As Tropical North Queensland welcomes the change of seasons, BirdLife Australia kicks off National Bird Week from 23-29 October. A significant part of Bird Week is the Aussie Backyard Bird Count, now in its fourth year. Organisers have set a target to count 1.5m birds over 7 days and bird lovers are invited to register and start counting. Tawny frogmouth with chick. The tawny frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) is a species of frogmouth native to Australia that is found throughout

Each year sometime around late October or November a sycnchronised coral spawning takes place on the Great Barrier Reef. If you’re lucky enough to be visiting during this time, it is quite a spectacular event that attracts scuba divers and snorkelers from across the globe. As coral spawning is linked to the moon and water temperatures, it’s hard to predict exactly when this mass reproduction will happen. Likened to underwater fireworks, coral spawning on the Great Barrier Reef involves colonies

Australia has a long-held tradition of making Big Things into attractions. Maybe it’s got something to do with being a big country and having all that space to fill! Whatever the reason, north Queensland has embraced the tradition. Up here we do Big Things in a, err big way. Some like the Big Peanut with its silly grin and top hat are endearingly cute. Others are quirky and come with heartfelt intentions such as the Big Lizard sculpture at Jabiru

The Cairns Museum has reopened after two years of refurbishment and renovation. Housed in the new School of Arts precinct in Cairns CBD, the Cairns Historical Society has a new home for a fascinating collection of regional history. Cairns Museum marketing manager Judy Freeman, a well-known tourism identity as well as being the founder of Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park , says it is very rewarding to be able to take a new Cairns tourism attraction to the global tourism industry.

A striking new public artwork reflecting the vitality and beauty of the Great Barrier Reef has been unveiled on the Cairns foreshore. Created by Cairns Indigenous artist Brian Robinson, the 6m high and 11m wide helix depicts a wave of marine creatures led by a life-size stingray, reflecting the diversity of the reef. The polished silver sculpture with its mirror-like finish frames the view of the Coral Sea from the landscaped park lands of the Cairns Esplanade. Mr Robinson said

This time of year is an exciting time in Tropical North Queensland (while the rest of Australia suffers through winter!) as the Dry Season is one of the best times to visit Cairns and Port Douglas. Not only because of the balmy tropical weather but also because there are numerous exciting events happening at this time of the year! Here's a summary of some that might offer good reasons to head north for a tropical winter getaway. Cairns Festival 25

ANZACS and Artisans feature in two new self-drive adventures – the ANZAC Trail and the Artisan Trail – through tropical north Queensland's Atherton Tablelands. The Tablelands are approximately one hour's drive west of Thala Beach Nature Reserve. These new trails join six self-drive trails were launched to encourage travellers to enjoy a Tropical North Queensland road trip in search of adventure and new experiences. The trails highlight the importance of the role played by the Atherton Tablelands in the “Allied”

Your photography adventure starts here. Join internationally renowned nature photographer Juergen Freund for an intensive nature photography workshop in Tropical North Queensland Whether a beginner photographer wanting to learn how to use your new DSLR or an avid photographer ready to take your camera on a journey of discovery, come learn with a master photographer and feed your spirit to explore the natural wonders of the tropics. This is your perfect location to hone your photography skills while holidaying at

Minke whales on the Great Barrier Reef. Photo Rob Prettejohn Australia’s Great Barrier Reef in Tropical North Queensland is the only place in the world where can you swim with friendly dwarf minke whales. There’s only one spot on the planet where you can swim with dwarf minke whales – and only a few lucky people get the chance to do so each year. These six-tonne (6.6-ton) creatures are renowned for their fascination with humans – they’re so

Port Douglas is one of Australia's most popular cruise destinations, with an 80% increase in future cruise ship visits. The increasing popularity of ocean cruising will see the number of cruise ship visits to Port Douglas nearly double this year’s tally over the next two years. Just 15 minutes south of Port Douglas harbour, Thala is perfectly positioned as a relaxing pre or post-cruise land-based option! Our spacious treehouse-type bungalows are a welcome retreat after life onboard in a tiny

