Millions of coral on The Great Barrier Reef will release sperm and eggs into the water as part of the coral’s reproductive process. Eggs and sperm build up inside the coral polyps for months before the spawning but the coral needs to have a specific cue for them to be released simultaneously to increase the chances of survival. The full moon in November seems to be the trigger and coral spawning on The Great Barrier Reef generally occurs a few nights later.
Mass coral spawning on The Great Barrier Reef was first scientifically observed in 1981 and has continued to be the subject of international interest and research.

The coral spawning on the Great Barrier Reef is best observed at night time and it can be arranged for guests at Thala Beach Lodge to witness this amazing natural phenomenon.

Coral Spawning The Great Barrier Reef Australia 2011 orginally posted on Thala Beach Lodge

Osprey Takes Flight at Thala orginally posted on Thala Beach Lodge

“Just a truly wonderful experience! Suspended in clear deep- blue water, they eased themselves closer and closer on each pass. Such powerful and beautiful animals. Graceful, agile, well mannered and always they closed in with extraordinary gentleness.”

Twice they had very close approaches at less than a metre.

“Soon you feel as if you are swimming with old friends. Once they have your trust, some of the outgoing personalities put on personal displays raising their heads out of the water, pirouetting and seductively presenting their gorgeous white bellies.”

Rob ( nick named Mr Minke ) was the first person ever to record these astonishing animals after jumping into the ocean with them off the Great Barrier Reef in August 1981. Now enthusiastic researchers led by the lively Professor Alastair Birtles from James Cook University are collecting a wealth of data: It would appear these cetaceans are likely to be declared an entirely new species. They are recognized as the most colorful of all the baleen whales. Each animal has a unique pattern which researchers use to identify individuals. Some have been returning to the same area for many years.

“it was a magical moment in my life…. this time the raw emotions of that first encounter came flooding back. I know of no other wild animal that is so immediately and delightfully engaging. We have so much in common with them and we share a burning curiosity about each other”

“I tremble with revulsion when I think that these friendly whales may find themselves aligned with a harpoon. However, there is good news on this front. Alastair says there are many young Japanese taking an active interest in Dwarf Minke conservation so hopefully we are seeing a generational change in attitudes.”

Rob and Oonagh travelled with ‘Eye to Eye Encounters’ .

This is a joint research and ecotourism venture started and run by a dedicated local couple John and Linda Rumney. They coordinate the vessel, Elizabeth EII…great vessel great crew, the researchers from JCU led by Professor ‘Minke’ … Alastair Birtles and fare-paying passengers who share a common interest in whales. Having John and Alastair onboard sharing their knowledge added an extra rich dimension to the whole experience.

“It is brilliant and inspirational” Rob says

“If you get the chance to go don’t hesitate!” adds Oonagh

Checkout some of these photographs taken on the trip:

Eye to Eye with Dwarf Minke Whales orginally posted on Thala Beach Lodge

On the 12th November 2006 Scott Gardner observed a Blackspot Tuskfish using a rock as an anvil to open a cockle shell. Fragments of shell around the rock suggest it had been used a few times to crack open the hard shell so the fish could get to the food inside.

While reports of fish using rocks to assist in opening shells are not new – these photos are perhaps the first photographic evidence of this behaviour.

Jane Goodall is considered to be the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees and defines tool use as “the use of an external object as a functional extension of mouth or hand in the attainment of an immediate goal.”

While some people might debate the use of a rock by a fish to open a shell as ‘tool use’, as defined by Jane Goodall, the use of a rock as an anvil instead of a hammer may actually be a sign of intelligence as manipulating a hitting tool suspended in water would be less effective than an anvil.

However you look at it, we think it’s pretty neat!

If you’re looking to visit the reef during your stay at Thala Beach Lodge boats depart to The Great Barrier Reef from Port Douglas and Cairns daily and pickup from the resort. Contact us for more information.

Fish using tools on the Great Barrier Reef Australia orginally posted on Thala Beach Lodge

A Humpback Whale photographed on the Great Barrier Reef off Port Douglas Australia.

A group of Southern Humpback Whales migrate approximately 10000 kilometres each year from the Antarctic waters to the warm waters of the Great Barrier Reef Australia for mating and birthing. The whales give birth in the safe warm waters of the Great Barrier Reef because the baby humpback whales calves have little body fat and would not survive in the icy waters of the Antarctic. The whales tend to hang around for a couple of months before starting the journey back to Antarctic waters.

