Watt a Ride! From Cairns to Calm

Driving the Polestar EV in Far North Queensland

Test driving the Polestar EV

Watt a Ride! From Cairns to Calm with a Polestar EV

By Kylie Keogh

Escaping Sydney in the dead of winter is always a good idea. But to escape to the 25-degree, sunny climes of Far North Queensland to test-drive a European EV and stay at a luxury eco-resort in a rainforest? Well, that’s a gift.

Few places in Australia are as heavenly this time of year as the Daintree and when I arrive from miserable, rain-soaked Sydney I am shaking off more than a woollen scarf and winter coat.

The air exudes a spring-warmth and is matched only by the disposition of the Polestar team who are ready and waiting with our coffee orders served in eco keep cups (of course).

The schedule for today is straightforward and delightful – we pair up and drive the 50km scenic route from Cairns Airport to Silky Oaks Lodge in Mossman in four Polestar EVs before a hike (and float) in the Daintree and aperitifs and dinner at the lodge.

But first, the car.

The Polestar EV

I recently had the pleasure of test-driving a Bentley convertible, the dash of which had more bells and whistles than imaginable for a motor vehicle. The Polestar is the opposite and true to Scandi-design – minimalist, chic, understated yet highly functional.

We were buddied up and it’s fair to say I was more cautious than the other driver in taking the twists and turns of the scenic route that hugged the coastline between Cairns and Port Douglas before opening to wide stretches of road hemmed with fields of bristling sugarcane.

Driving the Polestar EV between Cairns and Port Douglas

With the magnificent Macalister Ranges as the backdrop, the Polestar EV was beautiful to drive and elegant to watch. Ours was set to One Pedal Drive which was confusing at first because we didn’t need to brake and with the amount of roadworks on the route, stopping was regular.

Instead of touching the brake, we released pressure from the accelerator and the car gently stopped. It didn’t take long to get comfort able with this way of driving.

The interior is Scandi-minimalism at its best, with bright gold seatbelts that pop against muted grey upholstery. What is impressive is Polestar’s commitment to sustainability. The materials usage is carefully considered; low carbon materials, recycled textiles, reconstructed wood deco made from birchwood and leather that adheres to strict animal welfare standards.

The sound system is next level. A recent upgrade is the Abbey Road Studio Mode, inspired by the sound of the iconic London recording studio, it uses 25 Bowers & Wilkins speakers that emulate the sound, spaces and equipment of the studio.

Polestar’s safety features

Polestar’s safety features work proactively, with artificial intelligence able to detect subtle changes in a driver’s voice or speech patterns. The car can then adjust the lighting or activate a gentle massage function in the seats. It can even suggest a break and, once parked, launch a guided meditation session via Polestar’s Breathe app.

Being a short trip, we didn’t need to activate the car’s wellbeing features, especially once we arrived at Silky Oaks Lodge. Nestled in the Daintree, with the Mossman River flowing gently alongside, a sense of calm is immediate.

Silky Oaks Lodge in the Daintree

There are 40 luxury suites on site ranging in size from 42sqm one-bedroom cabins to bigger family-friendly suites to the 323sqm ultimate hideaway Daintree Pavilion.

Each cabin is named after native Australian fauna and flora and I’m taken to one of the Treehouse Retreat lodges called Wallaby, tastefully decorated with tan panelled wood and grey furnishings that blended with the surrounding verdant forest. The lodge opens to a balcony overlooking the river, with a crocheted swaying hammock that I made good use of later while reading my book.

The star feature of the bathroom is the deep black stone tub on the balcony. Only advice is leaving ample time to fill it! Having an outdoor warm bath listening to the babbling river is must-do.

In the afternoon, we are taken on a hike through the Daintree and float/drift down the Mossman, care of Back Country Bliss. Kitted up in wetsuits and provided with a river sled (Li-Lo) we trudged through the rainforest with our guides, the sun filtering through the canopy.

We are told that the Daintree is the oldest rainforest on the planet and shown a dangerous plant that can embed spikes under the skin and the pain can be felt for years to come… simply by brushing past them. Standard for Australia, really.

Drifting on Li-Lo’s in the Daintree

Kylie Keogh powering around in the Daintreee courtesy of Polestar

The walk through the rainforest is spectacular but the drift down the river, lying face-up on the Li-Lo, watching the canopy glide by and listening to the native birds was almost a spiritual experience and not to be missed.

The day ends with dinner at the lodge. The meals are beautifully presented and feature local barramundi and fresh ingredients from the garden kitchen which has more than 100 plant types. The wine list is sophisticated, and the pre-dinner cocktails feature gin infused with local flavours. As they say in Sweden – skol!