Bramston Beach House

While it would be impossible to list everything that Bramston Beach has to offer, we have compiled some of the activities and facilities that are available to you as a Guest of Bramston Beach House. If there is anything with which you require assistance, please contact our local guides, Col and Sue Bidgood.

Activities for families

For families, we can recommend a day cruise to the Frankland Islands. Kids can enjoy swimming in the built-in pool, at Bramston Beach, where there is a net while the stingers are in season, Josephine Falls, where there is a natural slippery dip, and Babinda Boulders, where there is a freshwater swimming hole. Families can also enjoy the wildlife at Johnstone River Crocodile Park and experience the Mamu Rainforest Canopy Walkway, both a short drive away. Within the house, there's a wide selection of DVDs, books, and board games. The house also features satellite TV with movies.

Activities for couples

For couples interested in golf, there's a choice of Innisfail Golf Club and Babinda Golf Club. Both courses are well looked after. Exploring the rainforest is a must with Josephine Falls and Babinda Boulders a short drive away. Those interested in hiking will appreciate the Goldfield Trail and Lake Barrine. The house features its own entertainment options with DVDs, satellite movies, books, and games. Relaxing in the long bath in the master bedroom ensuite is a must!

Boat trips

Locals would only be too happy to arrange local boat trips for you. Whether it’s to the beautiful Frankland Islands or local reef fishing spots, they’d be happy to guide you so you can experience the best that this part of Far North Queensland can offer.

Frankland Islands Cruise and Dive departs daily from the Deeral Landing on the banks of the Mulgrave River to carry day passengers to Normanby Island, part of the Frankland Islands.

Frankland Islands

The Frankland Island Sector comprises five continental islands surrounded by fringing reefs, located 10km offshore from the mouth of the Russell-Mulgrave Rivers and 45km south of Cairns. The islands include High, Normanby, Russell, Round and Mabel.

The Frankland Islands are a popular destination for local boat owners and recreational fishermen. Russell Island is one of the most popular island destinations for recreational camping in the Cairns/Cooktown area of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, with six campsites. A tourism operator conducts regular day-trips to Normanby Island.

The fringing reefs around Normanby, Russell and Round Islands support a diverse assemblage of coral.

The Frankland Islands Sector is an important habitat and nesting site for a number of bird species, including the little tern (Sterna albifrons), the beach stone-curlew (Esacus neglectus), the pied imperial pigeon (Ducula bicolour) and the crested tern (Sterna bergii).  Russell Island supports the spectacled flying fox and breeding pairs of sea eagles and ospreys. Green turtles (Chelonia mydas) are often spotted around the islands.

(Source: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority)

Reef fishing

The magnificent Great Barrier Reef is arguably the greatest fish attractor on earth.

Each day, all manner of craft steam out from the shelters of the various inlets and descend on this wonderland of life as travellers from around the globe swim, snorkel, scuba, fish and just laze about immersed in this celebration of colour and diversity that is the Great Barrier Reef, the only living thing on earth visible from space.

The food chain here is complete, with the mass of coral providing shelter and food as predator eats predator. This abundance of life provides the perfect opportunity for the visiting angler to capture some truly magnificent fish.

Reef fishing is commonly called "Bottom Bouncing" where anglers use heavy 60-100lb handline techniques to target such prized eating fish as coral trout, red emperor, sweetlip and nannygai. You may also drift a ganged pillie (small baitfish) for Spanish mackerel, great light tackle sportfish and excellent on the chew as well.

(Source: Fishing Cairns)

Innisfail Golf Club

Innisfail Golf Club is a public access golf course situated in the heart of Tropical North Queensland. Its location in one of the greenest areas of Australia guarantees that this beautiful and challenging 9/composite 18 hole course provides a truly enjoyable golfing experience.

Babinda Golf Club

The Babinda Golf course is a great course to play and its fairways are always well looked after. The backdrop is amazing with the Mountains covered in lush tropical rainforest. According to website reviews the golf club has a number of people that get together on Sundays to play 9 holes which is followed by a BBQ.

Johnstone River Crocodile Farm

Get up close to crocodiles, alligators, the rare cassowary, wallabies, kangaroos, dingoes, emus, snakes, birds and much more at Johnston River Crocodile Farm and Tourist Park.

The Johnstone River Crocodile Park is in the heart of the Wet Tropics, which has the highest population of cassowaries remaining in Australia. The park has two of these large flightless birds weighing up to 80kgs and standing up to 2 metres tall. The cassowary is a specialist fruit eater and is known to disperse several hundred species of rainforest trees and vines. The park also attracts several species of native fauna, which are of interest to bird watchers.

Hundreds of crocs are on display from the small to a 5 metre monster called Gregory. There are also Freshwater crocs and American Alligators so with three different species you can compare the variety of these ancient reptiles. The oldest croc called Johnny is almost 90 years old.

