Cassowary Coast
The Cassowary Coast stretches south of Cairns to Hinchinbrook Island and includes the various townships of Innisfail, Tully, Babinda and Cardwell - all of which annually vie for the title of wettest town in Australia - presently Babinda is the holder. During the wet season a fall of nearly a metre of rain in a day is not rare, however this is what grows the lush green vegetation of the area and creates the moist fertile soils which grow vast quantities of sugar cane - which is the leading industry of the region. On the coast Mission Beach is well known internationally with some fine resorts. Unfortunately the area is rather susceptible to damage by Cyclones and in 2011 we saw the loss of premier resorts on the offshore islands of Dunk & Bedarra lost to tropical cyclone Yasi.
The Palmerston Highway west out of Innisfail takes a driver through beautiful rolling hills clad with tropical forest up to the Southern Tablelands, with the famed waterfall circuit around Millaa Millaa, Mungalli, Malanda etc and a slight deviation out to Mena Creek and Paronella Park which is a must see for any tourist. Millaa Millaa Falls in particular are well known from a number of TV commercials which have been shot at the location.
