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The Atherton Tablelands is the region that lies beyond the mountains that encircle Cairns. High in the hills you’ll find an ever-changing landscape, shaped by rainfall, elevation and geography. The southern and eastern sides of the Tablelands offer lush rainforest, crater lakes, waterfalls and deep gorges carved out by powerful rivers. Amongst it all are dairy farms, tiny towns, delicious treats and delightful discoveries. The air is cooler here, even in the warm summer months. In contrast, the central and western Tablelands have a much drier climate, thanks to the rain shadow of the Great Dividing Range. So much so, that the main town of Mareeba is famous for its claim of 300 sunny days a year. This region is home to extensive agricultural plantations of mangoes, avocados, tropical fruits and coffee. There are granite gorges, historic towns and ancient limestone caves, hidden amongst dry savannah plains. This is a place of spectacular beauty and diversity, with adventure waiting around every bend. If you’re visiting Cairns, the Atherton Tablelands deserves a place on your itinerary and there are plenty of guided tours that make exploring this incredible region oh so easy.
We love the Atherton Tablelands for its waterfalls, crater lakes, spectacular scenery, delicious dairies and the sheer abundance of things to see and do. We’re talking swimming in crater lakes, standing in the spray of waterfalls, exploring caves, discovering rock art, feeding the cutest rock wallabies you ever will see and taste testing, amazing local produce. We also like the climate, which offers cool nights throughout the year, thanks to its elevation from the coast. The Atherton Tablelands is a region we return to time and again. We know you will love it, just as much as we do.
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Check out our favourite tours to the Atherton Tablelands.
Feather Palm Forest. Calling to Country Indigenous Experience. Skybury Coffee Plantation. Emerald Creek Ice Creamery. Kuranda Scenic Railway. Down Under Tours.
Cairns Waterfalls Tour. Lake Eacham. Millaa Millaa Falls. Josephine Falls. Babinda Boulders. Cairns Adventure Group.
Tully Rafting is FNQ’s ultimate whitewater adventure with legendary rapids, clear blue water, expert guides, 2.5 hours rafting and a pub meal.
Explore the Australian Outback on a full Cairns day tour. Ancient limestone caves, tiny country towns, Aboriginal rock art and adorable rock wallabies.
Foodies this one is for you! Delicious full day tour to the Atherton Tablelands, featuring cheese, chocolate, wine, an award-winning distillery and more.
This is our Guide to touring the Atherton Tablelands region. In our opinion there are three central elements, or highlights of the Tablelands. The rainforest and crater lakes, the savannah outback areas and the amazing local produce. These are all worthy of exploration, either on a self-drive tour or picking a combination of tours that deliver on your wish list of experiences. The Tablelands are easily accessed on 1 of 3 range roads. The closest to Cairns is the Kuranda Range, but there’s also the Gillies Range near Gordonvale and further south, the Palmerston Highway. These winding roads take you from the coastal plains, up into the Tablelands. The elevation of the Tablelands varies, from Queensland’s highest town of Ravenshoe at 930m above sea level, to Kuranda the Village in the Rainforest at 330m. The travelling distance from Cairns also varies, depending on what you want to see. If you’re chasing outback adventures, then Chillagoe with its limestone caves, karsts and rock art, is around 200km one-way. While Millaa Millaa Falls and the waterfall trail is around 100km from Cairns, one-way. Without further ado, let’s run through what this amazing destination has to offer you.
The Atherton Tablelands has lots of waterfalls. The most visually spectacular is Millaa Millaa Falls, a plunge waterfall which tumbles 18m past a basalt rock wall, into a pool of cold, freshwater below. It’s surrounded by rainforest, tree ferns and white gingers, making it an iconic photo stop for Cairns’ Waterfalls Tours. You can swim here. There’s also Zillie Falls and Ellinjaa Falls, which are all very close to Millaa Millaa on the southern end of the Tablelands. An iconic waterfall of the region is Barron Falls, located at the northern end of the Tablelands near Kuranda. Barron Falls is 125m high and 259m wide and is featured in many tour itineraries, including the Waterfalls and Wetlands day tour from Cairns. You can not swim at Barron Falls.
