North Queensland Wildscapes Phototours with Paul Curtis

North Queensland Wildscapes Phototours with Paul Curtis Photographic adventures in North Queensland Australia. Book a variety of custom tours. Maximum number is 4 adults so each trip is flexible to suit your needs.
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Join me in a tour around some of the less visited but extremely photogenic sites around the tropical north. Tours are varied to suit the customer and the prevailing weather and conditions, but foremost is the goal of finding some remarkable sites and returning with wonderful pictures. Tours can be half day, full day or one or more nights away to capture the golden hours of dusk and dawn. I’m there

to provide a window into the true north Queensland and to assist you where I can to get the best out of the opportunity. I cater for the experienced enthusiast/professional or if you are new to outdoors photography I’d like to help you get the best out of your camera and the wonderful subjects presented. No rushing from place to place and packing up unless you are satisfied. Costs are all inclusive except where indicated on my website. I can collect you from anywhere in Cairns to the northern beaches (up to Palm Cove) and departure times depend a bit on your location—but generally around 8.00am. I don’t have a schedule in that certain places are visited on certain days. You let me know what sounds appealing and when you are available. If you are travelling singly I can establish a “schedule” around your availability (time permitting) and see if others are interested on the day to bring the price down. Otherwise the half or full day fee will have to apply. (see the prices page on my website). All these tours are designed to be only mildly strenuous so you don’t need to feel limited in what photo equipment you bring. For the more adventurous and fit I have some spectacular walks into remote country that can be customized to your time, fitness and photographic objectives. Overnight tours can be arranged and require a degree of self-sufficiency and preparedness to “rough it” a bit, however, all meals and equipment can be provided—just remember your camera(s), batteries and cards! Oh, and a tripod if you have one. I look forward to meeting you on a tour and talking cameras and experiences.

Photoyarn 132Top Nettle (again)My last trip of 2024 was to one of my favourite botanical paradises known locally as Top ...
26/06/2025

Photoyarn 132
Top Nettle (again)
My last trip of 2024 was to one of my favourite botanical paradises known locally as Top Nettle which is in the high country south-west of Herberton. Despite it being December the 1,000m+ altitude made the weather quite pleasant and encouraged cross-country ramblings. A late afternoon and early morning was very pleasantly spent wandering the hills and finding some nice scenes. The favourite Lemon-scented and Pumpkin Gums were resplendent in their fresh bark and of course fields of grass trees, lush green Cyprus pines and colourful granite boulders dotted the landscape..

Photoyarn 131Lucinda and Taylor’s BeachI had driven the road between Cairns and Townsville many, many times and until re...
18/06/2025

Photoyarn 131
Lucinda and Taylor’s Beach
I had driven the road between Cairns and Townsville many, many times and until recently never spent any time in Ingham’s coastal “suburbs”. Halifax, Taylor’s Beach, Forrest Beach and Lucinda sit between the mighty Herbert River and the serpentine Victoria Creek and Halifax Wetlands National Park. They are quiet little coastal hamlets just far enough off the highway to get overlooked by tourists wanting to get from A to B. We chose Taylor’s Beach as our base for 2 nights while we explored the area in beautiful but hot weather.

PandanustryThe challenge of making the humble but ubiquitous pandanus tree something of a icon amongst trees. People tha...
16/06/2025

Pandanustry
The challenge of making the humble but ubiquitous pandanus tree something of a icon amongst trees. People that know me know that I have a bit of a thing for trees so here’s a selection of these trees that have made an artistic impression on me over the years. The Art of Pandanustry.

Photoyarn 130Etty BayContinuing my travels along the Queensland coast a few months ago it was Etty Bay’s turn for an ove...
15/06/2025

Photoyarn 130
Etty Bay
Continuing my travels along the Queensland coast a few months ago it was Etty Bay’s turn for an overnighter. While I didn’t get any shots of the regular cassowary visitors I did catch a nice sunrise and always fun playing around with starlight and an interesting foreground. I dropped in a cassowary shot from an earlier trip though.

Been indulging in some wild scenery west of Cooktown for the last 3 days  Some epic scenery.
12/06/2025

Been indulging in some wild scenery west of Cooktown for the last 3 days
Some epic scenery.

Photoyarn 129The Daintree RiverAfter a fun photographic trip to Cape Trib with good company I was bitten by the Daintree...
23/05/2025

Photoyarn 129
The Daintree River
After a fun photographic trip to Cape Trib with good company I was bitten by the Daintree Bug. No, not a rabid insect but the desire to get back there soon. The ferry was free between November and February so added incentive. We finished off our previous Cape Trib trip at Cape Kimberly and the mouth of the Daintree River. It had been a few years and I had forgotten how wild and spectacular it can be – and fairly easy to get to. So I went back a week later and spent a moonlight night up late and getting some ghostly shots. It was slightly creepy wandering around the creeks and estuaries under moonlight on my own so I was always looking over my shoulder but well worth it. Many of these shots were taken with my new phone that I was putting through it’s paces.

