There are so many things to do in the Atherton Tablelands that it’s one of those places you can keep coming back to and never get bored of. As Port Douglas locals, we’ve visited many times and are still planning return visits!

Located in the lush hinterland, just an hour’s drive from Cairns, the Tablelands has long been a popular getaway for locals. Because it’s off the main trail, not all tourists know about it or get to make it here, but it certainly offers some of the best experiences this region has to offer.

With outstanding waterfalls, unique wildlife, fun hiking trails, pretty historic villages, epic scenery, a World Heritage rainforest and paddock-to-plate food trails, it’s not a question of if you should come but how much time do you have?!

What to expect in the Atherton Tablelands

The Atherton Tablelands is basically a nature lover’s Eden. There’s so much insane natural beauty here that it really blows me away every time I visit. Highlights are the famous Curtain Fig Tree, waterfalls, the crater lakes (Barrine and Eacham), caves, and its tropical rainforest. I’m not sure of the exact figures, but I’d probably say that there are more waterfalls per square km here than anywhere else in Australia, so bring your best camera!

As a massive animal lover, I was also totally wowed by all the wildlife. You’ll find many endemic species in the Tablelands, including ones unique to this region.

The area was colonised just over 150 years ago when tin was found and mined extensively, and later gold was extracted, which both led to the development of Cairns and Port Douglas. It was really interesting to find out about its history in Herberton, which I’ll talk about more later.

After all the mining activity, the Atherton Tablelands then became a pretty epic food bowl for Far North Queensland. It grows practically everything- from tropical fruit to coffee, all kinds of veg, tea, sugar, tea-tree, nuts, poultry and livestock. Lucky for us, there are lots of foodie treats around, like dairies, coffee plantations, strawberry-picking farms, and even a distillery.

On my recent 12-day trip, I got to travel deeper into the region and visited plenty of hidden gems that most visitors miss, and I frequently return for weekends. So in this guide, I’ll be bringing you all my favourite things to do in the Atherton Tablelands, geared towards those who love adventure, food and the outdoors.

Atherton Tablelands Map

The Atherton Tablelands cover around 65,000 square kilometres, which averages about 2.9 million Aussie football fields, so it’s pretty big! I’ve mapped out all the main towns and National Parks below to help give you a rough idea of locations.

The closest part of the Atherton Tablelands to Cairns is Kuranda in the north end, which you can drive to in 20 minutes from Smithfield. Because it’s so accessible from the city, it often feels like an extension of it, so I’ve included my favourite adventure there in my Cairns article (no. 15).

I’d say the heart of things to do in the Atherton Tablelands is based around Yungaburra and Millaa Millaa in the central area, which is an hour’s drive away. However, there’s no end to the activities here, and they’re spread far and wide. If you have time, I’d reserve at least four to five days, or condense your itinerary using this guide.

Fun Things To Do In The Atherton Tablelands

1. Hit The Hiking Trails

Originally blazed by Aboriginal peoples and then later by tin prospectors, the Atherton Tablelands offers a maze of awesome hiking trails. There are routes that lead to waterfalls, around crater lakes, through former mining fields and up Queensland’s highest mountain- it’s every hiker’s wet dream.

One of the cooler things about hiking here is that temperatures are 5 degrees lower than the rest of North Queensland. During the wet season (October – April), it will still be hot, but not as muggy as Cairns or Port Douglas.

I’ve explored quite a few tracks in the Atherton Tablelands, and it’s one of my favourite things to do here. For a full list, check out my latest article, which includes trail details.

2. Spot Unique & Endemic Wildlife

Now let’s all get those warm fuzzy feelings. The Atherton Tablelands is a biodiverse hotspot with the highest number of endemic mammals compared to anywhere else in Australia. Impressive stats!

From mammals like cute long-nosed bandicoots to striped possums, endangered rock wallabies, platypus, tree kangaroos, sugar gliders, cassowaries and northern bettongs, there is plenty of fauna to sight here- if you’re looking in the right places.

