Like me, many others from the large Indian diaspora in Australia love Barramundi. Perhaps the fondness comes from its resemblance to a popular saltwater fish in India called Bhetki in West Bengal and Chonak in Goa. So it was a thrilling experience for me to hook a Barra at a local farm in Port Douglas, a gem of a seaside nest tucked at the northern top of tropical Queensland, where the climate has synergies with tropical India.
Sometimes referred to as the Asian Sea Bass or the Giant Sea Perch, the fish naturally grows in the region’s saltwater waterways but is also farmed by many local entrepreneurs in ponds. At the Hook A Barra Fishing Farm, for example, besides the cultivation of the fish, tours are available to learn more about the species, and the opportunity is there for you to angle one – only to be returned to the water after the selfies for bragging rights.
As fresh barramundi is abundantly available, most Port Douglas eateries have at least one dish on their menu dedicated to this fish. I tried a few: a whole fish deep-fried, sauced, and served with rice at the famous Siam by the Sea Thai restaurant, and fish cakes at
the Seabean Tapas Bar Restaurant. While browsing for a suitable dining venue, I found the little township thriving with multi-cuisine eateries, all of which are overcrowded with customers on a weeknight. This showed me how popular the destination is for holidaymakers.
However, the scenario was entirely different forty years ago, when Port Douglas was a sleepy fishing village with a mere population of around 300. Transformation began around the mid-eighties, when business tycoon Christopher Skase spotted the location as a sophisticated tropical playground for the rich and famous. Soon he built the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, which since opening in 1987 has hosted several celebrities, from former US president Bill Clinton and wife Hillary to Hollywood superstars like Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, John Travolta, and others. Over the years, many more dreamy resorts mushroomed, making Port Douglas a resort destination. However, the laidback atmosphere still exists. The town doesn’t have any traffic lights, no fast food joints like KFC or McDonald’s, or even high-rise buildings.
While Bill Clinton loves playing golf here and perhaps other celebrities fancy its isolated seafront location as an ideal escape from the rest of the world, the key attraction of most of the other visitors is exploration of the two World Heritage-listed natural wonders – Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. Port Douglas is the gateway to both.
A day-long guided tour introduced me to the beauty of the Daintree Rainforest, said to be over 180 million years old. Spanning some 1200 square kilometres, it’s the nation’s largest rainforest and is home to living examples of unique ancient plants as well as thousands of species of birds, animals, and reptiles not found anywhere else in the world. Like the very rare and endangered Cassowary flightless bird – which can be spotted here in the wild if luck permits.
The national park starts at Mossman Gorge and continues up north to Cape Tribulation, where the rainforest shakes hands with the ocean and the reef. The Daintree River goes through forestry, and a popular excursion is a boat ride along the river to see saltwater crocodiles amongst the riverbanks or mangroves.
To me, the rainforest excursion was a complete immersion in nature and a total disconnect from the modern world. It was like being transported to a raw, wild, ancient environment resembling Jurassic Park, where at times it appeared entirely possible that dinosaurs might emerge from the lush undergrowth.
The Great Barrier Reef, alongside Kakadu and Uluru, is one of Australia’s most amazing natural wonders. This iconic natural world is home to some 2,700 individual reefs, brimming with countless fish, sea, and coral species, providing some of the planet’s most spectacular underwater experiences. Most explore the reef from Cairns, which is a modern and high-energy seafront city, but many say venturing out from Port Douglas, which is an hour’s drive north from Cairns, is a different experience, though the outer reef is a bit further away. However, there are various tours available from the Port Douglas Marina to take aqua aficionados to the inner or outer reef region for snorkelling and scuba diving.
TRAVEL NOTEBOOK
Getting there: Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia fly from key Australian cities to Cairns, from where Port Douglas is only 66 km by road.
Stay: The most popular resorts are dotted near the famous Four Miles Beach. Peninsula Boutique Hotel (www.peninsulahotel.com.au) and Oaks Port Douglas Resort (www.oakshotels.com) are two of the most popular from the long list.
For more info visit: http://www.cairnsgreatbarrierreef.com
Read More: India – The Medina of Wildlife