A new Deloitte Access Economics report released recently identifies the social, economic and iconic asset value of the Great Barrier Reef at AUD56 billion. Minister for the Great Barrier Reef Steven Miles welcomed the report which brings the three elements together for the first time and shows the reef is worth more than 12 Sydney Opera Houses. “This highly anticipated report confirms the outstanding value of the Great Barrier Reef,” Mr Miles said. “But it could be even higher as

As winter drags on down in southern Australia, in Cairns and Port Douglas we’re enjoying balmy tropical days kissed by sunshine. We’re well into the busy season now and enjoying welcoming guests from all over the world to our very special piece of paradise. In fact it’s a busy time across Tropical North Queensland with plenty of new activities, tours and cruises recently launched. Here’s a run down of what’s new around Cairns and Port Douglas. Don't forget Thala's Adventure

Visitors to Thala Beach Nature Reserve and Tropical North Queensland hang onto your swimmers! Water babies now have the opportunity to slide into the Great Barrier Reef with the launch of Tropical North Queensland’s first ever floating theme-park style water-slide. Yep, that's right, you can now slide all the way onto the Great Barrier Reef! Who's game? Sunlover Reef Cruises have totally revamped their offshore multi-level pontoon moored at Moore Reef. The 50 metre long, multi-million dollar pontoon is now

One of the most appealing aspects of a visit to Port Douglas and the Daintree Rainforest is the beguiling combination of rainforest and reef. Two World Heritage icons, the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforest run into each other in Tropical North Queensland. Here's five video clips that showcase the very best of the rainforest and the reef and everything else in between! Did someone mention fresh seafood?

Cairns & Great Barrier Reef’s Indigenous tourism offerings will be launched at the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) 2017 as Timeless  Experiences with the tagline 'Sharing our Reef & Rainforest stories. Thala is thrilled to be a part of this campaign which showcases experiences such as Thala's weekly cultural presentations by Kuku Yalanji elders along with other Indigenous experiences of the region. Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) Chief Executive Officer Alex de Waal said 20 companies, including Thala,  representing 34 of

Thala Beach Nature Reserve in Port Douglas, Queensland has been recognised as a Green Travel Leader by Ecotourism Australia. The Green Travel Leader program was established in 2006 and is awarded to Ecotourism Australia members who demonstrate a sustainable and long-term past, present and future commitment to ecotourism. An exclusive club of just 127 Green Travel Leaders across Australia, Thala is one of 20 tourism operators to recently reach this significant milestone of ten year’s Ecotourism Australia certification. According to

Cape York's Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival is held every two years at Laura, a town on Cape York approx. 250km northwest of Thala. Celebrating the world's oldest culture, the 2017 Laura Festival runs from 30 June - 2 July. The festival celebrates Aboriginal communities, language song, dance and stories. Multi-generational performances showcase the strength, pride and uniqueness of Aboriginal people and their customs and traditions. Over 20 communities from across the region participate in the festival, bringing over 500 performers.

It’s a time of transition in tropical north Queensland as the season changes from wet season to dry season. Thala’s native forest is on the migratory route of bird life heading north and south. Channel Billed Cuckoo Migrating north to PNG and Indonesia, the Channel Billed Cuckoo is the largest species of cuckoos in Australia. Being a cuckoo, it lays its eggs in the nest of another (larger) bird, and being a large cuckoo. Channel Billed Cuckoos usually choose as

Port Douglas Carnivale is one of north Queensland's favourite festivals! Held in venues across Port Douglas, there are plenty of events to suit everyone! The official festival runs from 26 to 28 May 2017, though some events, such as the always fabulous Spiegeltent starts a week earlier. The Wonderland Spiegeltent returns with award winning LA SOIRÉE! Friday 19 May - Sunday 28 May From New York to Paris, London, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong to Montreal, this award winning international variety

Thala’s onsite Rangers have spent a lifetime in the forests of far north Queensland and are on hand as wildlife experts to guide and inform guests about the diverse flora and fauna within the forests, beaches or along Thala’s rocky headland. Daily complimentary tours are personal and intimate - designed so that guests enjoy the thrill of making their very own discoveries. Tours on offer include Coconut Odyssey, Nature & Garden Walks, Bird & Butterfly Walks, along with Monday night