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Tropical North Coast Travel Destinations Qld
 Atherton
   
     
             
Nestled
high on
the Atherton
Tableland,
in between
Innisfail
and Cairns,
Atherton
is the
perfect
place
to go
and retreat
from the
hussle
and bussle
while
enjoying
the simple
pleasures
of life.
The centre
of the
Tableland
district
and 760
mts above
sea level,
Atherton
offers
visitors
a friendly
inviting
atmosphere
from which
to explore
this fantastic
and fertile
district
at their
leisure.
- Getting
There: 80
km
from
Cairns
- Attractions: World
Heritage
Rainforests,
Local
Produce,
Street
Markets,
Relaxed
Lifestyle,
Comfortable
Climate,
Crystal
Caves,
Steam
Train,
Chinese
Joss
House,
Extinct
Volcanic
Crater
- Events: Maize
Festival
-
Sept
and
Tableland
Folk
Festival
-
October
Cairns
 
          
Cairns,
a garden
city between
the sea
and rainforest
mountains,
was founded
in 1876
as a port
for inland
goldfields.
Now Cairns is better known as
the epicentre
of activity
in the
Far North
region.
The town
boasts
world
class
marina
and wharfs
used by
visiting
yachts,
liners
and tour
boats
and the
international
airport
is only
a short
drive
from the
city centre.
Tours
to most
parts
of the
tropical
north
leave
daily
and most
include
pick-up
and return
to your holiday
accommodation.
There
are parks
and playgrounds
with fountains
and shady
trees.
The Esplanade
has picnic
tables
and barbecues,
space
to fly
a kite,
paths
to jog
and walk,
seats
to pause
and watch
the boats
go by
and a
printed
guide
to help
you identify
the abundant
birdlife.
Shopping
is a pleasure
in arcades,
courts,
plazas,
boutiques
and duty
free stores
where
you can
buy everything
from local
souvenirs
to superb
jewellery,
sporting
gear,
fashions
and accessories by top
Australian
and overseas
designers.
Cairns
has grown
to become
a cosmopolitan
city and
is the
ideal
starting
point
to appreciate
the quality
of the
far north.
Getting
There: By
road
1697
km
from
Brisbane
along
the
Bruce
Highway.
- Attractions: The
rich
history,
character
and
charm,
shopping,
entertainment,
secluded
surrounding
beaches
fun
parks,
gardens
and
the
enormous
scope
for
adventures
of
all
descriptions.
- Island
Access Green island & Fitzroy Island
- Be
Aware:When
swimming
in
the
ocean
be
aware
the
months
from
Nov
-
Mar,
marine
stingers
(Sea
Wasps)
sometimes
inhabit
these
waters.
Please
check
with
local
authorities
(Life
Guards)
before
swimming.
Herberton
- Getting
There: 19
km
south-west
of
Atherton.
- Attractions: Tin
mining.
Historical
buildings
- Events: Tin
Festival
-
September
- Close
by: Mt
Hypipamee
National
Park
Innisfail
 