Humpback Whales Arrive at The Great Barrier Reef orginally posted on Thala Beach Lodge

The Cairns Airport Challenge Cairns Triathlon is offering $10000 Euro in prize money to lure athletes from all over the world and is the headline event for the Cairns Adventure Festival. Athletes will compete in the Cairns Airport Challenge Triathlon on the 5th June but the Cairns Adventure Festival starts on Sunday the 29th May. The Cairns Adventure Festival will incorporate The Coral Coast Triathlon at Port Douglas, Hekili Great Barrier Reef Ocean Challenge at Palm Cove and the RRR Mountain Bike Challenge at Mt Molloy. On the 2nd June swimmers will be competing in the Green Island Ocean swim and on the 3rd June runners will be lining up for the Cairns Post Run For Cairns Fun Run.

The Cairns Adventure Festival has an exciting range of events for the adventurers and athletes out there. The Cairns Adventure Festival will also be a great opportunity for sports enthusiasts to soak up the festive atmosphere and be spectators at a world class event in beautiful Tropical North Queensland. Either way Thala Beach Lodge is a great place to base yourself during the festival – whether you’re a competitor or a spectator.

Cairns Airport Challenge Cairns 2011 orginally posted on Thala Beach Lodge

If you missed the episode you can view it online here.

Here are a few of the featured coconut recipes from Thala’s Executive Chef Coby!

Kerala Prawns curry with dirty rice and mango lassi

Curry sauce

50ml coconut oil
½ tsp  black peppercorns ground
1 tsp  mustard seeds
1 tsp curry powder
20 curry leaves
2 red onions diced
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander seed ground
1 tsp chilli flakes
2  tomatoes finely diced
1 tsp salt
60ml tamarind paste
1 cup  fish stock
1 tin coconut milk
40 tiger prawns clean
3 handfuls spinach
½ bunch coriander to garnish

Heat oil and add peppercorns, mustard seeds sauté until start to pop add curry powder, curry leaves and onion then sauté until golden brown. Add coriander, turmeric, chilli flakes, diced tomato and salt and cook out until tomatoes are fully broken down. Add stock, tamarind and coconut milk and simmer. Keep reducing until right consistency. Adjust seasoning if needed.

Heat 30mls of coconut oil in a wok and add prawns and quickly stir fry. add curry sauce and spinach and simmer until prawns are cooked.

Coconut, ginger and lime syrup cake

190g  butter
3 cups desiccated coconut
½ cup sour cream
1 ½ cups caster sugar
4  eggs
1 cup SR flour
150g  glaze ginger chopped
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 lime zest and juice
Macadamia nuts chopped for the top
Beat butter and sugar until pale
Add eggs 1 at a time and beat well
Fold in coconut, flour, ginger, sour cream, coconut oil, lime juice and zest combine well
Pour into a lined cake tin and sprinkle with chopped macadamia nuts
Bake for 45 minutes on 160C (check with a skewer to make sure it is cooked in the middle)
Lime Syrup
440g  sugar
160ml water
320ml lime juice and zest
2 tbsp honey
1 vanilla bean
Bring all ingredients to the boil then simmer for 5 minutes.
Spoon syrup over cake to serve.

Coconut Chocolate

Ingredients are:
1/3 cup of coconut oil
1/3 cup of organic cocoa powder
2 eggs, separated
1/3 cup icing sugar
Desiccated coconut
In a mixing bowl, whisk egg whites until firm.
In a separate bowl, combine the coconut oil, cocoa powder & icing sugar. Blend until smooth, then add the egg yolks 1 at a time, stirring continuously.
Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
Once combined, spoon into a small glass container (roughly 10cmX10cm), that has been lined with cling wrap.
Sprinkle with desiccated coconut, gently patting it into the chocolate with your fingers.
Refrigerate for 2 hours to set, then cut into bite size pieces.

Thala Features in Coconut Oil Story orginally posted on Thala Beach Lodge

The Port Douglas markets happen every Sunday on the waterfront at Anzac Park from 8am until 1.30pm and have a variety of local produce, food and crafts. Set amongst a backdrop of mountains on one side, the Coral Sea on the other, a trip to the Port Douglas markets is a great way to start your Sunday. The markets have been running for over 20 years and are a meeting place for locals and tourists alike.

You might want to combine your market outing with a walk through the relaxed town of Port Douglas or a stroll down Four Mile Beach.

Click to view a map of Port Douglas.

Port Douglas Markets orginally posted on Thala Beach Lodge

Mark and Denise Duffield-Thomas’s record breaking trip took them across 10 countries over 4 continents with the final leg of their journey passing through North Queensland.

We were proud to be part of this record-breaking achievement when Mark and Denise Duffield-Thomas had a Castaway-themed cliff top wedding at Thala Beach lodge.

Congratulations Mark + Denise!

Thala plays part in Guinness World Record orginally posted on Thala Beach Lodge

The Great Barrier Reef Australia is constantly being probed for its secrets and limitless wonders with recent research showing that coral can unlock a history of rainfall in North Queensland that predates recordings from modern instruments.

