Daintree Siesta: Pioneering Sustainable Tourism in the Heart of the Rainforest

Nestled in the ancient Daintree Rainforest of North Queensland, Daintree Siesta offers more than just a getaway; it provides a model for how tourism operators and tourists alike can embrace sustainability, low-impact practices, and immersive experiences.

Located three hours north of Cairns, beyond the Daintree River, the property is part of a small off-grid community of just 500–600 people. Guests arrive via the car ferry or a four-wheel-drive road, entering the oldest continuous tropical rainforest in the world - millions of years older than the Amazon. It’s a rare and fragile environment, and the family team at Daintree Siesta has built their operations around the principle that tourism can coexist with conservation.

We met with owners Tamara and Bruno to learn more about their journey towards sustainable tourism.

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Balancing Guest Expectations with Environmental Realities

One of the greatest challenges for tourism operators in remote areas is balancing guest expectations with environmental realities. Many travellers arrive in places like the Daintree wanting to experience the wilderness, yet still expect the same luxuries they’d find in a city hotel — air conditioning, endless hot water, coffee machines on demand. On top of that, research and experience show that people often become less diligent about recycling and sustainable habits when they’re on holiday than when they are at home. For operators like Tamara and Bruno, this creates a double challenge: not only managing the technical limits of off-grid living, but also encouraging visitors to adopt behaviours that align with the fragile ecosystems they’ve come to enjoy.

At Daintree Siesta, the focus is on slow travel — staying longer, noticing the small details, and absorbing the environment without overconsumption of resources. Many visitors to the Daintree arrive as day-trippers from Cairns, spending up to six hours driving for only a few hours in the forest.  For Tamara, this misses the point of visiting the rainforest and taking time to immerse in this ancient place.

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“We wanted to encourage slow travel. Staying longer, connecting deeper, reducing impact. The rainforest reveals itself when you give it time.”

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The business was rebranded as Daintree Siesta to reflect this ethos. Guests are encouraged to slow down, explore the property’s private rainforest tracks, and immerse themselves in the natural rhythms of the tropics.

One vivid memory stands out: soon after taking over the business, heavy rains cut off the ferry in and out of the rainforest, stranding guests for several days. Initially stressed, they soon settled into a slower pace - playing board games with their kids, sharing meals, and enjoying family time. By the time the ferry reopened, they didn’t want to leave.

That’s the power of slowing down.

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Sustainability in Practice: Energy, Water, and Waste

The journey to sustainability at Daintree Siesta is both practical and innovative. The property is not connected to the main power grid, so energy management is crucial. 

While a fully renewable system isn’t possible (heavily fluctuating waterways and leafy canopies make solar and hydro not complete nor possible solutions) the team weren’t disheartened, and resolved to make incremental steps toward efficiency.  Testing the existing generators and finding them either old and inefficient or excessive, they invested in a more efficient generator with an appropriate capacity, reducing fuel consumption and emissions while still reliably powering the property.  This example illustrates a key principle for tourism operators: you don’t need to wait for perfection to start making a positive impact. Incremental, thoughtful changes can provide environmental and financial benefits while building momentum for future improvements.

Water and waste are managed with equal care. Bore water is pumped into a storage tank on a timed system, and careful monitoring ensures sustainable usage despite variable guest numbers. Waste management includes local recycling initiatives for 10-cent deposit bottles and a collaboration with a Cairns-based non-profit that recycles plastic bottle caps into small products like combs and plant pots, supporting disability employment in the process.

• Energy: Solar panels and batteries, efficient generators, and strict management of high-draw appliances.
  
  
• Water: Bore water pumped into tanks, with a prototype low-tech monitoring system soon to be installed. Creeks on the property are regularly checked as indicators of ecosystem health.
  
  
• Waste: With no council recycling, the business takes matters into its own hands. Bottles and cans go through Queensland’s 10¢ scheme, lids are sent to a Cairns not-for-profit for repurposing, and single-use plastics are avoided wherever possible. Their guest fridge? No plastic bottles or cans.
  
  
• Repurposing: Fire pits are made from recycled washing machine drums. Furniture is repainted rather than replaced. “Things don’t last long in the tropics,” Bruno admits, “so giving them a second life is better than sending them to landfill.”
  
  
• Plastics: As part of Plastic Free Port Douglas, Daintree Siesta has eliminated mini toiletry bottles in favour of refillable dispensers.

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Daintree Siesta also recognises that sustainability is as much about guest education and participation as infrastructure. 

• iNaturalist Project: Guests can record species they spot, adding to the property’s growing biodiversity database. A PhD student from Griffith University set up the project and returns annually to expand it.
  
  
• Bat Monitoring: Partnering on a spectacled flying fox monitoring project with a PhD student from James Cook University to participate in a census to increase data on numbers and locations of these endangered keystone species.
  
  
• Bug Photography: Partnering with an insect education specialist, GoneBuggo, to capture more photographs on site and upload more species to the Daintree Siesta iNaturalist project, helping to increase appreciation of the role of insects in ecosystems.

Moreover, Daintree Siesta emphasises that sustainable practices aren’t just technical; they’re also cultural. Acknowledging the land’s traditional custodians, the Eastern Kuku Yalanji is integrated into the onsite facilitated Rainforest Connections Walk and other immersive experiences, providing context for the significance of the rainforest while allowing guests to form their own personal connections with the environment.

Forest Bathing: The Rainforest as the Therapist

Daintree Siesta offers a unique experience: guided forest bathing walks. Certified in this practice, Tamara describes it simply:

“The forest is the therapist; the guide just opens the doors.”

Unlike traditional tours, these walks aren’t about facts and commentary. They’re about moving slowly, noticing details, and connecting with the environment on a personal level.

Guests are encouraged to wander quietly, observe, and reflect. A 30-minute track can turn into a two-hour journey of connection. For many, it’s the first time they’ve experienced a forest in this way. Tamara also begins every session with an Acknowledgement of Country — recognising the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people as Traditional Owners — and broadens the perspective: “The Daintree is millions of years old. Everything is interconnected. It isn’t just about people; it’s cassowaries, flying foxes, and every being that makes up the ecosystem.”

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Practical Advice for Tourism Operators

Not every business has the budget for solar installations or large-scale infrastructure. But Daintree Siesta’s story shows that sustainability isn’t about grand gestures; it’s about doing what you can, where you are.

Tamara and Bruno’s advice is simple:

• Start small. Replace what you can. Try one change at a time.
  
  
• Collaborate widely. The best ideas often come from outside your own sector. “Some of our best solutions come from outside tourism. Innovation happens when different industries share ideas.”
  
  
• Be flexible. Some initiatives will work, others won’t. Keep adapting.
  
  

“Most people won’t understand all the nuances of your business,” Tamara says. “But you’re the expert. Trust yourself to know what will work, and don’t be afraid to experiment.”

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By combining slow travel, thoughtful energy and water management, guest education, and community partnerships, Daintree Siesta demonstrates how a tourism business can thrive in a remote location while respecting the environment and fostering genuine guest experiences.

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“It’s a constantly unfolding journey not without its challenges but connecting with others who are also trying their best on the journey can be helpful – having a chat with Yonder about our shared values and just trying has been really positive.”

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For tourism operators, the key takeaway is simple: sustainability is a journey, not a destination. Whether through small operational adjustments or deeper collaborations, every step counts - and in a place like the Daintree, every action has a ripple effect through the forest, the community, and the lives of the guests who come to experience it.

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We're excited to partner with business owners like Tamara and Bruno, and to support tourism operators as they balance guest experience and environmental impact.

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