Atherton Tablelands
Central Section:
(approx 750 metres altitude)

Self drive this delightfully scenic, historical, nature loving and culturally significant central section of the Atherton Tablelands. Allow a full day, but never be in your vehicle for more than 10 - 15 minutes. You will cover no more than 60 kms in the day, but see a real range of landscapes and attractions.

Here at Atherton Blue Gum B&B, we will provide you with a map and local knowledge that will make your day not only interesting but also special. Following are the highlights in order......

• Hou Wang Temple - Tours available of the last remaining Chinese structure, when Atherton was a lumberjack town harvesting Red Cedar and other rainforest timbers.

• Hasties Swamp Bird Hide - a two level bird hide that provides great bird watching.

• Gallo's Dairy - "Cheese and Chocolate Centre".

• Herberton - Historical town, now population of 900, was 30,000 in 1910 and the regions heart. The Kuranda train line was built to service Herberton. In Herberton.........

  • Walk the street scenes, photos taken from 1895 - 1905 when the town was thriving.

  • Herberton Historical Village

  • View the giant mural, depicting black and white history, maps, characters & pioneers.

  • Visit Roy's photographic & spy camera museum, not just a collection but a story. An absolute must & highlight.

  • Tin Mining Museum

• Irvinebank, (gravel road), John Moffat’s house is the Loudoun House Museum. Moffat was responsible for 25% of Australia’s GNP in 1900, two Premiers of Queensland, came from this town, population now 90.

• Continue on to "The Crater" & Dinner Falls at Mt Hypipamee National Park - You walk to "The Crater". It is a Diatreme, quite awesome & spectacular. Follow the well constructed path to the Dinner Falls, which are cascades that you follow back to your car. You may view the resident Cassowary or Lumholtz tree kangaroo's.

• Take the Upper Baron Rd - running along a ridge, it provides spectacular views of the highest mountains in Queensland and the surrounding country-side.

• Bromfield Swamp - another excellent bird watching site. A huge volcanic crater that has a swamp in the middle which supplies a stop off point for the Saurus Cranes.

• Malanda Falls Interpretative Centre - Aboriginal guided rainforest walks as well as local geological, fauna & flora, indigenous & timber cutting photos and information.

• Volcanic Lakes Eacham & Barrine, both surrounded by magnificent rainforest - Swim in Lake Eacham or take a 45 min cruise on Lake Barrine (first cruise at 10.15 am last at 3.30 pm, runs hourly). Circumnavigate both walking,  ranging from 50 mins to 1.5 hrs. Lake Barrine has a lovely historical Tea House....the scones and tea are legendary.

• Yungaburra – Stop at "The Gem Gallery" and view the Australian opals, Nick & Kaye do it all…!!

• Curtain & Cathedral Strangler fig trees, (the giant red cedar tree, was "knocked over" by cyclone Larry in March 2006)  - All are over 500 years old.

• Platypus Viewing - Here at Atherton Blue Gum B&B we have a river site that we send our guests. Only 4 kms away we have a 99% success rate in a lovely setting on the Barron River.

• A “Birds of Prey” performance is also available, featuring a variety of those Australian meat-eating predators.

If you have time, these are extras which may interest you. We find the above is a very full day.

• Lake Tinaroo & Tinaroo Dam Wall - Catch a world record Barramundi,  just relax or drive the Danbulla Road.

• Crystal Caves & Fascinating Facets - Gemstone, crystal, artefact exhibition in Atherton's Main Street.

• Historic North Queensland Aussie pubs including the Peeramon Hotel which is set in the countryside.

• Horse riding on "Outback Stations" or on lush Tableland farms and forest.

• State Forest Drives and World Heritage Rainforest.

• Arts & Crafts, Woodwork, Antiques, paintings, sculptures, Queensland Architecture, fossils, minerals, artifacts all to be seen in Exhibitions & Galleries.

© Atherton Blue Gum B & B - 2013