Rainforests around Cairns, Queensland

David Attenborough, the world-renowned and much loved naturalist, described his visit to Tropical North Queensland's rainforests as "One of the most magical experiences of my life", a sentiment that is shared by many of our guests.

The Wet Tropics rainforest of Queensland covers less than 0.2% of Australia, but contains 30% of the marsupial species, 60% of bat species, 40% of bird species, 30% of frog species, 60% of butterfly species, 65% of fern species, and 30% of orchid species, to give just a few examples.

Rainforest Butterflies

This is the rainforest that surrounds the Misty Mountains Rainforest Retreat. By day, you'll see the vibrant blue Ulysses butterfly as its wings catch the light. You may also see the emerald wings of the Cairns birdwing butterfly, or the red lace-wing and orchard wings butterflies. The largest moth in the world, aptly named the Hercules Moth, lives in the rainforest and is so large it is often mistaken for a bat.

By day, watch butterflies dance around your luxurious surrounds, with more than 40 species on show in the wet tropics, including the Hercules Moth – the largest moth in the world – to the splendid colours of the ulysses butterfly, the cairns bird-wing, the red lace wing and the orchard wing butterflies.

By night let the amazing variety of frogs enchant you with their song from the beautiful orange-thighed tree frog to the little red frog, the green-eyed tree frog, common nursery frog, the graceful tree frog and the northern dwarf frog. Take a walk through the botanic gardens to see how many you can spot.

Rainforest Wildlife

Among the fauna you might see in the rainforests surrounding Misty Mountains Rainforest Retreat are the platypus, musky-rat kangaroo, tree-climbing Lumholz tree-kangaroo, red-legged pademelon, wallaby, long-nosed bandicoot, green ringtail possum, lemuroid ringtail possum, spectacled flying-fox, little red flying-fox, micro-bats, white-tailed rat, yellow-footed antechinus, Atherton antechinus and the Australian dingo.

By night let the amazing variety of frogs enchant you with their song from the beautiful orange-thighed tree frog to the little red frog, the green-eyed tree frog, common nursery frog, the graceful tree frog and the northern dwarf frog. Take a walk through the tropical gardens to see how many you can spot.

To see some Far North Queensland rainforest birds, animals and reptiles, including crocodiles, snakes and Boyd's Forest Dragon, we suggest a visit to the Wildlife Habitat in Port Douglas. Their champagne breakfast is an unforgettable experience. Bird watcher's might find the Wet Tropics website useful in identifying the native bird species of the rainforest.

As the demands of the modern world encroach upon our daily lives, it is becoming increasingly rare and valuable to experience the rejuvenating effect of the rainforest, and the joy that its beauty brings. Rarely will you see such an array of flora and fauna in their natural environment. Almost everything you discover at Misty Mountains Rainforest Retreat and beyond will be a photo opportunity. So pack your camera, your sense of adventure and ready yourself to embrace one of the natural wonders of the world.