I realised on my recent trip that most of these mammals are nocturnal and therefore best sighted at night, however there are still a few spots to watch them in the wild during the day too.

Check out my article for all the tip-offs.

3. Recaffeinate at a Coffee Plantation

Mareeba has been growing coffee for over a century, and it’s Australia’s biggest producer of the brown stuff. If you’re keen to look around a plantation and stop for a coffee or lunch, then check out Skybury Coffee. They offer daily guided tours, and their scenic cafe overlooks the plantation, serving up a paddock-to-plate menu. Tours start at 9 am, and walk-ins are welcome, though it’s probably worth booking ahead if you’re a larger group.

We visited Coffee Works, a boutique roastery and chocolatery that started out as a humble stall at Rusty’s Market in Cairns almost 40 years ago. They source coffees grown here on the Tablelands as well as beans from around the world, and make a pretty mean brew.

We stopped just for a drink and to look around their shop, but they also serve food and have a coffee museum. If you choose to buy some beans, I highly recommend the local Black Mountain variety, it did us well all holiday. 🙂

4. Stop for a Cream Tea at Lake Barrine

Stopping at Lake Barrine Teahouse for tea and a scone has become something of a compulsory tradition when we visit the Tablelands. It reminds me so much of a quaint English tearoom that sometimes I forget I’m in Australia at all, until the glorious sun hits my face and I’m reminded where I am!

This family-owned business has sat on this turf for over a century, and it’s such a peaceful and pretty escape overlooking the lake. As well as visiting their tearoom, which also serves breakfast and lunch, you can walk off your food and take an easy 5k hike around the crater lake.

5. Marvel at the Curtain Fig Tree

There are some pretty awesome trees in Far North Queensland. The Curtain Fig Tree is the famous one on the Atehrton Tablelands and has become a bit of an initiation stop when you’re here. So if it’s your first time here, or you only have a day, I’d recommend stopping by.

Older than any building in Australia, it’s been forming for about 500 years, back when Henry VIII was on the throne. It gets its unique structure from the host tree inside, which fell at a 45-degree angle. This allowed a strangler fig to climb up and take over, developing thick vertical roots that look like a curtain.

It’s just around the corner from Lake Barrine, so you can easily swing by before or after your scone. Access is easy, via a 180-metre boardwalk circuit.

6. Explore the Tablelands by Bicycle!

It shouldn’t come as a shocker that this region attracts a decent amount of hikers and bikers every year. After all, it’s GORGEOUS and has a generous myriad of tracks.

The hills can be quite a climb, and you’ll definitely be sweating a puddle afterwards, but bombing it downhill is exhilarating, and the scenery is even more spellbinding. It was a highlight of our trip!

There are quite a few tracks to explore. For novice riders, you may want to hit the Atherton Tablelands Trail Rail, which follows a decommissioned railway corridor. Off-road pros may prefer to explore the award-winning collection of tracks through the Herberton Ranges.

Or for a challenging [yet not expert-level] ride, I’ve mapped out a route that we took around Yungaburra. It’s roughly 25km and takes two hours, plus extra time for stopping. If you don’t have your own bikes, then you can hire them from On The Wallaby for $25 a day, as we did.

To start: begin in Yungaburra and head southwest towards Gallo Dairyland. Stop to see the heritage-listed Curtain Fig Tree along the way, and at the dairy you can take a nice break with an ice-cream treat or cheese platter.

The second leg is the longest and most strenuous, but don’t worry, there’s a cold beer stop at the end of it 😉. It takes about 40-50 minutes around Mt Quincan to Peeramon Hotel.

The last leg is pretty much downhill all the way back to Yungaburra, which takes around half an hour. Weeee!

7. See the Historic Village in Herberton

I’m not normally one to visit a museum on holiday as I don’t like being cooped up inside a stuffy hall looking at a bunch of old stuff when I could be outside exploring, but this was honestly one of the best museums I’ve ever been to. Even the Sailor loved it…I think his exact words when we left were “well that was f**king awesome”! 😄

Set across 16 acres, the village has over 60 original buildings and is brilliantly curated. It basically emulates the town of Herberton during its early pioneering days and gives a very real insight into life here back then, and old life in general. You’ll definitely need at least 4 hours to explore the village as there’s a lot to get through, but you’ll get a re-visit pass if you need more time (we did!).

