Location

Attractions within 5 minutes:

• Safe Swimming in nearby Lake Eacham – Lake Eacham is a volcanic crater or maar, of approximately 50ha, filled with rainwater. It is surrounded by several types of upland rainforest and grassed areas. It offers safe all year swimming in its pristine waters, and an ideal picnic venue.
• Walk to World Heritage Rainforest – Take a short walk from the park to the trail that starts opposite Winfield Road.  This is the start of the 1km walking track through rainforest to Lake Eacham. From there you can do the 3.5km circuit track through the rainforest on the edge of Lake Eacham.
• Waterfalls – About 300m from Lake Eacham is a short walk that takes in Vision Falls.
• Bird Watching – Enjoy the many birds that visit our park and Lake Eacham. See the birdwatching section of the attractions for more information.
• At night you might try you luck spotlighting for possums

Attractions within a 10 minute drive:

• Visit Lake Barrine – they have a rainforest cruise, a wonderful Tea House on the water,  and a well-maintained circuit walk through the rainforest.   The Twin Kauri trees are just 50 metres along the track.

Yungaburra Heritage Village

•  Enjoy the Galleries, cafes, restaurants, and the 100 year old Lake Eacham Hotel in the heart of Yungaburra.
• The Visitors Centre is opposite the hotel.
• Take the two km walk along Petersen Creek from the bridge, looking for Platypus.
• Visit the giant Curtain Fig Tree – 500 years old – Possums & Tree Kangaroos.
• Curtain Fig Tree – Located just outside of Yungaburra, a short walk through the rainforest will take you to this giant tree that was formed over 500 years ago when seeds were deposited high in a host tree by birds. The fig tree has sent down aerial roots to the ground, and in time the host tree has died, leaving a huge curtain of aerial roots.
• Avenue of Honour – Near Yungaburra on the shores of Lake Tinaroo is a memorial dedicated to those who served in Afghanistan.

Malanda village

• The century old Malanda Hotel is the largest wooden hotel Australia and have interesting historical photos displayed in the dining room
• Just past town is the Malanda Waterfall and swimming pool.
• Look for Tree Kangaroos on the rainforest walking trails, and  Platypus and Turtles in the river.
• Book a rainforest walk with an Aboriginal Guide at the Visitors Centre.
• Sit in the canvas deck chairs and enjoy a current Movie at the historic Majestic Theatre.

Attractions within a 30 minute drive:

• The Waterfall Circuit takes you to Millaa Milla Falls, and on to Elinjaa and Zillie Falls.
• The next circuit  takes you to Mungalli Dairy and  Mungalli Waterfall.
• Gallos Cheese and Chocolate factory, where you can see the milking of 400 cows daily, See the cheese and chocolate being made at the café.
• Wongabel Forest – 2.6km level walking trail through rainforest.
• Mt Hypipamee National Park, 250m walk to viewing platform over the Crater, and then on to Dinner Falls .  Home of the rare Golden Bower Bird and Cassowaries.
• Lake Tinaroo popular for barramundi fishing.  You can drive its length along Danbulla Forest Drive (unsealed) with many picnic and campgrounds  along the way – don’t miss the amazing Cathedral Fig Tree (sealed section off Gillies Highway).
• The Hou Wang Chinese Temple at Atherton. Take a walk along the creek where Water Dragons sunbake on the bank.
• Crystal Caves at Atherton – man-made caves filled with treasures.
• The Bird Hide  at Hasties Swamp, home to thousands of Plumed Whistling Ducks that visit every winter,  and numerous other waders including Brolgas and Sarus Cranes.
• Mountain Bike Riding along formed trails behind Atherton.  Maps on the Net.
• Horse-riding at Wongabel, morning tea at the creek – magic.
• Climb Mt Bartle Frere – Queensland’s highest mountain – drive to trail.  
• Bromfield Swamp – Up to 2000 cranes fly in late afternoon May to November.
• Tolga Woodworks has a gallery featuring local timber and furniture.
• Nerada Tea Factory – Plantation with tours, big range of tea and pots,  and a family of tree kangaroos near the cafe.
• Tolga Bat Hospital – Meet some cute bats and take an educational tour with the volunteers that care for the orphaned and injured animals.

Attractions within a one hour drive:

WEST:

• Herberton – 15 minutes from Atherton, boasts the popular Herberton Historical Village and the Herberton Tin Mining Museum.

NORTH:

• Mt Uncle Distillery and Bridges Café on a Banana Farm – turn off half-way to Mareeba.  Wine tastings, tea menu, gluten-free banana flour.
• Granite Gorge Nature Park.  Feed the Mareeba Rock Wallabies and do the Boulder Walk. (fee applies).
• Mareeba Visitors Centre – gold coil donation to the Museum for amazing display.
• Coffee Works – History of Coffee tours and tastings.
  Jaques Coffee Plantation, Golden Drop Winery and de Brury’s Winery.
• Mareeba Wetlands is 9k on dirt road to Lotus filled lakes, canoe hire, bird sanctuary.
• Along the road to Kuranda, go 4-wheel driving to Emerald Falls,  swim and camp at Davies Creek, explore Clohesy River Road, crossing shallow rivers to giant Fig Trees.
• Kuranda boasts a popular market, bird and butterfly sanctuaries, Koala Park etc. Terminus for  hugely successful Steam-train journey down the mountain, returning by Sky Rail to Kuranda.  This tourist town shuts down at 3pm after the last train.
• From Kuranda follow signs to the mighty Barron Falls – spectacular at any time – long boardwalk.