Photoyarn 128Late last year I spent a few rainy days in the Cape Trib area with a bunch of other photographers. The weat...
15/05/2025

Photoyarn 128
Late last year I spent a few rainy days in the Cape Trib area with a bunch of other photographers. The weather and time of the year meant lonely beaches and moody skies just perfect for dramatic but unsellable images! Here’s a few wet tropical creek, beach and mountain scenes with the photographers who inhabit them. Locations in the comments.

Herbert R Reprise pt 2Up in the airFinishing off the Herbert River for 2024 here are some aerial scenes. I tend to use m...
06/05/2025

Herbert R Reprise pt 2
Up in the air
Finishing off the Herbert River for 2024 here are some aerial scenes. I tend to use my drone as a substitute tripod – a portable lookout as I referred to it in an earlier Photoyarn. Positioning it where I would put my “land camera” if I could. The mist and smoke made big scenes less impactful but getting in close paid benefits. A short video compilation in there too.

Photoyarn 127The Herbert River repriseI had the opportunity for a second trip to the Herbert R and falls last year and w...
01/05/2025

Photoyarn 127
The Herbert River reprise
I had the opportunity for a second trip to the Herbert R and falls last year and was determined to come back with something different. As luck would have it we were treated to 3 very different days and a great variety of scenes presented themselves. Base camping for 3 nights at a nice riverbank location. On the afternoon of our first full day a heavy smoke haze settled in. I sensed the potential for some great sunset and sunrise colours – which nicely presented themselves with all sorts of smoky, to***co colours. The following morning we had a heavy fog settle in leading to more and different moody scenes. And on our last afternoon and morning we just had a perfect sunset and sunrise full of colour and bouncing light. My brother Michael was an expert at finding crocs and we found about 4 individuals mostly spotted from our canoe. A great camp, both relaxing and exciting – the best of all worlds. As usual too many nice images. Hope you enjoy wading through them. Aerial shots next instalment.

Stanage Bay pt 2The bigger pictures. The small townships scattered around the bays and headlands make for a fisho’s para...
27/04/2025

Stanage Bay pt 2
The bigger pictures. The small townships scattered around the bays and headlands make for a fisho’s paradise – and a photogs as well. While the boat ramp is crowded the beaches are mostly empty. We arrived a bit late as a beautiful sunset was warming up. After several short photo stops we arrived a bit in the dark so we got what we could. A voluntary contribution of $10 got us an almost beachside site. Then for 2 days of explorations in perfect weather.

Photoyarn 126Stanage Bay Rocks!Stanage Bay, north of Rockhampton, sits some distance off the highway so I have never had...
22/04/2025

Photoyarn 126
Stanage Bay Rocks!
Stanage Bay, north of Rockhampton, sits some distance off the highway so I have never had the time or inclination for an extended visit there until recently. Because of its proximity to the defence forces Shoalwater Bay training area the road into there has recently been upgraded. Now the first 40km is considerably better than the Bruce Highway you just left. The last 20 or 30kms is mostly okay gravel with some corrugations. However the destination is worth it. This first part is about the Stanage Bay rocks. Wild shapes and colours abound and along with the absence of people along its beautiful empty beaches (in school holidays). I thought it to be a bit of paradise with nice beach camping with the luxury of a small pub/café.

Photoyarn 125Gloucester Island and the north Whitsunday coast.Gloucester Island off the coast of Bowen is one of those e...
26/03/2025

Photoyarn 125
Gloucester Island and the north Whitsunday coast.
Gloucester Island off the coast of Bowen is one of those elephants in the room that seems to be so big nobody notices. It sits on the horizon visible from the Bruce Highway and I have often longingly wished to have a closer look. Well, there is very little info on this island of about 5,000ha – and fewer decent pix (I have done a google search). The National Parks Association talk about a 4 km Gloucester Island circuit walking track but I can’t find any info on this and honestly it seems unlikely. DES have very little on their website referencing 2 campsites and some animal species. It could well be the Hinchinbrook of the south with its beautiful beaches, rocky headlands and wild high country! So late last year I had an opportunity to get a little closer. A couple of nights camping at nearby Hideaway Bay, north of Airlie Beach gave me that opportunity to explore this area that’s not as popular or well known as Airlie. Here are my impressions of the area, mostly from the air. I have yet to set foot on Gloucester but one day soon maybe….

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8 Kauri Close
Kuranda, QLD
4881

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