There’s a cafe on site for a drinks refresher, although I’d skip their food as it was well overpriced for what you get.

8. Go Strawberry Picking

Who doesn’t like a good ‘ole strawberry! We went to Shaylee Strawberry, which sits between Atherton and Yungaburra. Like much of the region, they’ve got nutrient-rich red soil which allows them to grow big, juicy strawberries.

Picking season runs from July to November, and they also sell strawberry jam and gelato. A huge hit for adults and kids.

9. Chase Waterfalls!

This is probably one of the most sought-after things to do in the Atherton Tablelands- chasing epic waterfalls. Thousands of years’ worth of volcanic activity have moulded dramatic landscapes, which is the perfect recipe for a cascade, and there’s heaps to choose from.

Barron Falls near Kuranda is really impressive in person, especially when the wet season kicks in (check it out in my Cairns hikes article).

However, the most famous trio sit just half an hour from Yungaburra and form The Waterfall Circuit. The first stop is the heritage-listed Millaa Millaa Falls. It’s certainly pretty and the most photographed, but it’s also the busiest. I’d suggest heading here early to beat the crowds.

About 10 minutes further on the loop is Zillie Falls, which you can gaze at from the viewing platform at the top. You can’t see all the way down unless you climb down the muddy track… if you’re going there, just watch out for leeches and the odd snake!

After another 5 minutes, you’ll reach Ellinjaa Falls, which was my favourite out of the three. You can admire it in all its glory from the bottom and take a dip if you dare. We were lucky enough to have it to ourselves for a short while.

There are other waterfalls much further south, so it can be a bit of a drive to get to, but they should have fewer- if any- crowds. As we were staying in the south for a few nights, we also got to check out a couple of other waterfalls, and my favourite by far is Millstream Falls (below). It’s Australia’s widest single-drop waterfall and was really impressive. You can’t see it from the bottom, but the platform offers a great view.

To be honest, I think there are only so many waterfalls you can see in a day! But if you’re an aficionado and want to go wild, then maybe do the Waterfall Circuit first, then have lunch at Mungalli Creek, and after that check out more remote ones further south.

I’ve mapped all the waterfalls I’ve mentioned so you can plan your visit easily, and you can open it in Google Maps for driving directions. Happy days.

10. Dine at a Dairy

Aside from a generous scattering of Forest Reserves and National Parks, the Tablelands is basically 590’537 hectares of fertile farmland. One thriving industry is dairy farming, which produces over 52 million litres of milk per year.

As I’m a big fan of Mungalli Creek’s smashing yoghurts, I wanted to support my local farmers. They’re a fully sustainable, biodynamic farm (ticks so many boxes already) and they’re perched deep in the Atherton Tablelands so the setting is remote and bucolic.

Although they don’t appear to offer self-guided farm tours, the food alone is worth the trip. The cafe was packed when we arrived, and the service was, well, typical of the Tablelands (a bit slow), but the staff were nice enough and the grub made up for it.

We tried out their cheese platter, which was gorgeous, and they had a very tempting offering of home-made cakes. We were stuffed afterwards, but their pies looked very hearty and substantial too. I’d highly recommend a visit for lunch.

11. Grab a Pint at Queensland’s Highest Pub!

You may have noticed already that there’s a lot of superlatives in the Atherton Tablelands- from Queensland’s highest mountain to Australia’s widest single-drop waterfall, and it’s also home to Queensland’s highest town, which means it also has the state’s highest pub!

Ravenshoe is a sleepy town positioned at the southern end of the Atherton Tablelands. Walking into its local pub, The Ravenshoe Hotel, is like stepping back in time. It has a very traditional feel and doesn’t appear to have changed much in the past century, which is part of its charm. Come grab a refreshing hoppy brew here while soaking up the local vibes.

