Bloomfield Escape sits at the Cooktown end of the famous Bloomfield Track, 10 minutes south of Lion’s Den Hotel. You might be familiar with these names, but what you might not know, is there’s a family run property offering luxury accommodation and reef and island trips. Go from the everyday, into the wild, untamed and beautiful coastal country of Bloomfield.
This must be just like living in paradise. Cedar Bay will blow your mind. Beautiful.
Wow. Wow. Wow. Cedar Bay is a little-known place. A sandy pocket positioned between towering rainforest mountains and the Great Barrier Reef. A stunning beach, lined with coconuts sliding into clear, blue waters. You could take the 28-kilometre return walk (6-8 hours each way), or hook up with Bloomfield Escape for a much more enjoyable boat ride to the bay. Just the beginning of an epic day.
“This is for real, one of the most beautiful bays we’ve been too. In Australia. Big call, but I think the video says it all, so you can judge for yourself. Apart from getting us there in comfort, our Bloomfield Escape host John Corbett shared some of the history of this pristine patch of paradise.” – Julie Johnston
Bloomfield Escape tailors their reef and island tours to your preferences. For our family, it’s all about exploring above and below the water, making the most of every moment. So John customised our day tour to include Cedar Bay, Hope Islands and Pickersgill Reef, starting and ending with a trip in the Bloomfield River. We walked, snorkelled and swam – but John can also incorporate fishing if that’s your bag.
Hope Islands National Park has four islands, East and West Hope Islands, Struck and Snapper Island. We visited East Hope Island. A pretty little place which is nicely vegetated with established trees providing shade over picnic tables, and fringing reefs. You can relax in the shallows, sunbake, explore and/or snorkel. We did it all.
The adventure continues. As our host John guided his 9m Extended Cab Kevlacat through the reef to our next destination, we made our lunch and enjoyed the views from the air-conditioned interior. We learned more about the history of the area and just soaked it all in. Gliding into Pickersgill Reef in the early afternoon, the tide offered us a secluded sandy cay which was another natural paradise.
Green turtles swam through the shallows, juvenile black tipped reef sharks frolicked in the waters and sea birds flew in and off the cay. Just stop. Admire. Breathe it in and maybe pinch yourself for being here. The only ones for miles and miles. On the tender back to the boat, we stopped and snorkelled. Coral bommies teeming with fish and colourful corals. Sheltered waters. Just awesome.
Family operated trip. Maximum 8 guests. Just you and your crew, in paradise.
You do not need to stay at Bloomfield Escape to book one of their reef and island tours, but we highly recommend it. Beautiful cabins, magic location. The reef and island trips depart from the Bloomfield River – departure times are confirmed at time of booking. The day is completely customised to your needs and group. Want to fish and visit the island? – Can do. Want to do what we did – can do that too. All snorkel equipment can be provided, including mask, snorkel, fins and lycra sunsuits. You can self-cater or they can supply a light lunch of rolls and refreshments. This is a locally owned and family operated business with a passion for sharing the beautiful Bloomfield with their guests.
© I Love Cairns 2024