WORDS EMMA RYAN PICS JACK MURPHY
Atherton Tablelands, Qld
A fairy tale land of rainforests, waterfalls and crystal clear crater lakes, the Atherton Tablelands is sure to delight.
The journey from Cairns to Innisfail via the Atherton Tablelands is one of Australia’ s loveliest road trips, packing an impressive range of landscapes and sights into a very manageable touring itinerary. You’ ll encounter chilled-out rainforest towns, drive through outback savannah, drift atop barramundi-packed irrigation lakes, sit on rocks under cascading waterfalls, marvel at giant trees and swim in the crystal clear waters of ancient crater lakes.
From Cairns, Kuranda is an easy halfhour drive up onto the Tablelands. It’ s a bustling, alternative town nestled in the rainforest, offering markets, cafes, craft shops and galleries. The Australian Butterfly Sanctuary will delight the kids, and at the right time of year, Barron Falls is impressive. A cable-car one way and scenic railway the other beats walking or driving.
From there, head west towards Mareeba, where the lush green coastal rainforest is replaced by outback savannah. The largest town on the Tablelands, Mareeba is an agricultural hub with a wide range of local produce, from macadamias and coffee to mangoes, pineapples and, of course, the ever-present sugarcane.
Anglers should head to Lake Tinaroo, a man-made reservoir of some 407,000 mega litres – two-thirds the size of Sydney Harbour – and home to some of the country’ s largest barramundi.
Passing through the charming historic town of Yungaburra, it’ s just a fiveminute drive to one of the area’ s main attractions – the Curtain Fig Tree. A 50m boardwalk delivers you to a clearing in the rainforest, where the magical tree occupies a privileged space in the sky, bedecked lovingly in moss and staghorn ferns. The light glistens off leaves that rain down gently like flower petals from the basket of a princess living in the eyrie high above. If your imagination isn’ t on fire as you behold this wonderful artistry of nature, you may need to check your pulse.
Continue up the Gillies Highway to the almost circular Lake Barrine in the Crater Lakes NP. With verdant tropical rainforest overhanging its shoreline and stunningly clear water, it’ s perfect for a swim.
Millaa Millaa is the final stop in this Atherton itinerary – a tiny little town in the southern region of the Tablelands and the gateway to some of its most stunning falls, where you can clamber over boulders and swim in the pools, an idyllic way to end your journey.
FASTFACTS
GETTING THERE
Kuranda is 32km north of Cairns and 39km north-east of Mareeba. Lake Tinaroo is 43km south of Mareeba, or 77km from Kuranda. Millaa Millaa is a further 55km south of the lake.
ACTIVITIES
Visit the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary in Kuranda, fish at Lake Tinaroo, marvel at the Curtain Fig Tree near Yungaburra, swim in the pools at Millaa Millaa Falls.
STAY
Lake Tinaroo Holiday Park: www. laketinarooholidaypark. com. au
MORE INFORMATION
Davies Creek and Crater Lakes national parks: www. nprsr. qld. gov. au
Millaa Millaa Waterfall Circuit: www. millaamillaa. com. au
ADVENTURES 27