or ratites, were some of the earliest types of birds to develop. Some still exist today including the emu, rheas, kiwis and the ostrich.  But several have become extinct in recent times including the Moas of New Zealand and the Elephant Bird of Madagascar.  Some of these primitive birds are recognised as such because they have feathers which are not structured for aerodynamic flight. One of the most striking features about the cassowary is its long and unusual black feathers.  Cassowary feathers differ from other birds in that they have a quill that splits in two.

Cassowaries are Gondwanan in origin and were concentrated in the small part of the super continent that later broke apart and became the present areas of Northern Australia, Papua New Guinea and some of the eastern island groups of Indonesia. 

Two separate populations of Australian cassowary exist - one in the Wet Tropics area from Mt Halifax/Paluma through to Cooktown and the other on Cape York Peninsula in the McIlwraith and Iron Ranges, Jardine River area and the Eastern Dunes. The Australian cassowary is called the Southern Cassowary or sometimes the Double-wattled Cassowary. Once you realise that this species is also found in Papua New Guinea along with two more species and several subspecies, then it becomes clear why ours is called the Southern Cassowary. 

A Cassowary is a solitary animal and when it is a sub-adult, it is banished from the home range of its father. The young animal wanders off to find its own future patch of habitat. It finds a part of the forest where it can coexist with  the resident adult cassowaries and starts learning its way around.

This is a vulnerable time for the maturing Cassowary.  

Dogs can easily chase it down and kill it; an adult Cassowary already  resident in  that forest can attack it and perhaps the young Cassowary may not be able to find sufficient food in a foreign area where it is disoriented.
Once the Cassowary has established its home range, it moves regularly through that range which can be quite large. Some of the Daintree animals have a home range of roughly 7 square km. The shape and area of the range changes depending on food and the annual breeding season (courting starts in May/June). Home ranges are not necessarily clearly defined and defended territories - they can overlap.  Females tend to have overlapping ranges with several males.

On the Tablelands where the habitat is mainly rainforest, the ranges are larger. This increased range leads to fewer interactions between birds.
 
The female Cassowary has turned the tables on what is mostly a maternal social structure in the animal world. The males incubate the eggs and raise the chicks. Once a clutch of eggs is laid, the female will seek out other males with which to mate. For each male that she finds, she will provide a clutch of eggs (usually 3 to 5) for him to nurture.

 

Situated midway between Cairns and Townsville, Dunk Island is located roughly 4km off the mainland Tropical North Queensland coast. The largest of the Family National Park islands, Dunk was originally named ‘coonanglebah’ by its aboriginal inhabitants meaning ‘Island of Peace and Plenty’. With more than 75% of Dunk Island made up of National Park, it still lives up to this name today.

Characterised by lush rainforest, Dunk Island’s dense flora and fauna is home to a wide range of wildlife including the famous blue Ulysses butterfly and more than 150 bird species including vulnerable and rare seabirds. A range of reptiles also call Dunk Island home including skinks, geckos, tree snakes and pythons while a vast range of marine life can be found in the reefs that fringe the island including fish, shellfish, dugongs, sea turtles and colourful corals.

With much natural landscape to enjoy, Dunk Island is a tropical haven for water sports and activities. From the palm-fringed beaches to the dense rainforest, there is an attraction to suit everyone. The Great Barrier Reef is just minutes away and the island’s National Park offers a fascinating playground just begging to be explored and enjoyed.

Dunk Island offers so much to discover right on your doorstep making it difficult to decide how to spend your time. Why not  stroll through the rainforest or snorkel in the shallows? However if you’re after a more relaxed pace, a picnic on the beach is an ideal experience and offers amazing views of the beaches and distant islands.

However you choose to spend your time on Dunk Island, you can be sure that this picturesque holiday destination won’t disappoint and it's  conveniently located close to the mainland, 

​Source:   Dunk Island
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Est in 1927, this classic Pub has all that you would want. Great meals - steak and seafood, Nth Qld Pubobilia on the walls to keep you interested for hours and has axe cut wooden beams and poles. It is one of the focal points of the area and is often visited by history buffs wanting to find the origin of the name “El Arish”.

El Arish the town, (pronounced El-A-rīsh) is nestled in the Mission Beach hinterland just off the Bruce Highway between Tully in the south and Innisfail in the north.  It is surrounded by rainforest, cane paddocks, banana farms and beautiful scenery.  
Mission Beach, Kurrimine Beach and Dunk Island are right on the door-step.

It has a tiny population (around 270) but many of the families still living in El Arish and surrounds have ancestors that came to this Soldier Settlement when it was established under "The Returned Soldiers Settlement Act of 1917". Under the Act the area was first called "The Maria Creek Soldiers' Settlement" at El Arish and was established on the 1st August 1920.

In the First World War a battle was fought at Arish on the Sinai Peninsula in 1916.   This was a significant battle with the combined British, Australian and New Zealand forces securing El Arish in December 1916, and thus successfully clearing the whole of the Sinai Peninsula of Turkish forces.  Francis Paxton Martin served in Palestine and on his return he was the supervisor of the Maria Creek soldier settlement, and he later named the town El Arish presumably in memory of that battle.
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The town of Arish (Sinai) is by a big wadi, the Wadi Al Arish, which receives flash flood water from much of north - not unlike our town of El Arish.  Arish is the capital and largest city  of the Egyptian governorate of North Sinai, as well as the largest city on the entire Sinai Peninsula, lying on the Mediterranean coast of the Sinai peninsula, 344 kilometers (214 mi) northeast of Cairo. Arish is distinguished by its clear blue water, widespread fruitful palmy wood on its coast, and its soft white sand.  

