A Road Trip Across The Atherton Tablelands
Discovering The Atherton Tablelands On A Road Trip
If you think North Queensland is about the Great Barrier Reef, sandy beaches, and rainforest, then think again; there is much more. The Atherton Tablelands is a region of diversity, from colourful wetlands and rugged bushland to impressive waterfalls and gorges to lakes and caves to a myriad of tropical fruit plantations, including mangos, bananas, coffee and tea; you can spend days touring the region and tasting some of the finest produce of the country. Here is how to get from Cairns to Atherton Tablelands on a great road trip from Cairns.

Highlights of the Atherton Tablelands
On my solo trip itinerary around Tropical North Queensland, I embarked on a solo camping adventure to discover the Atherton Tablelands.
Mareeba, Kuranda, Malanda, Yungaburra and Atherton are the main towns in the northern Tablelands with their distinctive historical heritage of the early pioneer days, the Chinese gold settlement and the markets offering the best of the local produce and arts and crafts of the Atherton Tablelands region.
The Southern Tablelands are home to little villages, dairy, chocolate and coffee factories, a picturesque landscape with over 15 waterfalls, lush hills, gorges, lookouts and tropical forests. These are the highlights of my road trip around the Atherton Tablelands.

Mareeba
Mareeba is the iconic heritage town in the heart of the Tablelands. You drive past the colourful, vast wetlands, and you reach Mareeba. Make sure you stop first at the heritage museum and visitor information centre in the heart of the town.
The outdoor museum is unique and provides an exciting insight into the early pioneer days of the region. From there, visit Coffee Works, dive into the coffee world and taste some of the finest local coffees, teas and chocolate products.
Coffee Works hosts one of the oldest coffee museums in the world, which is truly unique. If you are interested in coffee, I recommend visiting the Jaques Coffee Plantations, just a 10-minute drive from Mareeba. There, you can see how coffee is grown and processed. You can also take a scenic flight over the beautiful wetlands from there. If you like mango, don’t miss out on the Golden Drop Winery, a 15-minute drive north of Mareeba.

Yungaburra
Yungaburra stole my heart because it’s where I spotted a platypus for the first time. The town has a welcoming vibe with its picturesque flowering pots hanging on the street, its bizarre shops and the Grand Yungaburra Hotel, an iconic building with impressive old-world architecture and displays of historical photographs.
Take the forest walk to the platypus viewing area to spot these incredible creatures, including native birds and local wildlife. Drive 3 km out of town to view the curtain fig tree. Don’t miss out on the Avenue of Honour, located at Lake Tinarroo, with its memorial sculpture dedicated to the Australian soldiers who lost their lives in Afghanistan.

Lake Tinaroo
Lake Tinaroo is in the heart of the Atherton Tablelands, part of a large lake area, and is very popular among the locals. With over 200 km of shoreline, it offers the best sailing, boating, canoeing, and recreational fishing. Here, the Tinaroo Barra Bash, a fishing competition attracting many visitors from all over Australia, takes place.

I stayed at the campsite, a few minute’s drive from Yungaburra, and loved the relaxing setting of Lake Tinaroo.

Malanda
Maland is known for its dairy centre and forest walks. Start your visit at the Malanda Falls Visitor Centre. Visit Malanda Falls and take self-guided walks for 30 minutes right near the visitor centre. This is a great way to rest from a hot day with a cooling dip if you can face the waterfalls’ ice-cold water.
The rainforest walk is a great way to spot wildlife; if lucky, you may spot the rare tree kangaroo perching on the trees. Malanda is known for its dairy industry. The Malanda Dairy Centre has a fascinating retro milk bar-restaurant and more gourmet cheese, cafe and chocolate factories. I loved the 20-minute drive out of town to the Nerada Tea Estate.

The Waterfall Circuit
Milla Milla town is the gateway to the Waterfall Circuit on the Southern Atherton Tablelands, with picturesque Queensland heritage-listed waterfalls. Start the 15 km circuit encompassing Zillie Falls and Ellinjaa Falls from Milla Milla. It’s worth taking this extra circuit because the falls are different and offer various walking trails. Zillie Falls was my favourite stop.

After completing the waterfall circuit, your drive ends on the Old Palmerston Highway to continue your trip to Mungalli, where you can visit the Mungalli Creek Dairy, known for its biodynamic dairy products.
From there, you can keep driving on the highway, see more waterfalls, and stop at Crawford’s Lookout. Drive further on your way back to Cairns and follow the signs to Josephine Falls, the most famous waterfall among the locals. Beware, it gets very crowded at weekends.

Babinda Boulders
Babinda Boulders and its fantastic setting are another fabulous place to visit on your way back, about 45 km south of Cairns. This is, in my opinion, the best place for the entire waterfalls circuit south of Cairns.

How to plan your trip to the Atherton Tablelands
The only way to go from Cairns to Atherton Tablelands is to hire a car or a campervan. It’s an easy 280 km drive in a loop. I spent two nights there, but I recommend spending at least two full days. I camped solo, and it was good fun, but it’s more expensive than hiring a car and staying in private accommodation as a solo traveller. To hire a car check out the links below.
Where To Stay in The Atherton Tablelands
For accommodation in the Atherton Tablelands, you can choose between budget accommodation. You can also check this site for the best Hotels in Atherton Tablelands.

Related Posts:
All Free And Cheap Things To Do In And Around Cairns
Tips For Solo Camping In North Queensland
Back to Rocky Travel Guide
This article was first published in 2015 and last updated in April 2024
Is this article helpful for your trip? I’d appreciate your support to Rocky Travel and could book tours and accommodations using the links below. Thank you.
BOOK YOUR TRIP WITH THESE RESOURCES
Carol
March 16, 2015 @ 5:05 pm
This looks like a great place! I’ve never been to Australia … one day soon, I hope. It’s just such a long flight from where I live. 🙁
Rocky Travel Australia
March 18, 2015 @ 3:20 pm
Yes, Australia Down Under is far away from the rest of the world, but really worth a trip. I hope you can make it soon Carol. Thanks for stopping by.