Atherton Tablelands
Cool-Climate Rainforest Above Cairns
On the lands of the Yidinji, Ngadjon-Jii and others people.
schedule 1 min read / Updated Jun 2026
An elevated plateau west of Cairns, 600 to 1,200 metres above the coast, with a cooler subtropical climate and some of the most photographed waterfalls in Queensland. The Tablelands are dotted with crater lakes, dairy farms, and pockets of remnant rainforest.
The Atherton Tablelands sit on a basalt plateau formed by ancient volcanic activity, with elevations up to 1,200 metres. The cooler air and rich soil made the region a major dairy area in the 19th century, and the small towns of Yungaburra, Atherton, Malanda and Millaa Millaa still have a country feel.
The waterfall circuit is the headline drive. Millaa Millaa Falls is the most famous (and the most photographed waterfall in Australia, with the perfect curtain shape used in countless tourism ads). Zillie Falls and Ellinjaa Falls complete the loop, all within a few minutes' drive of each other on the Waterfall Way out of Millaa Millaa.
The two crater lakes, Lake Eacham and Lake Barrine, are surrounded by Wet Tropics rainforest and good for swimming and walking. The Curtain Fig Tree near Yungaburra is a 500 year old strangler fig with aerial roots that hang in a curtain 15 metres long.
Mount Hypipamee Crater is a strange volcanic pipe that drops 80 metres straight down to a green algae-covered pool. The Mount Hypipamee National Park is one of the best places in the country to spot tree kangaroos at night.
The Tablelands are reached via the Gillies Range Road or the Kuranda Range from Cairns, both about 90 minutes' drive.
Tourist locations
Places to visit in Atherton Tablelands.
6 locations to explore
Crystal Caves
World-class minerals underground
$25 adult, $12.50 child (6-16), $65 family
Full guide arrow_forwardCurtain Fig Tree
Ancient rainforest giant
Free
Full guide arrow_forwardGallo Dairyland
Cheese, chocolate and farm life
Free entry; food and purchases extra
Full guide arrow_forwardLake Eacham
Volcanic crater swimming lake
Free
Full guide arrow_forwardMillaa Millaa Falls
Australia's most photographed waterfall
Free
Full guide arrow_forwardNerada Tea Visitor Centre
Australia's largest tea plantation
Free entry; tasting flights from $15
Full guide arrow_forwardWhere to stay
Holiday parks near Atherton Tablelands.
1 option via our booking partner
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Scenic views
Lookouts near Atherton Tablelands.
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Attribution
Sources & credits
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Images (2)
- Atherton Tablelands, Queensland (8603078682).jpg · Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingd... · CC BY 2.0
- Straw-necked ibis and Australian white ibis Malanda Atherton... · John Robert McPherson · CC BY-SA 4.0
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