Bushwalking on the Atherton Tablelands

To discover the real heart of this country, get off the beaten track and take off on a bushwalk. Whether it's a 750 metre rainforest stroll to a lookout, or a two night hike involving camping out in the bush under the stars, your bushwalking experience will take you in close to the special places and wildlife that make the area unique. Bushwaiking is a safe and enjoyable activity but remember to wear protective clothing, wear sunscreen and carry ample drinking water. Click Cairns Hotels if you are looking for Hotels in The Cairns area.

Misty Mountain Trails

Stunning waterfalls, spectacular rainforest, crystal clear creeks and magnificent vistas are just the beginning. Misty Mountains is Australia's first network of short, medium and long distance walking trails in a high altitude rainforest environment.

Over 130 kilometres of tracks have been constructed under a unique partnership between the Highland shires of Eacham, Herberton, Cardwell and Johnstone, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS), traditional Aboriginal owners, and volunteers.

The Jirrbal and Ma:mu Aboriginal people are the traditional owners of the places called the Misty Mountains. Several of the walking tracks follow the ridgelines traditionally used by these people to connect the coastal plain to the Atherton Tablelands/Cairns Highlands. Access to Misty Mountains may be restricted due to seasonal factors, so check with the Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service on 07 4046 6600.

Getting there: From the Palmerston Highway or Tully Falls Road, Ravenshoe, or check local visitor information centres.

Herberton

This delightfully original township high in the dry, southern region has reinvested in its early mining heritage and created a wonderful series of bush and town walks which illuminate the past and connect you with the present. The Heritage Walks are the best way to see the town centre, and the Wild River Walk takes in the river precinct adjacent to the commercial area. Go further afield with the Copper Mines Walk or the Rush Track and the Bluff Trail.

Guides are available and overnight treks are possible.

Getting there: Herberton is 20km south of Atherton on the Herberton Road.

Undara Volcanic National Park

Although famous for its lava tubes, there is much more to this strikingly unique National Park. From the Undara Lava Lodge, there are eight marked walking trails ranging from 1.5 kilometres to 12 kilometres. The walks feature gentle climbs to scenic lookouts over open savannah woodlands and you'll spot kangaroos or wallabies and the prolific birdlife of the plains. The Walk The Line track showcases the history of both Aboriginal and European peoples through the preservation and interpretation of early geological and telegraphic features. The Undara walks are a refreshing contrast to the rainforest trails.

Getting there: the Undara turnoff is 17 kilometres along the Savannah Way from Mt Surprise.

Crater Lakes

Both the beautiful volcanic crater lakes of Barrine and Eacham have a circuit walk around the perimeters, leading through rainforest decked with ferns and epiphytes.

Lake Eacharn's is an easy one hour circuit, plus there's a shorter trail from the car park to the rangers' station. Both walks are great for bird-watching and you'll often see musky-rat kangaroos here during the day.

At Lake Barrine, a 6.5 kilometre circuit begins at the lake's edge and 80 metres into the walk brings you to the majestic 1,000 year old Twin Kauri Pines.

This circuit is the place to spot water dragons, turtles or even the Boyd's forest dragon.

Giant Red Cedar Tree

Also known as the Gadgarra Red Ceda as it is located within the Gadgarra Stat Forest.

This timber was the most sought after on the Highlands and this forest giant is possibly the largest remaining in Australia.

A 600 metre steep track leadl to two viewing platforms.

Getting there: Via Lakes Drive off Gillie Highway near Lake Eacham.

Danbulla Forest Drive

There are a series of walks off Danbull Forest Drive, a 28 kilometre unsealed road accessed from the top of the Gillie Highway or Tinaroo township. Creeks craters and lakes are the reward, and one of the famous walks is the short stroll (5 minutes) to the Cathedral Fig Tree.

Kuranda

The village has a series of six interconnected walks that take you through the streets, the rainforest and the banks of the Barron River. The most popular one is the Jum Rum Creek walk (30 minutes). Each walk is marked by numerous story boards that detail the experience and give you more of the Kuranda 'story'.

Nearby, in Barron Gorge National Park, a short walk leads to lookouts over the Barron Falls and gorge. Murals depict local wildlife and the region's Aboriginal history. For more details, ask at the visitor centre.

Clohesy Fig-tree Walk

Turn off the Kennedy Highway onto Clohesy River Road and travel a further 9 kilometres. The walk is a pleasant 250 metre boardwalk circuit abutting Shoteel Creek and includes interpretive signage to help visitors better understand the surrounding rainforest environment. The breathtaking size of the cathedral fig trees located along this boardwaik make this destination a must-see for any visitor to the region.

Kahipahlirn Rock Walking Trail

A further 12 kilometres from the Davies Creek Roacl/Kennedy Highway turn-off is Davies Creek bush-camping area. The KahIpahlim Rock Wilderness Hiking Trail is 11.1 kilometres long and starts at the end of Davies Creek Road. Kahipahlim Rock is recognised as the highest point on the Lamb Range. This walk is recommended for fit and experienced walkers only. The hike to the Rock is steep and rugged; however the views from the top are awe-inspiring. Although the track is well marked, it is advisable not to walk to Kahipahlim Rock when the top of the mountain is covered in cloud unless you are carrying warm clothes and wet-weather gear.

Bare Hill Walking Trail

Bare Hill is within the traditional territory of the Djabugay people and is located a few kilometres past the Davies Creek Road/Kennedy Highway turn-off, along Brindle Creek Road. A 1.4km walking track leads to two indigenous rock-art sites situated withinb a large granite outcrop.

Queensland Parks and ildlife have make it a permit condition no-one goes to the site without a Djabugay guide. Guides will meet visitors in Kuranda or a the Davies Creek turnoff.

A QP&W permit is only required if visitors drive their vehicle right to the Bare Hill site. To arrange a guide, contact the Djabugay Business Development Aboriginal Corporateion on 4093 9111.

Emerald Creek Falls

West along the Kennedy Highway and a few kilometres south-east of Mareeba is Tinaroo Creek Road. Take this left turn and then branch left onto Cobra Creek road, which will take you into Dinden State Forest and further to Emerald Creek Fails. The road is unsealed to the falls where there are public toilets, barbeques and tables. There is a 700 metre walking track to a lookout on top of the falls, offering spectacular views across the Mareeba Valley to the mountains north and west.

Mareeba Wetlands

The Reserve features excellent selfguided walks and bird lists are available from Clancy's Lagoon Visitor Centre (a conservation levy applies to enter the sanctuary). There's Clancy's Lagoon Circuit (an easy 30 minutes) with superb photo opportunities of the waterlily-filled lagoon, and the Lookout Circuit (40 minutes) which rewards you with extensive views across the savannahs of the Reserve to the Hann Tableland National Park. Longer walks of several kilometres allow visitors to explore the Reserve on foot, and maps and information are provided at the Visitor Centre.

Mareeba Golf Course

While it isn't bushwalking, taking a stroll around the course (with a set of clubs) is rewarding on many levels, not in the least because you're likely to encounter more kangaroos and wallabies here than inside a wildlife park!

Granite Gorge

There's an entry fee (currently $5) to access the circuit track that meanders for 40 minutes through the massive granite boulders, deep watery pools and past inquisitive rock wallabies who seem to be around no matter what time of day you visit.

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