There are two stunning crater lakes on the Atherton Tablelands, Lake Barrine and Lake Eacham, both of which are in the Crater Lakes National Park. These lakes are the remainder of volcanic activity that helped shape the Tablelands’ landscape well over 10,000 years ago. They are around 65 metres deep, filled with cool freshwater and surrounded by lush tropical rainforest. You can swim at both crater lakes. Lake Barrine has a historic teahouse, which is perfectly positioned to provide lovely views, while you enjoy an amazing Devonshire Tea (or meal), it’s also the first stop on the Cairns Tablelands Tasting Tour. Lake Eacham is beloved by local families as the perfect place to cool down on a hot day. It’s one of the featured destinations in the Cairns Waterfalls tour.
The Tully Gorge National Park is on the southern end of the Tablelands, and has much in common with the Barron Gorge National Park. Both feature simply stunning gorges, carved out by powerful river systems over thousands of years. Both have World Heritage listed Rainforest, which provides a spectacular backdrop to the gorges and rivers, and both have Hydro Electric Power Stations, which enables the year-round operation of rafting tours. The Tully Gorge National Park is divided into two sections, the Tablelands section with its ‘missing’ waterfall and the Tully section, which is where the rafting takes place. Tully River Rafting tours are an amazing way to experience this National Park. Starting near the base of the hydro station, this fully guided tour packs a big punch of adrenaline and fun. You’ll surge through powerful rapids, bounce off boulders and if conditions permit, paddle under a waterfall. We’ve done it and highly recommend it.
The Atherton Tablelands has several National Parks, which are part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage area. This rainforest thrives at higher elevations, extending all the way to the summit of Mount Bartle Frere, Queensland’s tallest mountain at 1,622 metres. The most visited place on the Atherton Tablelands is the Curtain Fig National Park, which protects a pocket of rare and endangered mabi forest, and is home to the 500 year old Curtain Fig Tree. It features on many tour itineraries, including the Cairns Tablelands Tasting Tour. The Cathedral Fig Tree is equally as old and impressive as the Curtain Fig Tree. Towering 50m into the air it dwarves the surrounding forest and presents an impressive array aerial roots. The Cathedral Fig is featured on the Cairns Waterfalls Tour which includes a Welcome to Country and cultural presentation (more below).
There are several Traditional Owners of the lands across the Atherton Tablelands. The Yidinji People are the Traditional Owners of the areas surrounding Lake Barrine, Tolga, Kairi and Tinaroo, which is where the Cathedral Fig Tree is located. On the Cairns Waterfalls tour you’ll meet a proud descendent of the Yidinji People, who will Welcome you to Country and provide an engaging and informative cultural presentation. There are many examples of rock art located across the Atherton Tablelands region, perhaps the best of which are in the Chillagoe-Mungana Caves National Park. This art was created by the Traditional Owners of that area, the Wakaman People, and you can see it on a Cairns to Chillagoe Caves and Outback tour.
The Atherton Tablelands is home to a diverse array of animals, thriving across its varied landscape of lush rainforest and dry savannah plains. We’ll start with the rainforest residents, most notably Cassowaries and Tree-Kangaroos. Sighting either of these critters is not guaranteed on a day tour, but we have seen them both during our travels here. The Boyd’s Forest Dragon (pictured here) roam these rainforests; it’s a small lizard-like creature that clings to tree trunks and we’ve seen them at the Cathedral and Curtain Fig Trees. Platypus can sometimes be seen in local waterways, usually at Yungaburra and sometimes Kuranda. For the Mareeba Rock Wallabies, stop into Granite Gorge near Mareeba. Beyond native wildlife, you’ll also see lots of cattle on the dairy farms, termite mounds and bright butterflies.
