If Cairns is famous for the reef, the Atherton Tablelands is the reason people stay an extra few days once they get here. Less than an hour inland from the coast, the Tablelands rise from tropical lowlands into cool, green highland country dotted with crater lakes, waterfalls, dairy farms and some of the oldest rainforests on the planet. It’s a completely different side of Far North Queensland, and for a lot of visitors, it ends up being the highlight of the whole trip.
This guide covers what to see, how to get there, and how to structure a day (or two) on the Tablelands without spending half of it in the car.
Where Exactly Is the Atherton Tablelands?
The Atherton Tablelands sits on an elevated plateau west of Cairns, reached via either the Gillies Highway or the Kennedy Highway, both of which climb out of the coastal lowlands through a series of switchbacks and rainforest lookouts. Access is also possible via the Palmerston Highway from Innisfail or the Mossman-Mount Molloy Road from Port Douglas, which makes it a flexible add-on regardless of which part of the coast you’re staying on.
The main population centres on the Tablelands are Mareeba and Atherton, with smaller towns including Malanda, Herberton, Kuranda, Ravenshoe, Millaa Millaa, Yungaburra and Tinaroo scattered across the plateau. Most of what travellers come for, the waterfalls, lakes and rainforest walks, sits within a fairly compact loop between Kuranda, Yungaburra and Malanda, which is why most day trips follow some version of the same circuit.
Getting There from Cairns
Driving time to the Tablelands from Cairns is roughly 60 to 90 minutes depending on which route you take and where on the plateau you’re headed. Self-driving gives you the most flexibility, but the Gillies Highway in particular is a narrow, winding mountain road that catches a lot of visitors off guard, especially after a full day of sightseeing when fatigue sets in on the drive back down.
Trans North Bus and Coach also runs scheduled services from Cairns to Kuranda, Speewah, Mareeba and Atherton, which is a workable option if you’re not driving, though it won’t get you to the more remote waterfalls and lake circuits on its own schedule. For visitors who’d rather sit back and let someone else handle the mountain roads, a private Cairns airport transfer or day charter is generally the easier way to see multiple Tablelands stops in a single day without the driving fatigue.
Top Things to See on the Tablelands
The Crater Lakes: Lake Barrine and Lake Eacham
Formed by volcanic explosion craters thousands of years ago, Lake Barrine and Lake Eacham are two of the most photographed spots on the plateau. Both sit inside rainforest reserves with circuit walking tracks, and Lake Eacham in particular is popular for a swim on a hot day. Lake Barrine also runs a boat cruise past centuries-old kauri pines if you want to stay dry.
Curtain Fig and Cathedral Fig Trees
Two of the most striking sights on the Tablelands are its giant strangler figs. Curtain Fig National Park, located near Yungaburra, protects a fig tree that draws around 100,000 visitors a year, with its enormous curtain of aerial roots cascading more than 15 metres to the ground. Cathedral Fig, a short drive away, is similarly dramatic and usually far less crowded.
Millaa Millaa Falls and the Waterfall Circuit
The Millaa Millaa Falls circuit strings together three of the Tablelands’ best-known waterfalls, Millaa Millaa, Zillie and Ellinjaa, along a short signposted loop. Millaa Millaa Falls, with its perfect curtain of water dropping into a swimmable pool, is the one you’ll recognise from half the tourism photography for the region.
Mount Hypipamee Crater
A short, steep walk through cool rainforest leads to a volcanic crater with sheer black walls dropping to a dark green lake far below. It’s a quick stop compared to some of the other attractions, but the sheer drop and the eerie stillness of the water make it worth the short detour.
Platypus Spotting at Yungaburra
Yungaburra’s Peterson Creek is one of the more reliable spots in Australia to see a wild platypus, particularly in the early morning or late afternoon when they’re most active. The Tablelands region is also known for wildlife including the southern cassowary, Mareeba rock wallaby and Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo, so it’s worth keeping the camera handy even between the marquee stops.
Hasties Swamp
South of Atherton, Hasties Swamp is a seasonal wetland national park with a two-storey bird hide overlooking the water. It’s a quiet, low-key stop compared to the waterfalls and crater lakes, but bird watchers rate it as one of the best spots on the plateau, especially during the dry season when thousands of magpie geese and other waterbirds gather on the swamp.
Suggested One-Day Tablelands Itinerary from Cairns
- Early morning: Depart Cairns via the Kennedy Highway, stopping in Kuranda if time allows
- Mid-morning: Curtain Fig and Cathedral Fig, followed by Lake Eacham for a swim
- Midday: Lunch in Yungaburra, then a walk along Peterson Creek for a chance at spotting platypus
- Afternoon: The Millaa Millaa waterfall circuit
- Late afternoon: Return to Cairns via the Gillies Highway, timed to avoid driving the mountain switchbacks after dark
This loop covers most of the highlights without doubling back on yourself, but it’s a full day. Trying to add Mount Hypipamee or Hasties Swamp on top usually means cutting time somewhere else, so it’s worth deciding in advance what matters most to your group.
Best Time of Year to Visit
The Tablelands are worth visiting year-round, but the dry season (roughly May to October) offers the most reliable weather for waterfall walks and lake swims, along with cooler highland temperatures that make a nice break from the coastal humidity. The wet season (November to April) fills the waterfalls to their most dramatic, but some walking tracks can be affected by rain, and the Gillies Highway is best avoided in heavy weather.
Should You Drive Yourself or Book a Transfer?
Self-driving gives you full control over pacing, but the combination of a full sightseeing day and an unfamiliar mountain road catches out more visitors than you’d expect, particularly on the drive back to Cairns after dark. If you’d rather focus on the scenery than the switchbacks, a private day tour or Cairns airport transfer service can handle the driving while you make the most of the stops. It’s also a practical option if your group includes anyone who gets carsick on winding roads, since the Gillies Highway in particular has a well-earned reputation for it.
For travellers combining a Tablelands day trip with the start or end of a Far North Queensland holiday, booking transport in advance around your airport transfer schedule also means one less thing to organise once you land.
Final Thoughts
The Atherton Tablelands packs an unusual amount of variety into a relatively small area: volcanic crater lakes, cool rainforest, cascading waterfalls, wild platypus and some of the biggest fig trees you’ll ever stand under, all within about an hour of the Cairns coastline. Whether you’re self-driving for the freedom or booking a transfer to skip the mountain roads, it’s one of the easiest big detours to build into a Far North Queensland itinerary, and one most visitors wish they’d given a full day to rather than a rushed half one.
