Cow Bay

After crossing the Alexandra Range visitors encounter the first bit of ‘civilisation’ north of the Daintree River at Cow Bay, located halfway between the Daintree River and Cape Tribulation and offering great beach and rainforest experiences.

The turn off to Cow Bay Beach is at Buchanan Creek Road. On the way you can observe the hills of the Alexandra Range (on the right) with its dark rainforest vegetation. Watch for birds, butterflies and cassowaries in this area. 

Cow Bay is not a township but a place name derived from the farming of cattle in the area in the early days. The other idea is that Cow Bay is named after the dugongs (sea cows) which come to feed on the seagrass beds in the bay. Cow Bay had a colourful past of farming, logging and grazing. Today tourism is the main industry and sustainability is the main aim of the local community.

Local businesses in the Cow Bay and Diwan region offer various types of accommodation – resort style, backpacker, holiday houses, apartments, bed and breakfasts and camping. There is the Daintree Discovery Centre, home-made ice-creams, restaurants, cafés, art and craft, rainforest tours, tea growing, an air strip, horse riding, overnight sea-kayaking to Snapper Island, guided walks and the RACQ depot.