Australia For Everyone: Canberra
Atherton Tableland
Inland from Cairns in Queensland’s far north, Atherton Tableland offer a blend of the best attractions of the wet tropics and the dry outback charm; a combination of nature and lifestyle at its finest. Among the World Heritage listed rainforests, national parks, mountains, rivers, lakes and waterfalls of the Tableland are some of Australia’s richest agricultural lands, cattle country and charming small townships.
Less than an hour’s drive from Cairns, the Tableland’s winding roads lead to spectacular lookouts and waterfalls, and highlights include Australia’s widest waterfall – Millstream Falls – and many others flowing all year round, the deep blue waters of extinct volcano crater lakes, Lake Barrine and Lake Eacham, the ancient Bromfield Swamp near Malanda and the Mt. Hypipamee Crater National Park near Herberton. A little further West, the lush farming lands change to Wooded Savannah with dry creek beds, wandering cattle and the beautiful ochre colours of the Outback.
For visitors, the Tablelands and Outback present opportunities for bush walking, bird watching, limestone cave tours, visits to coffee and tea plantations and tropical fruit wineries, wildlife cruises, wildlife spotting, hot air ballooning and water sports as diverse as fishing, water skiing and white water rafting.