Living in the Daintree Coast
Kaba Kada, Douglas Shire
What's it like to live in the Daintree Rainforest?
To live here is to live in another world that is left behind at the Daintree Ferry.
Much of the Daintree Rainforest is a World Heritage area and a National Park and living amongst this unique and incredibly special area is an honour.
The climate can be both pleasant and challenging and the rhythm of life follows the seasons with humid, monsoonal summer months, followed by an often damp autumn / winter, leading into a dry spring. The cycles of flora and fauna and the sounds and smells which follow, change throughout these seasons and micro-seasons in between.
Life in the Daintree Rainforest
Many residents identify as custodians of the Daintree Rainforest and surrounds.
The community will never grow much more in population than it currently is and that’s the way we like it. It is very unlikely any further subdivision will occur in this area.
Over the past few decades the Daintree Rainforest has expanded and is flourishing.
Many areas that had been logged and farmed in the past are now completely covered in rainforest.
View the ‘Then and Now’ gallery for some photos demonstrating just how well the rainforest has regrown both naturally and with the help of the local community.
Daintree Coast Facilities
Local facilities of the Daintree Coast include a lovely small primary school, sports club, medical centre, Rural Fire Services, SES, a service station, 3 general stores, 2 awesome ice creameries, lovely campgrounds and low key resorts, and several cafes / restaurants.
Browse our directory to plan your visit to the Daintree Coast.
The small community of residents (approx. 700 people) are passionate about the rainforest, wildlife, reef and beaches and we look forward to sharing it with you.
We’re sure you’ll find the Daintree Coast as amazing as we do.
Explore, discover & enjoy.
Challenges of Living in the Daintree Rainforest
Living on the Daintree Coast comes with its own unique challenges and rewards.
It is a truly beautiful part of the world and amazing in all its seasons, from the monsoonal wet season when the forest comes to life, through to the crisp cool ‘winter’ days and brighter-than-bright sunny days of the dry season, when the green hues of the vegetation really light up and the ocean takes on the most incredible turquoise colour.
On bright big blue sky days, the light and shades of colour are amazing, lending a sense of ‘hyper-reality’.
The main access to the Daintree Coast is via the Daintree Ferry, a cable ferry across the Daintree River, residents are able to apply for a concession card. The only other road connecting to this region is the Bloomfield Track to Wujal Wujal and Cooktown which becomes inaccessible at times during the wet season.
It gets very hot and very humid!
Cyclones can be a threat each year and bring heavy rainfalls and strong winds.
The Daintree Coast receives an impressive 4000-6000mm rain each year! Monsoons during the wet season can cause flooding especially around the Daintree River causing suspension of ferry travel and damage to roadways.
Mobile reception is patchy and Optus is currently the most locally reliable provider, with Telstra a distant second. Internet is via Satellite NBN and is roughly equivalent to an ADSL connection, however can drop out in periods of very heavy rain. Starlink has just become available in the area as another option. Many residents use Wifi calling as a workaround for poor mobile reception.
Mould can be an issue during the wet season. Ventilation is key to keeping this manageable.
Daintree Coast is Australia’s largest off-grid community.
As there is no mains power here (except for a few properties at Forest Creek), the Daintree Coast is Australia’s largest off grid community. Most houses are powered by off grid solar / battery / inverter systems with a generator / charger backup for cloudy days, while many of the larger businesses are generator powered. There’s currently a proposal for a Micro Grid.
Running a property on stand-alone power systems can be challenging at times, it helps to have a bit of understanding on these systems before moving here and having some DIY ability. Help from trades can be limited sometimes with long waiting times.
Water for properties is sourced either from an underground bore/aquifer, rainwater or from fresh water creeks. During the dry season, water supply may need to be conserved as rainwater declines and many creeks dry out.
The Daintree Coast is covered by some of the strictest town planning regulations in Australia.
Don’t worry, you won’t ever see big resorts or sky scrapers here!
The limited freehold properties throughout the Daintree Coast are restricted to strict development regulations.
The residents here are passionate about living immersed in nature & protecting this special area.
Wisdom and Hints for Living in the Wet Tropics
A collection of tips and wisdom contributed by residents of the Daintree Coast providing a helpful resource for the challenges faced living here.
In this book, you’ll find handy tips for everything from mould prevention, food storage, gardening, health remedies, keeping pets, to preparing for cyclones and emergencies. It has been beautifully laid out and is a wonderful resource for anyone living in the Wet Tropics region.
This book has been published by the Cow Bay Friends of the Foundation. All funds raised are used to purchase equipment and support the Cow Bay Primary Health Clinic which provides medical services in the Daintree to both residents and tourists.
The Wisdom and Hints for Living in the Wet Tropics book can be purchased online via the FNQ Hospital Foundation website.