Josephine Falls

Josephine Falls is a secluded freshwater swimming hole, located at the foot of Queensland's tallest mountain, Mt. Bartle Frere (1657m). 

A series of waterfalls flow into large pools surrounded by boulders. Rainforest trees hang over the water, keeping it cool and refreshing. We take a short walk to a series of dramatic cascading waterfalls amidst the lush tropical rainforest. Take the plunge in the exciting natural rockslide

Mamu Rainforest Canopy Walkway

The Mamu walkway allows visitors to explore the rainforest from the forest floor to the canopy, in comfort and safety. The walkway passes through one of the largest remaining continuous stands of complex vine forest on basalt soils in the Wet Tropics. Enjoy close-up views of rainforest plants, insects and birds, and take in sweeping vistas of World Heritage rainforest landscapes. Information signs tell of the rainforest’s complex web of life and the rich culture and history of the area.

Babinda Boulders

The Boulders are similar to Josephine Falls, a popular freshwater swimming hole set amongst thick rainforest (considered one of the most beautiful places in Australia by the author). There are a number of walking tracks that are easy and well marked with good picnic and BBQ facilities.

You can walk along a rainforest path to the magnificent, breath taking granite gorge created in millions of years and listen to the ancient Aboriginal legend about the creation of the Boulders. Learn about the evolution of one of the World's oldest rainforests.  The Boulders make a perfect stop on a hot day and it is an area that the whole family can enjoy

Goldfield Trail (Walking track)

From The Boulders Scenic Reserve near Babinda, the Goldfield trail follows Babinda Creek upstream. After 1km, the trail enters Wooroonooran National Park and leaves the creek edge but continues along flat ground. This section was partly logged before being declared Bellenden Ker National Park in 1921. The park name was changed to Wooroonooran National Park in 1994.

After about 3km the trail rejoins the creek. Five hundred metres on, the trail begins a gradual climb, drifting out of sight of the creek, but the tranquil sounds of running water can still be heard. The creek crossing, a further 500m along the track, offers the chance to enjoy the rainforest surrounds.

After walking about 5.5km you will come across another creek crossing. You can rest in this peaceful setting and listen for the calls of the rainforest birds: the raucous screams of the sulphur-crested cockatoos or the chatter of smaller bush birds like the scrubwrens and thornbills. Look out for Australian brush-turkeys turning over leaf litter on the forest floor.

From this creek the trail climbs steeply and then crosses a series of side gullies. The ground is quite rough and care should be taken, especially after wet weather. The trail continues across a series of small creeks for a further 1.5km before reaching the top saddle between the peaks of the Bellenden Ker Range. You may notice some differences between the forest here and the start of the track.

Follow the trail to a narrow ridge. Look to the north and enjoy views over the slopes of the Bellenden Ker Range. Listen for running water in creeks on either side of the ridge and look over the canopy of trees growing on the slopes below. Where the ridgeline starts to drop steeply there is an excellent view of the Goldsborough Valley and west to the Atherton Tableland.

The trail descends into the valley flats beside another delightful creek. It then winds to and fro across the creek before reaching the banks of the East Mulgrave River. The clear, deep ponds of the river are a refreshing sight. Although there are no facilities, bush camping is permitted here. Please note that after heavy rain it may be impossible to wade across the East Mulgrave River causeway.

From this point, the old logging track follows the river for 8km. Look for Kearney Falls as you approach the Goldsborough Valley campground.

The trail may also be walked in the other direction, starting from the Goldsborough Valley campground. From this end, it first follows 8km of a former logging track to the East Mulgrave River causeway, and then continues a further 11km to The Boulders Scenic Reserve.

(Source: Queensland Environmental Protection Agency)

Lake Barrine

Lake Barrine (part of the Crater Lakes National Park) is a volcanic mark surrounded by rainforest. The deep waters of the lake and the pleasant coolness of the Atherton Tableland have combined to make Lake Barrine a popular stop for visitors to the area. The track around the lake allows for forest-fringed secluded views of the lake and excellent opportunities for viewing wildlife.

Crater Lakes National Park is within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area (WTWHA). Proclaimed in 1988, the WTWHA extends for about 450km between Cooktown and Townsville. Consisting of nearly 900,000ha, vegetation is primarily tropical rainforest, but also includes open eucalypt forest, wetlands and mangrove forests. The WTWHA meets all four natural criteria for World Heritage listing. These criteria recognise the area’s exceptional natural beauty and the importance of its biological diversity and evolutionary history, including habitats for numerous threatened species. The WTWHA also has cultural significance for Aboriginal people who have traditional links with the area and its surrounds.

(Source: Queensland Environmental Protection Agency)