12. Canoe on Tinaroo

Lake Tinaroo is a popular spot for locals and visitors to get up to all kinds of watersports, from kiteboarding and wakeboarding to paddleboarding and canoeing, or even fishing for a prize barramundi. And as there are no jellies, you don’t have to worry about being stung in the wet season.

If you don’t have your own canoes, then you can rent them from On the Wallaby in Yungaburra or head out on one of their night wildlife canoe tours. Their rates are very reasonable and their service is really good.

Or if you fancy paddleboarding only, head to Pacific Watersports, who lead sessions in a variety of locations in and around Cairns, including Lake Tinaroo.

13. Explore the Prettiest Village in North Queensland

Lined with colourful flowers and heritage-listed houses, Yungaburra is a charming chocolate-box village.

Whilst it’s usually lightly buzzing, I’ve never seen it busy. We first arrived on Christmas Day, so everything was closed and it was like a ghost town, but it was nice having the place to ourselves to take pictures- it’s the prettiest village I’ve visited in North Queensland.

There are a few boutiques to check out, as well as a bookstore, a platypus viewing platform and some country-style cafes which offer brunch and cream teas. Yungaburra also has a small artsy following- stop by Artistree Gallery to peruse their hand-crafted goods or get creative at a workshop led by At The Art Garage.

Another of my favourite activities here is the local 5k hike. It’s really peaceful and takes you through the creek where there are some historical remains and wildlife spotting opportunities. Check out my post on great hikes in the Tablelands for more details.

14. Visit Chillagoe Caves 

This is one activity that’s high on my list of things to do in the Atherton Tablelands. Chillagoe Caves are a bit of a drive (about 2 hours/160km from Atherton, so it may be easier to stay nearby the night before), but they’re meant to be a really cool outback experience.

These limestone caves were formed about 400 million years ago and are said to have fantastic caverns and passages, with pieces of Aboriginal rock art and a mining site. It’s highly recommended to do the guided tour with a ranger (tickets must be purchased in advance- see here for deets), but there are self-guided options too.

15. Have a Tipple at Australia’s Rum Distillery of the Year

The Sailor is an ex-bartender and appreciates a good sip of rum (as do I), and at Christmas we weren’t going to let this place slide.

Mount Uncle is North Queensland’s first and only distillery and has won a series of awards for its spirits. Set on a banana plantation, the location is peacefully rural, and all ingredients are sourced from their farm and other local growers.

We popped in for a cheeky tipple in their tasting room and shared a combo of 6- which included 3 gins, two rums and 1 whiskey, and we were told a bit of spiel about them. I even got a homemade Bloody Mary mix sample on the house to go with my gin, which was spicy and delicious.

I particularly enjoyed the Bushfire Smoked Gin, which was created by accident when a few botanicals got smoked from a local bushfire. The Sailor’s favourite was the Iridium Gold Rum, though we do prefer it a bit sweeter for sipping only.

It’s a real shame that visitors are not able to look around the distillery, which would have made the experience much more enjoyable. However, you’re free to visit their resident alpacas and farm afterwards!

Bonus! Climb Queensland’s Highest Mountain

Not for the faint-hearted, but a dream for adventurers!

Mount Bartle Frere takes a bit of preparation and a lot of resilience, however it was by far the most rewarding hike I’ve ever been on. The phrase ‘it’s not the mountain we conquer but ourselves’ is very accurate for this experience, with epic views at the top.

For more info, see my detailed guide and lowdown.

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As you can see, there’s no shortage of things to see and do in the Atherton Tablelands. It’s such a special part of the country and so easily accessible from Cairns. You could easily spend a week or two holidaying here, or combine it with some other cool places in the region.

For more tips, see my Atherton Tablelands travel guide, or browse where to stay in the Atherton Tablelands for accommodation I’ve used personally and recommend.

Otherwise, if you’re sticking around and need some inspiration for some other must-see spots, check out my travel guides on Cairns, Port Douglas and the Daintree Rainforest.

Happy exploring!

Shezz.x