Framed
by the
broadwaters
of the
North
and South
Johnstone
Rivers,
Innisfail,
well known
as a sugar
town is
an excellent
base to
explore
the Great
Barrier
Reef and
the Atherton
Tablelands
areas.
The town
has a
mediteranian
community
and was
first
established
in 1880
when the
Catholic
Bishop
of Brisbane
and 11
Carmelite
nuns bought
and cleared
10 000ha
jungle
for sugar
planting.
Today
it is
still
has the
sugar
but has
also a
booming
fishing industry,
that provides
the some
of tastiest
seafood
produce
in the
area,
tropical
fruits,
dairys
and timber
products,
with half
of the
region
dedicated
to farming.
- Getting
There: 88
km
south
of
Cairns
on
the
Bruce
Hwy.
- Attractions: Etty
Bay
environmental
Park,
Johnstone
River,
Spanish
Ruins
at
Mena
Creek,
Teresa
Falls,
Nerada
Tea
Plantation,
Warrina
Lakes
Kuranda
Known
as the
village
in the
rainforest,
this tiny
hamlet
is famous
for its
picturesque
beauty,
its nature
and cultural
based
enterprises.
The big
attractions
are A.J. Hacket
Bungy,
Karunda
Wildlife
Noctarium, which
has the
world's
best display
of nocturnal
animals
of Australian
tropical
rainforests,
and The Australian
Butterfly
Sanctuary which
is the
biggest
in Australia,
housing
2000 butterflies
in a forest
setting.
Guided
tours
bring
you close
to huge
Cairns
Birdwing
and the
iridescent
Ulysses.
- Getting
There: 23
kms
from
Cairns.
You
can
get
to
Kuranda
on
the
Kuranda
Tourist
Train
from
Cairns
that
winds
its
way
up
the
mountain,
past
waterfalls
of
the
pristine
Barren
Gorge,
by
bus,
by
private
car
or
on
the
world's
longest
rainforest
cable
way
-
Skyrail.
- Attractions: Tjapukai
Aboriginal
Dance
theatre,
cool
tropical
gardens,
Butterfly
Sanctuary,
Rainforest
train
ride
- Festivals: Kuranda
Folk
Festival
-May.
Mareeba
Mareeba
which
is situated
near the
junction
of the
Barron
River
and Granite
Creek
is the
largest
town in
the Atherton
Tablelands
and the
tobacco
capital
of Australia.
Mareeba
is an
aboriginal
word meaning
"place
to meet"
or "meeting
of the
waters".
- Getting
There: 60
kms
west
of
Cairns
via
Kuranda
and
Barron
Gorge
National
Park.
Bus
or
train
from
Cairns
- Attractions: Granite
Gorge
-
a
two
and
a
half
square
kilometre
area
of
enormous
boulders
overlying
underground
creeks,
it
is
common
to
see
wallabies
from
the
walking
trail
through
this
wild
landscape.
Popular
annual
rodeo
- Festivals: Anzac
Day
Races
Diggers
Cup
April,
Gregory
River
Race
May,
Mareeba
Cup
June,
Mareeba
Rodeo
July
Mission
Beach
A
twenty
kilometre
scenic
drive
from the
main highway
through
tropical
rainforest,
leads
the traveller
to spectacular
white
sandy
beaches
on the
coast.
Sample
the relaxed
beach
lifestyle
and local
produce
with tea,
coffee,
sugar
and bananas
being
the primary
products
of this
special
place
- Getting
There: 52
km
south
of
Innisfail
- Attractions: Fantastic
beaches
-Garners
Beach,
Bingil
Bay,
Narragon
Beach,
Clump
Point,
Wongaling
Beach
and
the
local
delicacies.
- Festivals: Aquatic
Festival
and
Great
Tinnie
Race
-
October,
Banana
Festival
-
July.
- Island
Access
: To
two
of
the
most
exclusive
island
resorts
in
Australia Bedarra Island & Dunk Island
Port
Douglas
 
Once
a thriving
port for
the extensive
gold industry
in the
north,
which
like so
many other
towns
in this
"Golden"
region,
that went
into decline
when the
nuggets
failed
to come
to the
surface.
For many
decades
after
the town
had only
a small
population
of around
250, until
the middle
1980's
when the
first
resort
operator
came across
this tropical,
relaxed
paradise
and just
had to
build
so other
may experience
the regions
many wonders.
- Getting
There: 60
km
north
of
Cairns
along
the
Captain
Cook
Hwy
- Attractions: International
5
star
resorts
with
ecology
in
mind,
close
to
the
tropical
wilderness
of
the
Daintree
National
Park
and
Cape
Tribulation,
the
private
seclusion,
and
old
world
charm.
- Festivals: Reef
and
Rainforest
festival
-
May.
Tully
If
you want
some river
rafting
adrenaline,
Tully
the wettest
place
in Australia
with an
average
rainfall
of 4490mm
is guaranteed
to give
you that
rush and
then some.
But it
is not
just a
place
of adventure,
it is
also a
haven
for relaxing
and absorbing
the tropical
surrounds.
- Getting
There: 53
km
south
of
Innisfail
- Attractions: Hydro
electric
power
plant,
Sugar
Mill,
White
Water
Rafting
- Festivals: Rain
Festival
-
August.
- Be
Aware
: The
Tully
river
can
be
a
treacherous
place
in
full
flow
and
should
not
be
attempted
if
not
experienced.
Please
ride
with
a
professional
white
water
specialist.
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