By examining coral cores on the Great Barrier Reef The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) has been able to gain an insight into Queensland’s rainfall dating back to 1640. This is 3 times as far back as instrumental records go.

“Coral cores can tell us a lot about how climate conditions change over time. Not only can we extract information on rainfall, we can look at global temperature, ocean chemistry and many other physical parameters.” Says AIMS coral scientist Dr Janice Lough.

These photos from Janice Lough show how a Coral Core can be examined.

Corals have bands (similar to tree rings) that record freshwater levels in the ocean. Under ultraviolet light, luminescent lines in coral cores indicate the strength of freshwater discharge from rivers and can tell us which years were wet (white lines) or dry (blue). This short coral core(above), which records a very wet year in 1991, is from Pandora Reef, close to the Palm Islands off Townsville.

This coral core slice (above) from Magnetic Island covers the period 1813 to 1850 (before European settlement of the region) and shows major floods in 1831, 1838, 1840 and a very dry year in 1839.
This amazing research has provided insight into Australia’s variable weather patterns.

The Great Barrier Reef Australia – Coral Research orginally posted on Thala Beach Lodge

There were many leaves and branches spread over Thala after Cyclone Yasi made landfall at approximately 1am on the 3rd February 2011. The grounds of Thala lost a couple of trees but luckily we were spared the full force of cylcone Yasi. Our hearts and sympathies go out to all those effected by Cyclone Yasi but thanks to the extraordinary efforts of Thala’s staff we are open, cleaned up and have our guests back in house.

Please note while we are now open and operating there is still work to be done to restore the phone lines. The phones at Thala Beach Lodge are currently not working correctly and all calls are being re-routed to a mobile phone. So if you call and can’t get through straight away – please be patient. Also as a result of the disconnection of the phonelines we are a little delayed getting back to your e-mail enquiries. The phonelines will be restored by the 8th Feb + communication will be back to normal.

Here’s some shots of the awesome Thala team doing a cleaup after Cyclone Yasi passed!

UPDATE! – Back in Operation After Cyclone Yasi – PLEASE READ orginally posted on Thala Beach Lodge

The Valentines Day Dinner Menu

5 courses – $89 per person – including a welcome glass of bubbly

Sashimi salad of yellow-fin tuna and Tasmanian salmon with a baby cress salad & mustard dressing

Hervey Bay scallops seared with steamed asparagus and garlic chive butter

Vitello tonnato with a smoked tuna mayonnaise, crispy fried onion, capers, anchovies and crusty bread

Fish of the day OR crispy pork belly with a red wine risotto, garden peas, spinach & lemon caper butter

Chocolate truffle cake with vanilla and cassis-poached strawberries and double-cream

3 courses – $69 per person – including a welcome glass of bubbly

Hervey Bay scallops seared with steamed asparagus and garlic chive butter

OR

vitello tonnato with a smoked tuna mayonnaise, crispy fried onion, capers, anchovies & crusty bread

Fish of the day

OR

crispy pork belly with a red wine risotto, garden peas, spinach & lemon caper butter

Chocolate truffle cake with vanilla and cassis-poached strawberries and double-cream

Use the contact form on the right for bookings/enquiries or alternatively Phone 07 4098 5700.

View our Valentines Day menu 2011 (PDF)

Valentines Day Dinner 2011 orginally posted on Thala Beach Lodge

According to Tourism Queensland, “Most of the state’s major tourism destinations including the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Fraser Coast, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Agnes Water, 1770, Whitsundays, Mackay, Townsville, Cairns and Tropical North Queensland are accessible and tourism operations are normal including beaches, island resorts, accommodation providers, tour operators and attractions. All Queensland airports, with the exception of Rockhampton, are currently open and operating normally. The Bruce Highway, the main road link from Brisbane to Cairns, is now open.”

Latest alerts + travel info can be found on the Tourism Queensland Website.

Flood Relief Donations can be made through Queensland Government Flood Relief Appeal.

Queensland Floods orginally posted on Thala Beach Lodge

Four weeks is the recommended time frame if you wish to do the 2000 km trail passing through the Daintree Rainforest, Cooktown, Laura, Lakefield, Coen, Lockhart, Heathlands and Bamaga. Walkers of the Dreaming Track will experience rainforests, isolated mountain ranges, mangrove forests + rivers, grasslands and scrub.

Premier Anna Bligh said the Dreaming Track would rival the world’s greatest and most popular walks including Kokoda and Milford Sound. “This dreaming track concept originated from Balkanu and Traditional Owners of eastern Cape York Peninsula” Ms Bligh Said.

“Together, this network of walking experiences will rival the world’s greatest and most popular walks including Kokoda and Milford Sound,” Ms Bligh said.

South Australia’s Heyson Trail is currently the longest walking trail in Australia at 1200 kms.