SOUTH:

• Along the Palmerston Highway to Innisfail there’s a National Park  campground called Henrietta Creek – swimming holes & start of 5km walk to Nandroya Falls and several other waterfalls. 
• Crawfords Lookout
• Mamu Rainforest Canopy Walk – fee applies.

Birdwatching:

The Lake Eacham Van Park is a great place to base yourself if you are interested in bird-watching. Australia has over 860 bird species, of which more than 430 are found in this region, making it one of the richest bird watching sites in Australia.

In the Crater Lakes National Park (only a walk away), you may see or hear endemic species such as Atherton Scrub Wren, Bower’s Shrike-thrush, Bridled Honeyeater,  Chowchilla,  Grey-headed Robin,  Lesser Sooty Owl, Macleay’s Honeyeater,  Mountain Thornbill,  Pied Monarch, Tooth-Billed Bowerbird  and Victoria’s Riflebird.

Click here for a complete list of birds found in this area.
At the Lake Eacham Tourist Park, many birds have been spotted in the gardens, including King Parrots, Eastern Whipbirds, Yellow-Bellied Sunbird, brown honeyeaters, Rainbow Lorikeets, Fig Parrots, Forest Kingfisher, Laughing Kookaburra, Lewin’s honeyeater, Eastern Spinebill, Pale yellow Robin, crimson rosellas, catbirds and Grey Fantails.

Other great birdwatching places are Hasties swamp near Atherton, Mt Hypipamee National Park, Mareeba Wetlands, Lake Eacham and Lake Barrine National Parks, Malanda Falls Environmental Park, Bromfield Swamp, Curtain Fig State Forest and Peterson Creek Walk in Yungaburra.

Nocturnal Animal viewing and bird guiding is available from these operators:

• Alan’s Wildlife Tour

Animal Viewing:

• In the rainforest near the Lake Eacham Tourist Park you may see;  Musky Rat Kangaroos, Pademelons, Possums, Sugar Gliders, Tree kangaroos, Boyds Forest Dragon and Amethystine Pythons, just to name a few.
• Platypus – inhabit nearby streams
• In particular, platypus, possums and tree kangaroos may be spotted at Peterson Creek in Yungaburra.
• Try Malanda Falls and Nerada Tea Factory for tree kangaroos.
• Granite Gorge near Walkamin is a good place view rock wallabies up close.
• Lake Eacham and Lake Barrine are good sites to see the musky rat kangaroo during the daytime.
• Tolga Bat Hospital – Meet some cute bats and take an educational tour with the volunteers that care for the orphaned and injured animals.
• The Wet Tropics Web site has some interesting information.
• Nocturnal Animal viewing and bird guiding is available from these operators:
  • Alan’s Wildlife Tours

Hiking and bushwalking – kayaking – horse riding

As well as the walks mentioned in the attractions, there are many other interesting tracks of varying difficulty in our area.
A great list can be found at the Wet Tropics Site, Just click on “Precinct: Tablelands”, and then “Search Walks”.
Tait’s Wongabel Stables – Horse riding lessons and recreational rides. One hour to full day.

Tours

• Tableland Trike Tours – take an exhilarating tour on the back of a motor tricycle (trike). The trike can take 3 passengers in comfort. A range of tours are available.
• Lake Barrine Rainforest Cruises –  a 45 minute fully guided boat tour of Lake Barrine and its creatures.  Cruises depart 3 times a day, currently 9.30am, 11.30am & 1.30pm.

Markets

• Yungaburra – 4th Saturday of the month from 7.30am to 12.30pm at Bruce Jones Park, Yungaburra.  The Yungaburra Market is the biggest and oldest market on the Atherton Tablelands. At Christmas the market is usually held on the Sunday before, but it is best to check the date.
• Mareeba –  The second Saturday of each month, 8am – 12 noon, at Centenary Park, Byrnes St
• Malanda – 3rd Saturday of the month 7am to 12 noon at the Malanda Showgrounds
• Atherton – 1st Saturday of the month from 7am to 12 noon at Platypus Park, Herberton Road, Atherton
• Tolga – 1st Sunday of the month 7am to 12 noon at Morrow Park Racecourse, Tolga
• Herberton – 3rd Sunday from 7.30am to noon, at the Wondecla Sports Ground

• Annual Events
• Tableland Folk Festival– held in October in Yungaburra, it features family entertainment over four days – Concerts, Workshops, Comedy, Blues Jams, Poet’s Brekky, Wellbeing Fair, Market Stalls, free Children’s Festival & Parade, & the famous Pub Verandah non-stop Jam Sessions.
• Tinaroo Barra Bash –  long established freshwater fishing event held October or November at Lake Tinaroo. There are many categories where competitors can win great prizes. The final day weigh-in includes entertainment and anglers will present their fish.
• Tastes of the Tablelands – usually held in October in Atherton.  Entertainment, gourmet food, stalls, fresh local produce, Super Chefs Competition.