Tablelands Regional: Crater Lakes, Rainforest and Walking Tracks

Discover Tablelands Regional through its very diverse landscapes and experiences: from blue crater lakes in the rainforest to walking tracks, birdwatching and regional history. In the eastern part of the Atherton Tableland lies Crater Lakes National Park. Its two sections, Lake Barrine and Lake Eacham, protect clear, blue crater lakes surrounded by cool rainforest. Those seeking nature experiences by the water will find opportunities for swimming and canoeing in the Lake Eacham day-use area, along with birdwatching, picnic areas and shaded walking paths.

Crater Lakes and Rainforest Tracks

Danbulla National Park and Danbulla State Forest also offer different ways to experience the landscape on foot. Five walking tracks of varying lengths run along Danbulla Road on the central Atherton Tableland. The tracks therefore offer a range of distance options. Danbulla Forest covers 12,000 hectares between the Tinaroo and Lamb Ranges and borders Lake Tinaroo. The forest and lake create a different landscape from the crater lakes in the eastern part of the Atherton Tableland.

Other walks vary considerably in difficulty. The Windin Falls walking track starts at the car park on Gourka Road on the Atherton Tableland. The challenging track over Mount Baldy includes the 1,109-metre summit and the 1,055-metre summit of Yabi Mountain; it offers sweeping views of the Atherton Tableland and Lake Tinaroo. As a challenging wilderness experience, the Bartle Frere trail is suited to fit, experienced and well-prepared bushwalkers. It leads into the rugged wilderness of the Bellenden Ker Range, which is part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, and is accessible from the west from the Atherton Tableland.

Birds and Wildlife Watching

Lake Eacham is also notable for its birdlife: more than 180 bird species have been recorded there. Musky rat-kangaroos are active during the day and are often seen from the walking track. Nearby, Hasties Swamp is a birdwatching spot on the Tablelands. It has a two-storey observation tower and is about four kilometres from Atherton town centre.

At Yungaburra, Curtain Fig Tree National Park takes you beneath the rainforest canopy. There you can see numerous honeyeaters, fairy-wrens, robins and pigeons; occasionally, you may also spot a Rufous Owl or a Yellow-breasted Boatbill. In the wider region, the Bat Hospital Visitor Centre offers insight into the lives of flying foxes and bats. Visitors can watch the animals, see them being fed and hear echolocation calls through a bat detector. They can also learn more about the animals' importance to the environment and the work of the bat hospital.

History and Culture of the Tablelands

The Atherton Tablelands Heritage Trail leads to heritage-listed country towns, historic villages, living museums and signposted sites of Second World War military camps. In the wider region, Historic Village Herberton is an open-air museum with more than 50 restored historic buildings. These include shops, a pub, a bank, a pharmacy, a grocery store, a printing works and a garage. The Herberton Mining Museum and Information Centre shares Herberton's mining history and offers the opportunity to try tin panning.

The Hou Wang Temple stands on the edge of Atherton. Its cultural artefacts are connected with the social and religious significance of the region's Chinese community. Together, these different places reveal various aspects of regional history, from mining in Herberton to the heritage of Atherton's Chinese community.

More Experiences and Regional Produce

Those who want to explore the Tablelands on two wheels can take a self-guided cycling tour at Atherton Forest Mountain Bike Park. For a culinary stop in the southern Atherton Tablelands, a visitor description from December 2024 features the café at Mungalli Creek Dairy, with cheese, yoghurt and ice cream. The farm takes a biodynamic and organic approach.

Discover more destinations: Jaggan, Moreton Bay Regional, North Burnett Regional, Hinchinbrook Shire, Whitsunday Regional, Sunshine Coast Regional, Townsville City.

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