Rainforest hut with al-fresco ensuite.

The beautiful Sanctuary Restaurant and Bar

Avg 25 degrees top daytime temp in winter!

Mission Beach in tropical north Queensland

Deluxe Cabins

Quite probably. Sanctuary is home to an adult male and female couple, plus variously aged offspring that are tolerated by the adult birds and come and go over time. Usually we see a Cassowary wander past the main building each day and its from here that’s the best vantage point. They won’t come inside so you can observe them from a distance of a few metres away, which you couldn’t do in any other setting other than a zoo. If you happen to encounter a Cassowary in the forest, then you should endeavour to keep a distance of at least 20 metres between you and the bird.

Cassowaries have an unwarranted reputation for being aggressive, but this is mainly because that being such big, territorial creatures, people are scared of them. Having said that, Cassowaries have the physical means to protect themselves if they feel threatened, so the best course of action is not to make them feel threatened. A full grown female Cassowary can be 2 metres high and 80 kg in weight (the males are a tad smaller) so it’s a considerable presence that might be walking towards you. In this case, the best option is to give way to the Cassowary, get off the trail that they might be walking on and stand behind a large tree. Cassowaries have notoriously bad eyesight, so it’s not hard to evade their attention. Keep in mind that you are in Cassowary territory and that they have been here for a lot longer than we have, so even if it takes a while, give the Cassowary all the respect it deserves. They truly are remarkable creatures. And this is probably the best place in the world to observe them in their natural environment.