You can enjoy the tranquility of the Australian bush from your verandah, or take a self guided nature walk along marked trails through the myriad of rare local plants and flowers, and experience encounters with dingoes, wallabies, goannas, and frilled lizards.

We are also just 9 kilometres from Lakefield National Park and 22 kilometres from Princess Charlotte Bay, and Lotusbird Lodge is the ideal base from which to explore either.

Lakefield National Park

At 537,000ha, Lakefield National Park on Cape York Peninsula is Queensland’s second largest park. The park is drained by large rivers and contains spectacular wetlands and is home to waterbirds, barramundi and estuarine and freshwater crocodiles. Rivers become a series of waterholes in the dry season but the wet season transforms the park into a vast inaccessible wetland.

Lakefield has a rich and varied landscape with river estuaries, mangroves and mudflats to the north around Princess Charlotte Bay, extensive grasslands and eucalypt and paperbark woodlands on the river floodplains, and sandstone hills and escarpments to the south. Patches of the unusual Corypha utan palm grow in the grasslands on the marine plain.

Gallery rainforest fringes parts of the Normanby and Kennedy Rivers. The park is a wildlife refuge and home to several rare or threatened animals including the star finch, red goshawk, Lakeland Downs mouse and spectacled hare-wallaby.

Recreational fishing and boating are allowed in the park. Size and bag limits apply to barramundi. The Bizant boat ramp provides the best access to Princess Charlotte Bay. Canoeing is not recommended because this is crocodile country. Estuarine crocodiles live in the rivers and waterholes in this park. For your safety, never swim, canoe, clean fish or prepare food at the water’s edge, or camp close to deep waterholes. Be croc-wise.

Princess Charlotte Bay

Princess Charlotte Bay is 450 kilometres north of Cairns on the eastern side of Cape York. It is part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and includes several significant marine zones include shallow water seagrass meadows, dugong habitats, mangroves and nationally significant wetlands.

Being shielded from the south-east trade winds, Princess Charlotte Bay also provides an ideal haven for the keen angler amongst its extensive mangrove river systems, lagoons and offshore coral reefs. Target species include Coral Trout, Red Emperor, Mud Crabs, Barramundi, and larger Mackerel and pelagics.

Bird Week - November 2010

From 14 Nov to 20 Nov, 2010, Lotusbird Loge will be offering an exclusive bird week to dedicated bird watchers. This tour will be restricted to 4 guests only, thus ensuring all get to see or photograph our magnifient bird life.

This 7 day/6 night package is all inclusive (except alcohol) including Cairns-Lodge tranfers, accommodation at Lotusbird Lodge, all meals and Cape York's only resident bird guide, Scott Templeton.

• Day 1: Sunday 14 Nov - Sue will pick you up from your Cairns accommodation (approx 7:00am) for the drive north to Lotusbird Lodge. Lunch will be taken at Lakeland Coffee House, morning and afternoon teas will be catered for at some interesting sopt along the road. Arrival at the lodge will be around 4 or 5 pm, after meeting your guide Scott and settling into your cabins, a traditional Sunday roast will be served for dinner.
• Days 2-6: Birds, bird and more birds. Scott will be in charge of your itinerary by this stage choosing start and finish times. During you stay with us you will not only visit many interesting spots in our local area but also Lakefield National Park, Violet Vale Cattle Station, (Red Goshawk) and Artemis Station. At Artemis you will be introduced to Mrs. Sue Shephard and her magnificent Golden Shouldered Parrots, I say her parrots because her and her husband, Tom have dedicated 20 years of their alives and resources in trying to help these highly endangered birds. Their dedication was rewarded in 2009 with the Queensland Conservation Award.
• Day 7: Saturday 20 Nov - A repeat of Day 1 in reverse, returning you to your Cairns accommodation.

Twin share or double accommodation is $3995 per person, single accommodation is $4795 per person. If you and a friend wish to book but prefer single accommodation, there will be no single supplement surcharge.

You will need to advise us of your Cairns accommodation arrangements (so we can pick you up and drop you off) and if you have any special dietary requirements.

You will need to bring: protective clothing (solar), good hiking shoes/boots, hat, sunscreen, good binoculars and camera. Lotusbird Lodge cabins are all fully serviced and have soap, shampoo, conditioner and towels, etc.

As this bird week is restricted to 4 guests only, we will require a 10% deposit with your reservation. This deposit will not be refundable within 1 (one) month of departure date. Note, remainder of payment will be dure 1 (one) month prior to departure. We reserve the right to cancel this tour if insufficient bookings are received.