Far North Queensland Tablelands Exclusive Tour

SMALL GROUP. BIG EXPERIENCE.

TABLELANDS EXCLUSIVE TOUR

LENGTH: FULL DAY TOUR

Total capacity 11 Passengers
DEPARTS: CAIRNS AND NORTHERN BEACHES

Far North Queensland Tablelands Exclusive Tour:

A short one hour drive from Cairns and we’re exploring an extinct volcanic crater filled with rainwater and surrounded by rainforest and wildlife!

After morning tea and a beautiful rainforest trail, we’re off to find a Platypus, and sometimes even a Tree Kangaroo in the nearby town of Yungaburra.

UNIQUE FEATURES OF THIS TOUR



PERSONALISATION

Our groups are small, amplifying the quality of our nature and wildlife interaction.



MORE TIME IN NATURE

We have access to multiple nature walks to ensure the greatest outcome for nature observations.



CATHEDRAL FIG TREE

This ancient Rainforest Giant is off the beaten path and is tremendously emphasized by the surrounding forest. Hope you have a wide angle lens!

TOUR SUMMARY

Find a Wild Platypus and witness the truly magical ‘Avatar tree’.

First up on this fantastic nature day, we visit the ancient Cathedral Fig Tree. An 800 year old relic of the flora kingdom. Learn about the intricate life story of the Giant Fig while enjoying the morning chorus. Over 120 birds can be found and heard in the area.

Travelling on further to Lake Barrine we delight in an interpretive journey through the lakeside rainforest. Learn about the European history of the area. Listen out for the infamous Victoria’s Riflebird and many other elusive creatures.

We continue on our way for a delicious lakeside lunch and some WILD Platypus spotting! We’re grateful that our continual interaction in the region has afforded us some great locations to sight these rare and unusual animals.

During the heat of the day enjoy a pleasant swim or simply go exploring at Lake Eacham, often a highlight and a nice cool off.

Visit Malanda Conservation Park. The park is invaluable to the elusive Mapee (Lumholtz Tree Kangaroo) they are seen on a regular basis in this small patch of protected forest. Malanda falls is a beautiful photo opportunity on the walk and several other wildlife opportunities are available here, such as the Freshwater Snapping Turtle and the Grey-headed Robin

To finish off our day, a wonderful panoramic photo opportunity from Heales lookout overlooking Goldsborough Valley

Returning to Cairns approximately 5:30pm

ITINERARY

7:30am Pickup in Cairns
Travel up the panoramic Gillies highway while witnessing the dramatic change in habitat as we gain altitude. Enjoy beautiful views of Goldsborough Valley from Heales Lookout.

8:45am Arrive at Lake Barrine
An outstanding location for nature activities. Several walks are available offering great wildlife and bird watching opportunities. From 30 minutes to two hours, tailored to your desires. Let’s toast our wildlife spotting achievements over some local tea/coffee and the famous Tea House scones with jam and cream. Lake Barrine is a big highlight to spot reptiles such as water dragons, birds, eels, fish, other reptiles and several Wet Tropics endemic species. Lunch options are brilliant and the view is pretty special too!

11:30am Arrive in Yungaburra
One of our major focus points of the day, spotting WILD Platypus! Learn about their elusive behaviour and take as much time as you need to get that perfect photo! We often witness a resident Tree Kangaroo family at this location also.

1:00pm Arrive Lake Eacham
A chance to cool down during the hottest part of the day; swim in an extinct volcanic crater with pristine clear water surrounded by Rainforest. For our guests who would prefer not to swim, other nature sites are available close by!

2:00pm Arrive at Malanda Conservation Park
This conservation park is invaluable to the elusive Mapee ( Lumholtz Tree Kangaroo) They are seen on a regular basis in this small patch of pr otected forest. Malanda falls is a beautiful photo opportunity on the walk and several other wildlife opportunities are available here, such as the Freshwater Snapping Turtle and the Grey-headed Robin.

3:00pm Arrive at Cathedral Fig Tree
One of the most incredible trees you will see in your life. This ancient fig tree is an epic rainforest survivor with a very complex ecosystem surrounding its lifecycle.

4:00pm Depart Tablelands for Cairns
Time permitting, we may stop at the Mountain View hotel for a beverage and lovely views of the Little Mulgrave River and possibly a drive through Gordonvale to view the Sugar Refinery.

5:00 / 5:30pm Arrive Cairns
We’ll drop you back to your accommodation in Cairns between 5:00pm – 5:30pm.