The Last Pure Places on Earth

Added: 2026-05-10

[00:00:00]Heat.

[00:00:19]Heat.

[00:00:24]Heat.

[00:00:42]Heat.

[00:01:09]Lucinda in far north Queensland is a perfect home base to explore some of the most pristine and picturesque tropical creeks and rivers in Australia.

[00:01:18]These sweet waters play host to a wide range of exotic plants and animals, making them hugely entertaining to explore.

[00:01:33]There's only one palm frron touching this camper.

[00:01:40]And look what we have now. Oh dear.

[00:01:45]Green ants live in nests made in trees by weaving together leaves to form large colonies. They are protectors of the flora canopy and are quite contankerous and can give a slight sting. Any interaction near them is met with an attack.

[00:02:06]This striking and charismatic redtail black cockatu is a perfect example of the entertainment value when exploring this region.

[00:02:15]They are drawn to the many fruits and nuts that grow on the rainforest trees.

[00:02:39]The aptly named Crystal Creek about 50 km to the south of Lucinda is an impressive rocky gorge where the cascading water has worn the rocks smooth and created natural swimming pools, spars, and rock slides.

[00:03:10]Yeah, the rock slides there. See how smooth they are?

[00:03:16]Jeez, your bum, your cockix should hit that bit of a bump there and go through your brain. Absolutely gorgeous though.

[00:03:24]Wait to see the rest of it.

[00:03:30]There are numerous rock pools to choose from to swim in. As you near the water, the intensity of the crashing waters engulfs you.

[00:03:58]We chose a sundrench pool in the upper section of the falls for our pool for the morning.

[00:04:20]All to ourselves.

[00:04:23]Bloody beautiful.

[00:04:28]A quick fly with the drone upstream distinctly shows the raw and natural beauty of this place. Man's destructive tendrils have not laid a mark on this ancient landscape yet.

[00:04:57]Oh, heat.

[00:05:36]Heat. Heat.

[00:07:19]Well, if you're willing to wander a little bit and get away from the crowds, this is what you'll find.

[00:07:27]Just bloody beautiful. Tuck my rod under my arm and I'll zoom in on this magnificent swimming hole.

[00:07:42]It just comes out of those mountains.

[00:07:48]Wow.

[00:07:52]This is Australia and this is the way it should be.

[00:07:59]Special places, special times. I'll see if I can find a jungle perch in that little pool there. I say little pool, it's quite a big pool. Absolutely beautiful.

[00:08:10]The much revered jungle perch lives only in pristine tropical environments. The turbid waters that man creates from poor land management practices ensure this fish thrives mainly above agricultural land.

[00:08:24]They are a special fish, a piscatorial jewel of the north.

[00:08:33]Beautiful jungle perch.

[00:08:42]They even look like the jungle.

[00:08:49]The mixture of permanent water and adjacent blossoming trees makes this habitat perfect for a tremendous range of butterflies. All had their own unique magic and beauty.

[00:09:19]It would be a pretty fair bet that these mineralrich and highly oxygenated waters would have therapeutic benefits.

[00:09:26]It sure feels so anyway.

[00:09:41]just to the north of Crystal Creek.

[00:09:43]Water crashes down the rainforest of the Great Divide yet again to create Jerama Falls.

[00:09:51]It is rugged and steep terrain with water cascading down multiple drops.

[00:10:46]Oh.

[00:10:52]Oh.

[00:11:16]Below the falls, giant boulders worked smooth by millennia of flowing water create numerous wonderful full swimming holes.

[00:11:36]Well, that's very very cool.

[00:11:39]Flagtail or jungle perch.

[00:11:43]First cast in this beautiful crystal environment.

[00:12:02]fish sitting there in the shade.

[00:12:05]Check out this absolutely beautiful location.

[00:12:16]And that's where I pulled that jungle perch out of just in that bit of white water at the bottom of that this rapids near me.

[00:12:31]Whether you realize it or not, the abundance of animal diversity in these environs ensures you are always being watched.

[00:12:42]And then I noticed mom or dad not too far away from the little fella.

[00:12:59]How you going, mate? You're a water dragon.

[00:13:02]Hey, you an eastern water dragon or what are you?

[00:13:09]Not 100% sure.

[00:13:34]Bring him round.

[00:13:38]He got me around the around the rock there.

[00:13:48]What I'm going to have to do is come down and get my other camera so these jungle perch are such a special species in the sport fishing world. They fit into their clear watery domain exceptionally well, as though they have their own aquatic camouflage coats.

[00:14:20]I guess it's a combination of the environment they are caught in, their weary nature, and exquisite looks that are such a draw card for sports fishes.

[00:14:32]Beautiful little fish.

[00:15:02]Hinchenbrook Island is just across a short channel from Lucinda, but a huge island to explore as it is about 50 km in length.

[00:15:13]There is no place quite like it in the world. It is a great barrier reef world heritage area and the adjacent mainland is the wet tropics world heritage area.

[00:15:24]The region harbors a massive diversity of plants and animals.

[00:15:35]As I strolled back from the Hinchinbrook Island lookout where I took this video, I was quickly reminded of this diversity. A death addict casually cross the path in front of me. Sobering, I must say.

[00:16:06]Both Henchinbrook and the adjacent mainland have relatively short creeks and streams that guide the constant moisture off all the tall peaks.

[00:16:15]They are pristine and very pretty places to explore.

[00:16:20]Me being me, I can't help but track these waterways in the search of my beloved fish.

[00:16:52]If you study this underwater footage closely, you'll see plenty of jungle perch. They're the ones with black marks on the top and bottom of their tails.

[00:17:01]Numerous species of rainbow fish, eel tailed catfish, and a large eel cruising the bottom. And a few other fish species.

[00:17:47]All waterways should have this diversity of life. If man didn't insist on interfering in a degrading way.

[00:18:59]Get down.

[00:19:21]In next week's episode, we'll take the boat over to Hinchinbrook Island and capture the stunning beauty and Jurassic like look of this magical island.

[00:19:30]Be sure not to miss that one.

[00:19:50]Heat. Heat.