Atherton Tablelands

Travel Guide

Photo provided by Tony Gwynn-Jones/Tourism and Events Queensland
Yungaburra showing rainforest and signage as well as a couple
Crater Lakes National Park featuring a lake or waterhole and boating
Crater Lakes National Park showing a sunset, landscape views and farmland
Crater Lakes National Park showing tranquil scenes, a river or creek and landscape views

Find gourmet trails and colorful markets in the “food bowl of the tropics” or see waterfalls plunging from rainforest escarpments on the plateau’s rugged edge.

The Atherton Tablelands is a lush plateau of fertile farmland and dense rainforest within Tropical North Queensland’s Great Dividing Range. Renowned for its excellent fresh produce and hidden natural wonders, the Atherton Tablelands offers plenty of ways to enjoy the landscape. Discover the heritage of pioneering farmsteads, explore breathtaking crater lakes and spot a diverse array of rainforest-dwelling birds.

Go on a tasting tour of the tropics and savour some of the region’s finest coffee, tea, tropical fruits and cheeses. You’ll find sprawling coffee estates, biodynamic dairies and fragrant tea plantations, as well as fruit farms growing tropical delights. Sample fortified fruit wines, spirits and liqueurs made from produce grown in this fertile region. With so much delicious produce, award-winning restaurants and busy local markets are never far away.

Learn about the region’s pioneering days at Historic Village Herberton, where you can see beautifully restored period houses and agricultural relics. Visit Tinaroo Dam to check out over 200 kilometres (120 miles) of shoreline and a wide expanse of protected water for swimming, watersports and fishing. The historic town of Yungaburra is situated on the dam’s southern shores and provides easy access to Lake Eacham within Crater Lakes National Park and the cascading aerial roots of the Curtain Fig Tree.

The tablelands have sheltered pockets of rich volcanic rainforest for millennia. Experience the sights, sounds and smells of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area at Wooroonooran National Park. Spot rare birds and unique marsupials or see breathtaking waterfalls surging through the forest. Find sparkling minerals and fascinating lava tubes in the Undara Volcanic National Park further west.

Atherton and Mareeba are the tablelands’ largest towns. Stay in country estates and treetop eco-lodges. The Atherton Tablelands is southwest of Cairns and many of the region’s attractions and towns can be reached within a 90-minute drive from the city’s international airport. Visit in winter to enjoy milder temperatures or in summer when the rains renew the tropical vegetation and cascading waterfalls.

Cairns Colonial Club Resort

Cairns Colonial Club Resort

4 out of 5
18-26 Cannon Street, Manunda, QLD
The price is ¥11,210 per night from Nov 10 to Nov 11
¥11,210
¥12,331 total
Nov 10 - Nov 11
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4-star family-friendly hotel in Cairns. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and 3 outdoor pools. Our guests praise the pool and the helpful staff in ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (1,020 reviews)
Love this place everytime

Reviewed on Oct 16, 2025

Cairns Colonial Club Resort
Cairns Harbourside Hotel

Cairns Harbourside Hotel

4 out of 5
209-217 Esplanade, Cairns North, QLD
The price is ¥17,744 per night from Nov 6 to Nov 7
¥17,744
¥19,518 total
Nov 6 - Nov 7
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly hotel in Cairns. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (1,034 reviews)
Only place to stay

Reviewed on Oct 16, 2025

Cairns Harbourside Hotel
Crystalbrook Flynn

Crystalbrook Flynn

5 out of 5
85 Esplanade, Cairns, QLD
The price is ¥18,148 per night from Nov 2 to Nov 3
¥18,148
¥19,963 total
Nov 2 - Nov 3
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 5-star luxury hotel in Cairns. Enjoy free WiFi, a full-service spa, and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (996 reviews)
Very nice stay! Everyone was really nice and helpful!

Reviewed on Oct 16, 2025

Crystalbrook Flynn
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Blue Summit Hideaway

Blue Summit Hideaway

4.5 out of 5
22 Gillies Range Road, Yungaburra, QLD
Stay at this 4.5-star luxury aparthotel in Yungaburra. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and breakfast (surcharge). Popular attractions Artistree Gallery and Curtain ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (121 reviews)
The room was great, the bed was comfortable, the spa bath was nice way to finish the day.

Reviewed on Oct 14, 2025

Blue Summit Hideaway
The Canopy Rainforest Treehouses and Wildlife Sanctuary

The Canopy Rainforest Treehouses and Wildlife Sanctuary

4 out of 5
247 Hogan Road, Tarzali, QLD
Stay at this 4-star golf apartment in Tarzali. Enjoy free parking, onsite spa services, and a garden. Popular attractions Cassowary Corner Nature Refuge and ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (47 reviews)
Beautiful cozy spot in the wilderness with lots of live and care taken with the cabin and surrounding area. The little things xo

Reviewed on Jul 9, 2025

The Canopy Rainforest Treehouses and Wildlife Sanctuary
Rose Gums Wilderness Retreat

Rose Gums Wilderness Retreat

4 out of 5
324 Land Road, via Lake Eacham, Malanda, Atherton Tablelands, Butchers Creek, QLD
Stay at this 4-star aparthotel in Butchers Creek. Enjoy free parking, a garden, and laundry facilities. Popular attractions Rose Gums Nature Refuge and Gadgarra ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (48 reviews)
Such a beautiful treehouse in the bush with walking tracks to swimming holes. Saw a platypus.

Reviewed on Jan 17, 2025

Rose Gums Wilderness Retreat
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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