Axver said:
I lived in southeast Queensland for nine years, but never made it north of Bundaberg, so I can't really help, I'm sorry.
Also, if you do the Kuranda Scenic Rail from Cairns up through the rainforest to Kuranda, I will be very jealous. I hear it's fantastic and it's the main reason I want to go to northern Queensland.
I'd avoid Cairns like the plague, if I were you guys. It's ok, but it's just a large town-like city type place. Same as anywhere, really. Like BEG said, Port Douglas is where you want to stay for the last few days. You can do heaps which will keep the little buggers entertained, too. I'd guess they're not up for some rafting on the Tully, but you can hire cheap cars which can take you on a little croc hunting (you just go looking, no shooting) tour on these little tinnies with bench seats and those awnings and it goes all over the mangroves. The guides are pretty good, too. Very small, cheap, and personalised. You have to do Kuranda, even if it's only to experience the dunnys. Seriously, there's a 20 or something foot drop from the toilet seat down into nothingness. Scariest toilet you'll ever use. They're all enviro designed and weird. No loo paper, no flush, nothing. And you have to take the cable car thing. The kids will love it and so will you both. Another thing you HAVE to do is Mossman Gorge. I swear to god, sean, that water is so pristine that you can drink it straight from the gorge. The Daintree is most likely what heaven will look like, so warn them that this is where you're taking them. They'll love you for it. Australia is full of rain forests, but the Daintree is something else. If money is not too tight, then you have to get out on the reef. We went on the Aristocrat boats (avoid the Quicksilver tours) and it was awesome. You do some fishing and can keep what you catch, if it's legal sized, and can do rides on the donuts if the current is good. Plus you get all the snorkelling gear so you can go down and see the giant clams and schools of every colour fish imaginable. AND they feed you endlessly, so you stuff yourself and have a blast meeting everyone. They're small boats, they charter about 20 at most? The reef is worth it. It's an expensive day, but you're coming all this way to visit - you may as well not stop half way! Also if you catch a fish, I challenge you to find a better tasting one. We caught a trout out there and it's become a bit infamous (and we eat more fish in this house than Jesus ever did, I tell you).
So there's my tips:
1. croc tour
2. the mossman gorge
3. the kuranda dunny and sky car
4. the reef
There's heaps to do, really. The marina has glass bottom boat trips, there's dedicated deep sea fishing, scuba tours, jet skiing, windsurfing, yachting, even bungee jumping (for the kids you really don't like
). Alternatively, you could all sit on the beach for 4 days and still have the best time. You're going up at a good time of year.