{"id":48877,"date":"2022-05-20T09:00:17","date_gmt":"2022-05-19T23:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/?p=48877"},"modified":"2022-11-04T13:35:02","modified_gmt":"2022-11-04T03:05:02","slug":"blog-atherton-tablelands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/blog-atherton-tablelands\/","title":{"rendered":"The Atherton Tablelands"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A place that I feel I will never see in its entirety \u2013 no matter how much time I have up my sleeves \u2013 is the Atherton Tablelands, famously known for its waterfalls, ancient rainforests, and abundance of fruit crops and dairy farms. It\u2019s a massively diverse region covering an area of 64,768 square kilometres\u2026 making it a little hard to handpick which places to see. So here are some of my must-sees in the Atherton Tablelands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Millaa Millaa, one of the most iconic waterfalls in the Atherton Tablelands<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Getting to Atherton Tablelands<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Atherton Tablelands are in tropical North Queensland, one to two hours south-west of Cairns, where every new spot seems just a short drive away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are a couple of ways to reach the Tablelands \u2013 including Palmerston Highway from Innisfail, and Kennedy Highway north of Cairns (definitely my favourite). The latter takes you up Kuranda Range Road and passes through Kuranda, another awesome little town with some amazing spots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The final way is via Gillies Highway. I don\u2019t have too much to say about this road, other than that I am so glad<\/em> it\u2019s 2400 kilometres away from me. It\u2019s an abomination of never-ending turns and a steep climb of 800 metres over 19 kilometres. Only one attempt on this road with a caravan and a car that doesn\u2019t perform very well on slopes was enough to now leave me with horrific flashbacks at every hill I face. That said \u2013 definitely check it out, just to say you\u2019ve done Gillies (or don\u2019t).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Overhead shot from Millaa Millaa Lookout<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What to Do and See in the Atherton Tablelands<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now that you know how to make your way there, it\u2019s time to learn about all the magnificent spots you\u2019ll be visiting in the Tablelands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note: these may not be in directional order, as I experienced them in the most sporadic way possible \u2013 but just chuck them into Google Maps to establish which way suits you best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Millaa Millaa Falls<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The most picturesque waterfall my eyeballs have ever seen. You\u2019ve probably seen photos, as it may just be the most photographed waterfall in all of Australia \u2013 but in person, I can guarantee that you\u2019ll still be in awe of how stunning it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you make your way down the driveway, the tropical rainforest begins to part to reveal a scene that could be mistaken for a painting. Every tree, plant, and rock is arranged in a way that you\u2019d have no problem convincing someone was handmade. You could easily find yourself staring at this spot for hours, taking it all in and wondering if you\u2019ll ever see anything like it again. I\u2019ll tell you what, it\u2019s a hard one to beat. I found myself going back four times\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Millaa Millaa Falls from the carpark<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tully Falls<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Please do not<\/em> confuse this with Tully Gorge National Park!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okay \u2013 so Tully Falls and Tully Gorge are two completely different places, with a vast distance between them. I\u2019m telling you this because I don\u2019t want you making the same mistake I did: going to Tully Gorge by accident, then driving another two and a half hours to get to Tully Falls (pictured)! I couldn\u2019t imagine making this mistake now, given how expensive fuel is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While there\u2019s a bit of a walk down to this spot, the reward at the end considerably outweighs that. Make sure to wear sturdy shoes, as it can be jagged, wet, and slippery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lake Eacham<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lake Eacham is the definition of \u2018serene\u2019\u2026 unless you have Thalassophobia (a fear of deep bodies of water). This could be a great place to help fight off that fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lake Eacham<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lake is a volcanic crater which, overtime, has filled with water \u2013 some parts reaching 65 metres deep. At least that eliminates the worry of hitting the bottom when jumping off the jetty!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of all the places we visited, this was one of the most relaxing. Such a great place to slow down, spend the day, have a BBQ, and chill out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lake Eacham Jetty – we spent a couple of hours jumping off!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Davies Creek<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I have a thing for natural infinity pools\u2026 so here\u2019s another for you to visit. It\u2019s only a short walk from the carpark, where you can either view the waterfall or continue down to sit at the top of the very waterfall you were just gazing at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you stay for the sunset, the valley turns golden, and the sky shows off its last colours of the day while you float in your own personal infinity pool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Josephine Falls<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Located just 75 kilometres south of Cairns, tucked away in dense rainforest, is Joesphine Falls. After a 700 metre walk with trees towering overhead, you will reach three viewing platforms, a swimming hole\u2026 and even a natural water slide<\/em>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be careful and wary here, though \u2013 after heavy rain on Mt Bartle Frere, water can rise rapidly which presents a great deal of danger. Keep an eye out for signage and lights indicating water levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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After a big rainfall at Josephine Falls<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nandroya Falls<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This was one of the most unexpected waterfalls of our trip. We had no intention of going to this place, mainly because we didn\u2019t know it existed. When you hear about Atherton Tablelands, Nandroya Falls isn\u2019t a spot that pops up too frequently. We\u2019re very thankful that our friends (whom we met on the road) convinced us to come with them and check it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you reach the carpark, there are two routes you can take to reach the Falls \u2013 the short way (two kilometres) or the long way (three and a half kilometres). We went the short way to the Falls and returned home the long way. In all honesty, there isn\u2019t much more to see via the longer route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nandroya Falls from above<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whichever way, you will still reach Nandroya \u2013 and this has to be one of my favourite waterfalls in tropical North Queensland, simply because it is not what you\u2019d expect. Initially, you\u2019re a little thrown in wondering how this could be tucked away in the rainforest! Absolute heaven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nandroya Falls – an amazing spot for a swim<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paronella Park<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This was one of the only areas we paid for on our whole trip, and it was certainly worth it. There\u2019s a lot of history here at Paronella Park, and the beauty throughout will have you questioning why we ever changed building styles; the architecture is gorgeous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are interested in making the trip out to Paronella, make sure you book ahead \u2013 it can book out for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where Else Can I Go?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A few more places that are worthy of a visit:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n