There’s lots of walking tracks and trails on the Atherton Tablelands. Some of them are elevated boardwalks, others are concreted pathways and unformed trails. All the National Parks have them, allowing you to take a journey of self-guided discovery, thanks to the interpretive signage. The Cathedral Fig Tree path takes you from the car park, through the rainforest and onto a boardwalk circuit around the tree. The Curtain Fig Tree is also accessed on a timber boardwalk. The Millaa Millaa waterfall is a short walk from the car park, as is Lake Eacham and Lake Barrine. For those taking a self-guided tour of the Tablelands, we suggest allowing extra time to explore the boardwalk around Lake Barrine and at Barron Falls. The Lake Barrine walk is mostly shaded and you can do a short 160 metre return wander to see 2 giant bull kauri pine trees, or the 5km circuit around the lake. The Barron Falls walk is on elevated timber boardwalks, that take you through the rainforest with 2 lookouts over the Barron Falls and Gorge.
The main tourist attractions of the Atherton Tablelands region are mostly natural landmarks and National Parks, which we’ve covered above. One of the things we love most about visiting this area is the opportunity to taste amazing local produce, grown and created right here at local coffee plantations, dairies, tropical fruit farms and boutique distilleries. We’re talking the Skybury Coffee Plantation near Mareeba, famous for its coffee and red papaya, which features prominently on the menu. Emerald Creek Ice-Creamery who have over 50 flavours of ice cream and sorbet, all locally made with many featuring local fruits such dragonfruit, davidson plum, mango and lime. Then there’s the Lake Barrine Teahouse, that we’ve already covered, and the Shaylee Strawberry Farm with strawberry wine and divine soft-serve strawberry ice-cream. For lovers of cheese and chocolate, Gallo Dairyland is a must visit! Finally, Mount Uncle Distillery with its selection of rum, gin, agave spirit and whiskey, all distilled and aged on the Atherton Tablelands.
Guided tours are a great way to explore the Atherton Tablelands and there’s several options which each showcase different highlights of this spectacular region. For lovers of waterfalls and swimming, the Cairns Waterfalls Tour is a fabulous pick, combining Lake Eacham, Millaa Millaa Falls and the Cathedral Fig Tree, with a Welcome to Country by Traditional Owners. For the chance to see the rainforest and outback parts of the Tablelands in 1 day, there’s the Waterfalls and Wetlands Tour. Highlights include Barron Falls, a Calling to Country ceremony, visits to Skybury Coffee Plantation and Emerald Creek Ice-Creamery. Finish with a journey on either Kuranda Scenic Railway or Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. For foodies it’s the Cairns Tablelands Tasting Tour! Breakfast at Lake Barrine Teahouse, lunch at Shaylee Strawberry Farm, delicious treats at Gallo Dairyland and Emerald Creek Ice-Creamery, and a visit to Mount Uncle Distillery. For an outback adventure, take the Chillagoe Caves and Outback Tour to explore limestone caves, see balancing rocks and ancient rock art, with lunch at a country pub.
For a tiny outback town with a permanent population of just over 200 people, Chillagoe packs a big punch for its experiences. It’s most famous for its limestone caves, an underground landscape shaped by time and adorned with stalactites and stalagmites. There are underground pools, cave corals and so much more which you explore on guided tours. Other natural and cultural highlights here include giant karsts, balancing rocks and rock art sites. The town’s more recent history is one of mining and a visit to the abandoned Chillagoe Smelters is a must do. Chillagoe is around 135km south-west of Cairns and it takes around 2.5 hours to drive there, each way. Along the way you’ll pass through tiny towns and travel on the Wheelbarrow Way. To add Chillagoe into your Cairns holiday itinerary, book a seat on the Cairns to Chillagoe Caves tour.
