40 km north of Mossman. This is a spectacularly beautiful stretch of mountainous coast, where the rainforest runs down to the sea. Until recently it was home only to colourful but backward tribespeople who showed no sign of being able to cope with the 20thC.

This is an especially beautiful stretch of mountainous coast, where the rainforest runs down to the sea. Despite a waning Aborigine population, the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people are the Traditional Owners of this World-Heritage protected rainforest, and many of its natural features still have spiritual significance for them.

Unlike other tourist stops along the Queensland coast, Cape Tribulation is still an off the beaten path destination. The last road bridge was built in 2011, creating year round all weather access to a small number of unique rainforest bed and breakfasts, eco-lodges and backpacker hostels.

The region is crossed by unsurfaced roads and tracks, which are well worth exploring. There are also some superb (and not always strenuous) walks through the rainforest – which has been growing uninterrupted in this region for more than 120 million years. These are signposted off the main track. The best is the one to the Cape itself.

The Cape and surrounding area comprise the eastern section of Daintree National Park (www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/daintree). This is entered via Cape Tribulation Road, which splits off the Mossman-Daintree road 3 km south of the Daintree Rivers. One of the most biologically diverse areas in the world, the region is renowned for its rare and exotic wildlife, including the secretive tree kangaroo and very rare plants that cannot be found anywhere else on Earth.