There are the iconic landscapes featuring some of the planet’s oldest rainforest to the incredible kaleidoscope of colours to be found on the greatest reef on earth. In fact, this region is the only place in the world where two natural World Heritage areas lay side-by-side.

While these and other amazing natural attractions are the stars of the tourism show, the tropical north is also a playground for wildlife watchers, foodies, market crawlers, cyclists, hikers and those just looking to relax in luxury surrounds. And, of course, there is plenty of good golf to be found between the picturesque township of Mossman in the north and the unofficial North Queensland capital, Townsville, to the south.

My journey began by flying into the tourism mecca of the far north, Cairns. Having escaped the cold and rain of Sydney, I ditched the jumper en route to the Avis car park and smiled when I had to turn the air conditioning on full tilt as soon as I jumped in the hire car.

Within minutes I had the car pointed north on the Captain Cook Highway headed for that little slice of paradise wedged between the reef and rainforest, Port Douglas, about a 60-minute drive from the airport.

Back in the early 1980s, Port Douglas was little more than a sleepy seaside village. When then high-flying businessman Christopher Skase arrived in town with plans to build the ultra-luxurious Sheraton Mirage Resort, it changed the town forever.

Today, Port Douglas is a high-end resort town but still exudes that typical laidback Queensland feel. Anything more than a T-shirt, boardies and thongs as you head for a coffee in the main street might feel overdressed.

Mirage Country Club. PHOTO: Brendan James.

Along with the Sheraton Mirage, Skase built the adjoining Mirage Country Club, both of which celebrate 35 years this year since they opened with incredible fanfare.

Peter Thomson and Mike Wolveridge were commissioned to design the layout as the grand accompaniment to the five-star resort development, with the front nine stretched out alongside Four Mile Beach and the resort, and the back nine weaving between water hazards on the western side of Port Douglas Rd.

Less than 12 months after the course was finished, it hosted the then world’s richest Skins game with Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Curtis Strange and Isao Aoki playing for $2.2 million over 36 holes. With world television coverage and Skase sparing no expense, Port Douglas and the Mirage Country Club were thrust onto the golf tourist’s map.

Fast forward 25 years and the course had fallen into decline but new owners, Full Share, vowed to upgrade the layout. That process began with the return of Wolveridge in 2019 to oversee the redesign of all 18 greens. Sadly, he passed away in 2020 shortly before the reopening of the 1st, 5th and 18th greens, which were the first to be remodelled.

The conditioning of the Mirage course has improved markedly in recent times and acclaimed course designer Graham Marsh is now consulting to the club on the upgrade program, which promises to transform the Mirage layout as the remaining 35-year-old greens are resurfaced and shaped. These proposed developments will add significantly to the overall golfing experience that includes winding through tropical rainforest, playing holes framed by massive fig trees or palms and, perhaps, spotting a croc sunning itself beside one of the water hazards.

Wolveridge fell in love with Port Douglas whilst overseeing the construction of Mirage and when the opportunity came to create another layout, just a few minutes’ drive down the road, he decided to make it his home.

The Englishman was the lead designer for Thomson Wolveridge and Ross Perrett on the creation of what was originally called Links Port Douglas, but is known today as Palmer Sea Reef Golf Course.

Covering 73 hectares of land once covered by sugar cane fields, just south of Port Douglas, Sea Reef has all the elements of a links course – large greens, pot bunkering, devilish mounding, humps and hollows. What sets this place apart is the rainforest that cuts through the middle of the property, not to mention the signs warning of estuarine crocodiles near several of the course’s water hazards.

Palmer Sea Reef. PHOTO: Brendan James.

The course opens with an imposing par-4 that stretches to 380 metres from the blue back markers. The prevailing breeze is into your face standing on the tee where you can see the fairway winding right around a bunker, a pond and a clump of rainforest. The slightly elevated green is typical for Sea Reef – protected on most sides by hillocks and at least one bunker. However, being true to all links courses, there is a sufficient opening at the front of the green to play a bump shot in underneath the wind.

The large, inviting greens at Sea Reef are one of its starring features.

“Players of all abilities should be able to fashion approach shots into greens that don’t require the ball to hit and spin,” Wolveridge told me back in 2001 when the course opened for play. “The links style is for greens to allow for a pitch and run shot to be played ... that’s what has been created here.”

In stark contrast to the relatively wide playing corridors at Sea Reef is the tight driving challenge Mossman Golf Club presents.

Mossman, about 20 minutes’ drive north of Port Douglas, is the last stop before reaching the wet tropical mountains and famed Daintree Rainforest.

Mossman Golf Club. PHOTO: Brendan James.

Measuring 5,879 metres from the tips, Mossman is a relatively flat but tight excursion and has gained a reputation in the region for presenting well-groomed playing surfaces and providing a fun round of golf. An 18-hole round here will set you back just $40, which is great value for money for the experience.