Kurrimine Beach is a sleepy stretch of sand and coconut palms on the coast of Far North Queensland, between Innisfail and Mission Beach, and it sits at the meeting point of two World Heritage sites. Behind it, the rainforest-covered hills belong to the Wet Tropics of Queensland, listed by UNESCO in 1988 for their ancient forests, which are among the oldest continuously surviving rainforests on earth. In front of it, the Great Barrier Reef stretches out to sea. At very low tides, King Reef, just offshore, is exposed and you can walk out across the reef flats, one of the few places where the reef comes so close to the mainland.
The forests here are home to some extraordinary animals. The southern cassowary, a huge flightless bird with a blue neck and a horny casque on its head, lives in the rainforest and is sometimes seen crossing roads or wandering near houses. It is an endangered species, and signs along the roads ask drivers to slow down. Cassowaries can be dangerous if approached, so keep your distance. Tree kangaroos, possums, frogs and countless birds also live in the forest.
The coast is beautiful but comes with warnings. Saltwater crocodiles live in the rivers, estuaries and sometimes on the beaches, and swimming outside designated areas is risky. From roughly November to May, box jellyfish and other stingers are present in the water, and stinger nets or protective suits are recommended. Signs at the beaches explain the risks.
The riding in the area is pleasant and scenic. The Bruce Highway, the main road along the Queensland coast, runs a few kilometres inland, busy with trucks, caravans and cane trains crossing on narrow-gauge tracks. The side roads to the coast wind through sugar cane fields and banana plantations, with views of the mountains. Further inland, the roads climb onto the Atherton Tableland, with excellent bends, waterfalls and crater lakes.
The nearest towns with full services are Innisfail and Mission Beach, both with fuel, supermarkets and cafés. The weather is tropical: hot and humid year-round, with a wet season from December to April that brings heavy rain, flooding and the risk of cyclones. The dry season, from May to October, is the best time for riding. Watch for wildlife on the roads at dawn and dusk.