If the call of the natural world entices you to take on the Dreaming Track, then the perfect location to relax and recuperate from your experience is Thala Beach Lodge.

Some of the areas the dreaming track will pass through includes:

Daintree

This tropical rainforest region features Daintree National Park which is part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. The Park consists of long sandy beaches, rocky headlands and steep mountain ranges intersected by numerous creeks and rivers. One of Australia’s last extensive stands of lowland rainforest is found here. Impenetrable ranges, rising steeply from the coast, are blanketed with dense upland rainforests that support many ancient plants and animals. This part of Far North Queensland also features Cape Tribulation and Cedar Bay National Parks.

Cooktown

The terrain is marked by rugged Mount Cook which provides a scenic backdrop to the township of Cooktown and is part of the nearby Mount Cook National Park. The Park terrain comprises rainforest and tropical woodland. Heath understorey (a type of vegetation) covers Mount Cook’s upper slopes and sheltered gullies, while grasslands grow on the southern slopes.

Laura

The Laura region is the centre for the largest collection of prehistoric rock art in the world. About 100 km from the township of Laura is the Alwal National Park which features terrain of escarpments, undulating low hills, seasonal wetlands and patches of vine-thicket.

Lakefield/Cape Melville

This region features Lakefield National Park and Cape Melville National Park, each with unique terrain.Lakefield National Park is renowned for its vast river systems and spectacular wetlands. During the peak wet season the Normanby, Morehead and North Kennedy Rivers flood creating an extensive wetland system of lagoons, billabongs, swamps and lakes which support numerous birds and other wildlife.

To the north, the park features impenetrable mangroves along the estuaries and coastline of Princess Charlotte Bay. Behind the coast are extensive salt flats and the marine plains that give way to inland tracts of eucalypt and paperbark woodlands.

Cape Melville National Park on the other hand is characterised by the Melville Range which extends inland from Cape Melville, featuring massive tumbled granite boulders and unique vine forest. Natural features of the park also include grasslands, tidal floodplains and extensive mangroves.

Kulla

The most environmentally important terrain can be found in Kulla National Park which includes spectacular escarpments, gorges, waterfalls and rainforests areas. McIlwraith Range (part of the Great Dividing Range) is a dominant landscape feature and comprises a chain of low mountains extending around 80km from north to south. Clear mountain streams cascade from the range into the valleys below and out onto the surrounding plains. This magnificent granite range contains striking landforms including rugged mountains, steep escarpments and gorges, and is cloaked in some of the oldest stands of tall tropical rainforest in Australia

Iron Range

Iron Range National Park is a coastal park with spectacular views from the beaches and headlands to the heath-covered Tozer Range, which rises 543m above sea level. It encompass internationally significant terrain including lowland rainforest, open forest woodland and heath vegetation.

Heathlands

The Jardine River National Park and Heathlands Resources Reserve terrain features wetlands, vineforest, heathlands, savanna and coastal systems.  This vast, remote wilderness is an ancient sandstone landscape. Sediments laid down when the area was a shallow sea have been shaped over millions of years of weathering to form today’s gently undulating landscape. Clear fresh water is abundant, not only in the mighty west-flowing Jardine River, which dominates the landscape, but also in swamps, boggy gullies and numerous smaller streams.

Bamaga

Bamaga and its surrounding communities are located north of the Jardine River. The 4WD drive trip on the way to Bamaga region is known for its rugged terrain. The region provides easy access to Thursday Island and located nearby is the Lockerbie Scrub, a 230 km area of lowland rainforest.

The Dreaming Track – Bushwalking Australia orginally posted on Thala Beach Lodge

“Thala is effectively an 145 acre private sanctuary where wildlife specialists offer interpretive eco-tourism,” she said. “We do have guests who book day tours to enjoy many of the regional highlights, however more and more we are seeing people choose Thala as a ‘destination within a destination’ where they are perfectly happy and occupied on the property with the free activities on offer,” said Michelle Behsman.

Nature and wildlife walks, bird watching tours, a unique coconut plantation odyssey, outdoor star gazing, tree planting and authentic cultural presentations by local Aboriginal elders are available to all guests free of charge.

“We also offer sea kayaking from our private beach where turtle, dugongs and the odd snubnose dolphin are regular visitors,” said Michelle Behsman. “Yoga classes are available, and spa treatments in the natural surrounds are a popular choice – the feeling of being luxuriously  pampered in the heart of the forest always makes for relaxed and happy guests!”

Thala Beach Lodge was  invited to join ECO Lodges of Australia as a founding member.  ECOLOA is made up of independent camps and lodges with advanced ecotourism certification offering travelers responsible, ethical and sustainable ECO experiences in Australia’s most inspiring and extraordinary natural locations.

Guests cocooned at Thala Beach Lodge orginally posted on Thala Beach Lodge