The Kennedy Walking Track is something you must do and there is parking at the South Mission Beach boat ramp at the southern end of South Mission Beach (Kennedy Esplanade).

This popular coastal trail is an enjoyable and picturesque 4km (one way) route that includes beach and forest walking as well as island views. The track cuts through a wide variety of coastal rainforests to get to beaches and rocky headlands. It offers great views of the Family Group of Islands and the chance to see cassowaries, wallabies and other rainforest animals.

Peer down into the ocean from lookout points to spot turtles, dugongs and dolphins. The Kennedy Walking Track takes you from South Mission to Kennedy Bay, past the landing place of 1840 explorer Edmund Beasley Court Kennedy.

If you have the time you can then walk the length of Kennedy Bay along the beach to finish at the Hull River. The communities of Hull and Tully Heads are on the other side. Return is via the same pathway.

​This trail is suitable for a wide range of walkers, although the second half includes more stairs and a bit of rock-hopping. There is a wide boardwalk to the first beach, known as  Lover's Beach.

Come and stay with us during the month of November and save on our caravan and camping site rates.

Powered sites  $30 per night

Unpowered sites  $28 per night

We're only metres away from pristine beaches looking straight at Dunk Island, so come and relax or explore all the wonderful features to be found on the Cassowary Coast.

Paronella Park is a 45 minute drive north from Dunk Island View Caravan Park and is well worth the visit. Set in the rainforest next to Mena Falls, it is a testament to one man's dream which can still be enjoyed today.

It's on 13 acres and boasts a castle, picnic areas lakeside, tunnels, bridges, a majestic staircase and remnants of a once used tennis court. Over 7000 trees were planted including a magnificent avenue of Kauri trees which reach high into the sky.

This amazing park was started by Jose Paronella in 1929 and the first thing he built was the 47 step stone  staircase to move materials between the lower and upper levels. The inspiration for the castle came from childhood memories of Catalonian castles, and he and his work crew, designed an entertainment area. It was a movie theatre which was transformed into a ballroom at the weekend. It was known to feature live bands and a massive mirror ball hung from the ceiling.

Unfortunately in 1979 a fire swept through the castle and left only the walls and turrets. The magnificent ballroom was gone and only the shell remains today.

The story of Jose Paronella, his wife Margarita, daughter Teresa and son Joe is a fascinating and somewhat tragic tale, and taking a tour with a guide, gives you some idea of what they went through to build and maintain their dream.

I'll definitely go back to learn more about this wonderful family and explore areas that were missed today.

We have started the very popular Monday Night roast at Dunk Island View Cafe once again.

We will rotate between lamb and pork and each meal comes with roast potatoes, pumpkin, cauliflower with cheese sauce, carrots,  peas and gravy along with either mint sauce for lamb or apple sauce for pork.

BYO wine and we will supply the glasses.

We will also have dessert available to purchase separately.

Come and sit outside in the balmy weather and enjoy your meal. We also offer takeaway roast dinners. 

The price is $15 for adults and $8 for children 5 to 15 years old. Under 5 is FOC.

​Book a table or order takeaway by calling 4068 8248 or leave details at reception.

One question we get asked a lot is whether or not we are pet friendly. We certainly are and we welcome pets in our caravan and camping sites.  We do not, however, allow pets in our 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom units. 

You can take your dogs for a walk on the beach, which is just across the road, and they love the freedom of being let off their leash to splash about in the water. It's also good exercise for Mum and Dad!

We even provide water for your pets when you come to our cafe for a bite to eat. As long as they are kept on a leash you are more than welcome to bring them with you.

As Managers of the park, Graham and I don't have a dog, but we certainly make up for it by patting as many dogs as we can throughout the day.

Come and join us in Mission Beach and bring your best friend with you to enjoy everything we have to offer!

I recently  took a day trip to Dunk Island with a couple of friends. This was our first time there and being so close to  where the water taxi leaves  Mission beach is an added bonus.

It takes approximately 10 minutes to get there and the boat ride over and back is a very pleasant experience. Once you arrive you virtually have the island to yourself because not too many people are allowed on the island at one time. The first thing you notice is the peace and quiet with only the occasional bird call.

We first explored Muggy Muggy Beach and there's a beautiful patch of rainforest you walk through to get there. On the way we passed the ruins of the Dunk Island Resort which was damaged during cyclone Yasi in 2011. It was so sad to see what once would have been a luxurious resort now standing empty.

Muggy Muggy has lots of shells and different shape rocks to discover and if you're adventurous you can climb to the top of Mt. Kootaloo for some of the best views of surrounding islands and the mainland. The image above was taken from the mountain looking at Mission Beach on the mainland.

On the other side of the island there is a long stretch of sandy beach  which ends at the spit.  There is a cafe but  it   only opens at the weekend so if you decide to go there, take your own food and water.  There are a couple of picnic areas for you to enjoy your lunch and soak up the atmosphere.