The region’s unofficial name says it all: so far north it’s almost off the map. But the city of Cairns, once a sleepy service town for sugar-cane growers, has become the hub of a bustling tourism industry which boasts direct flights from Japan and now China. The Great Barrier lies just offshore, the smart resorts and marinas of Port Douglas and the fabled rainforests of Cape Tribulation and the Daintree River all lie within an easy day’s drive up the coast. Up over the heavily-forested ranges lies the Atherton Tableland, whose volcanic soils nurture crops of coffee beans, leaf tea and mango fruit… and further beyond awaits the real, unvarnished Outback, where enigmatic ant hills punctuate the dry, monsoonal scrub and the towns seldom more than a single, spartan pub.

Most images captured in RAW format on Nikon D300. Earlier images have been scanned from 35mm transparency. All are available for licensing.