This is the place to snap a selfie with the totally adorable Mareeba Rock Wallabies. The gorge is located on private property, which you can visit on a day tour or stay overnight at the caravan park. Wallaby food can be purchased at reception and then it’s a short walk into the giant granite boulders of the gorge, which is where you will find the wallabys. Unlike a lot of wildlife encounters, this one is guaranteed. A thriving population of rock wallabies live here and we’ve seen them every time we have visited. Beyond the rock wallabies the property’s owners have a large collection of farmyard and native animals. Granite Gorge is located about 12km from Mareeba, on the Atherton Tablelands. You can self-drive. It’s also included in the Chillagoe Caves and Outback tour.
The Atherton Tablelands is a diverse destination offering a wealth of experiences, and it’s somewhere we always take visiting friends and family. Thanks to its proximity to Cairns, it’s easy to explore on a day tour, with experiences to appeal to people of all ages and interests. We’re talking waterfalls and food trails, rafting rainforest rivers and heading into the savannah to discover ancient limestone caves and towering karsts. The Tablelands are distinctly different from coastal Cairns, and many of its rainforest attractions are easier to access than those in the Daintree and Cape Tribulation areas. Visit for the day or stay a little longer, with boutique accommodation, country hotels, cabins and caravan parks providing plenty of options to make the most of this beautiful region.
The Atherton Tablelands is the elevated region, that sits high in the hills that surround Cairns. It contains several towns, many farms and lots of National Parks. Kuranda is just 27km from Cairns, while the town of Atherton is around 80km via the Gillies Range. The popular Millaa Millaa Waterfall Circuit is approximately 100km from Cairns, depending on your route. Allow between 1 and 2 hours to reach most Tablelands attractions, with some destinations further afield.
The Atherton Tablelands is famous for its waterfalls, volcanic crater lakes, ancient rainforest, wildlife and delicious local produce. Some of our favourite experiences include swimming at Lake Eacham and Millaa Millaa Falls, visiting the giant Curtain and Cathedral Fig Trees, feeding rock wallabies at Granite Gorge and exploring the limestone caves at Chillagoe. There are also walking trails, historic towns, coffee plantations and dairies to discover along the way.
Absolutely! The Atherton Tablelands are one of our favourite day trips from Cairns, with plenty to see and do. You can easily combine waterfalls, crater lakes, rainforest walks and delicious food stops into a full day of exploring. However, this is a large region, so you’ll need to choose your destinations carefully. To assist with those wanting to self-drive, we’ve prepared our own suggested Cairns Waterfall Circuit – Self Drive Itinerary which includes lots of our favourite places and snack stops. Alternatively, book a tour and let someone else take care of the driving.
The most famous Atherton Tablelands waterfalls are Millaa Millaa Falls, Zillie Falls and Ellinjaa Falls, which are all located on the popular Waterfall Circuit. Barron Falls near Kuranda is another spectacular sight, particularly during the wet season. For crater lakes, head to Lake Eacham and Lake Barrine, both surrounded by ancient rainforest in the Crater Lakes National Park. Swimming is permitted in both lakes and at Millaa Millaa Falls, subject to local conditions.
Both are great ways to explore the Atherton Tablelands, and it really depends on your interests and how much time you have. Self-driving gives you the freedom to explore at your own pace, stop for photos and enjoy those unexpected discoveries along the way. This is also a good option for those with babies, infants and young children. Guided tours are a fabulous option if you’d prefer someone else to do the driving and planning. They combine some of the best attractions into a single day, often with guided commentary, cultural experiences and food stops included.
The Atherton Tablelands is home to some incredible Australian wildlife, including cassowaries, tree-kangaroos, platypus, Boyd’s forest dragons and rock wallabies. We’ve been fortunate enough to spot cassowaries, tree-kangaroos and forest dragons during our travels. For the best chance of seeing platypus, try the waterways around Yungaburra, particularly early in the morning or late afternoon. Granite Gorge near Mareeba is another favourite of ours, where you can get up close to the adorable Mareeba rock wallabies.
The Atherton Tablelands are beautiful throughout the year and thanks to its elevation, the Tablelands generally enjoys cooler temperatures than coastal Cairns, making it a refreshing escape at any time of year.
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