Facing the entrance is a beautiful, two-tiered and landscaped swimming pool where bubbling water tumbles over large natural rocks. The cuisine is a highlight for guests who stay here. Silky Oaks' executive chef can access superbly fresh local produce on which to base his imaginative menus. Favourites like Tropical Silky Oaks Salad with Tiger Prawns, enhanced by a Pawpaw Seed Dressing, or tender Australian beef and lamb are well represented, the latter served with tropical fruit chutney made at Silky Oaks. The Asian influence in Australian cuisine is demonstrated by a classic, Lemongrass-flavoured Thai Chicken Curry.
Accommodation is in stilt-legged nature lodges, built from local timbers.
Polished timber floors and wood-lined walls and ceilings provide a rustic ambience. Louvered windows invite the gentle breezes, sounds and aromas of the forest, yet screens deter insects and mosquitoes. A special pleasure is to relax on your verandah, looking across the canopy of magnificent trees and watching the forest and bird-life while listening to the rustle of leaves and the soft splash of the river. There are also speciality safaris that take you to watch and photograph kangaroos, visit outback stations and aboriginal missions, and drive up to the rich soils of the Atherton Tablelands. The safaris form an integral part of the Silky Oaks concept, and no visitor to this lovely rainforest hideaway should miss them.