Curtain Fig National Park is just outside of Yungaburra, easily accessed from Cairns by driving up the Gilles Highway. This National Park was established to protect a small area of endangered forest, known as mabi forest. Mabi comes from the Aboriginal name for the Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo. The Lumholtz is one of two tree-kangaroo species that live in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Rainforest, the other is called the Bennett’s tree-kangaroo. Both of these unusual kangaroos live in the tree tops, but are rarely seen. The park is also home to a large Strangler fig tree, after which the park is named. This impressive specimen is estimated to be over 500 years old, is nearly 50 metres tall and has a trunk circumference, made of its aerial root system (forming a curtain) of 39 metres!
Lake Eacham, Crater Lakes National Park is 68km from Cairns if you take the scenic, but windy, Gilles Highway. It sits 720 metres above sea level on the Atherton Tablelands, offering visitors a cool retreat from the tropical, coastal hinterlands. The lake itself is 65 metres deep and was formed by massive explosions, resulting from the superheating of groundwater. Today, is it filled with clear, cool, blue water and surrounded by lush rainforest. Other than swimming, there is a lot you can do at Lake Eacham, including taking a stroll around the lake edges on a well maintained, three kilometre walking track. There are picnic tables, shelters and toilets, as well as BBQ facilities which are all provided for your use and enjoyment, free of charge.
Lake Tinaroo is the water sports playground for Cairns and Tropical North Queensland, providing a safe, freshwater place to waterski, sail, fish and camp. A man-made feature on the Atherton Tablelands, Lake Tinaroo has more than 200kms of scenic shoreline and is home to 300 species of birds. Fishing is a popular past time at lake, with world-record size barramundi cruising the waters sharing their world with another local delicacy, redclaw crayfish. Lake Tinaroo is 670 metres above sea level and is roughly ¾ the size of Sydney Harbour. There are camping facilities, toilets and BBQs all on site, but we strongly recommend getting a permit first, as this popular spot is often full of Cairns residents, escaping the heat.
Mount Hypipamee National Park is famous for two things on the Atherton Tablelands, being home to a very impressive crater and marking the beginning of the mighty Barron River. The park itself is about 110km south-west of Cairns and 25km south of Atherton. It is centred around the diatreme (volcanic pipe / crater) which is approximately 68m wide, its sheer granite walls dropping 58m to a lake, which is about 82m deep, but covered in a thick green layer of waterweed. The crater is easily visited on a 400m walking track (800m return trip), which has a viewing platform over this impressive monument to nature’s fury. For a longer walk, take the Dinner Falls track, a 1.2km return journey to waterfalls and the headwaters of the Barron River. Picnic tables and toilets are on site for your convenience.
The Atherton Tablelands has rich pastures, feeding dairy and beef cattle. At Mungalli Creek Dairy, the cows graze on lush biodynamic (organic) mountain pastures year round and the dairy produces an amazing, mouth-watering range of milks, yoghurts and cheeses that are certified A Grade Biodynamic, gluten, colour, preservative and GMO free. Established in 1920 the farm is surrounded on three sides by World Heritage listed rainforest and is just above Mungalli Falls. To taste some of this award-winning produce you are most welcome to drop in to their ‘Out of the Whey’ Cheesery and Teahouse, which is open daily from 10am to 4pm and provides free cheese and yoghurt tastings. They also serve lunch or coffee and cake (at a cost) and it is definitely worth checking out the Ploughmans Lunch served with home-made mango chutney.
