There's very little to CARDWELL - just a quiet string of shops on one side of the highway, and the sea on the other - but it's somehow attractive, not least because Hinchinbrook Island hovers just offshore, so close that it almost seems to be part of the mainland. In recent years, Cardwell has become a bit of an environmental battleground, with the recently completed marina 1.5km south of town built in a "protected" mangrove zone and dugong sanctuary. Future plans to add a resort aim to double tourism in the region, but the resulting increase in marine traffic and the uncontrolled access to Hinchinbrook could be disastrous for this fragile area. The numbers of once-common dugongs (sea cows), and the sea-grass beds on which they feed, have already declined drastically.

Cardwell spreads for about 2km along the highway, with banks, the post office, supermarket, hotel and the BP service station near or south of the jetty , itself about halfway along. Buses pull up beside the post office and service station at the "Transit Centre" - actually just an open-sided bus shelter. Buy onward tickets at the travel agent next to the post office. The best of the accommodation is north of the jetty at Kookaburra Holiday Park , 175 Bruce Highway (tel 07/4066 8648, www.kookaburra@znet.net.au ; under $70), which has everything from motel rooms to tent sites and a self-contained backpackers' block, and free use of bikes and fishing gear; and Cardwell Beachfront Motel , 1 Scott St (tel 07/4066 8776; $50-70), which nearly faces the sea. For food , head to DA's Supermarket if you're self-catering, or Cardwell Muddies at the northern end of town (look for the giant fibreglass mud crab), a restaurant-bar with a happy hour (4-6pm), giant video screen and dance area, endless cocktails, and a mix of grills, seafood, salads and open sandwiches.

Just north of the jetty, the NPWS-run Rainforest and Reef Centre (Mon-Fri 8am-4.30pm, Sat-Sun 8am-noon; free; tel 07/4066 8601) issues island permits, and has a walk-through rainforest and mangrove display. If you want to see some wildlife, contact Dugong & Island Cruises (tel 07/4066 8555), who spend half a day looking for dugong in the Hinchinbrook channel ($55), or an evening chasing crocodiles ($40).