7 Road Trips in Cairns
Livin’ easy. Lovin’ free. AC/DC’s got their road trip attitude spot on. But while they may be on a season ticket on a one-way ride to the highway to hell, get ready to rev your engines because you are about to embark on a journey to heaven. We’re talking about sunny, tropical Cairns – the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and a city flourishing with mountainous rainforest, gorges, beaches, and rich indigenous culture. Here are seven classic road trips to get to know the city like the back of your hand:
Wildlife, waterfalls, and World Heritage-listed rainforest, Kuranda has it all. 25-kilometres separates the city of Cairns from this peachy spot of tropical beauty. All you need to do is make the trip down (which is spectacular in itself, by the way). You will find that this scenic little town has something for everyone. Soak in stunning vistas on the famed Kuranda Scenic Railway. Meet koalas, crocs, and the only Tasmanian Devils in North Queensland at a wildlife park. And learn how to throw the boomerang. That road trip here will be worth your while, for sure.
No road trip is complete without a bit of Rock and Roll. Not so much electric guitars and drums but more ancient limestone caves out in the bush. We’re talking about a trip to Chillagoe-Mungana Caves National Park. One of Queensland’s most unique parks, get a taste of both history and culture here with a private tour. Be prepared to work up a sweat with an ascent up the rugged MacAlister Ranges. Travel through historic mining towns and small outback communities. If you’re lucky, you’ll see wildlife like wedge-tailed eagles, kangaroos, and frilled neck lizards.
What’s a holiday without a day at the beach? Live the island life you’ve spent the last year fantasising about at Cape Tribulation. As far as tropical beaches go, they don’t get more gorgeous than this remote headland. Enter an unspoiled world untouched by urban activity like pollution and construction, and see the magic of this gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. On your journey, you can also drive along the scenic Great Barrier Reef Drive to Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas to meet Aussie animals. And to fully enjoy your expedition, switch from the road to the reef by boarding a Daintree River Cruise and searching for crocs and birds in the mangroves.
If there’s one thing that people would drive thousands of miles for, that would be good food. And Cairns is quite the culinary gem, especially if you know where to look. The best place to start would be to head straight to the source and visit the local farmers themselves. Join the chef-guided Port on a Plate food trail, a food and wine tasting tour like no other. Drop by up to three local farms and sample fresh cane juice, try locally-made chocolate, have your fill of freshly caught fish, and pamper your taste buds with an exquisite three-course feast at an orchard.
Why road trip in a car when you can do the same thing, but on an amphibious World War Two-era vehicle? Explore the ancient rainforest of Kuranda with a guided tour across land and water on historic Army Ducks. Besides travelling within one of the world’s oldest rainforests in style, learn about the unique native wildlife here. Keep your eyes peeled for snakes, fish, turtles, and birds. And discover plants like ferns, orchids, strangler figs, and stinging trees along the way. Enjoy a peaceful return to Cairns on the scenic Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, travelling in gondolas above the rainforest canopy.
With its steady flow of fresh fruit, vegetables, and grains, the grazing lands of the Atherton Tablelands are rightly called “the fruit bowl” of Tropical Far North Queensland. Besides incredible produce, the scenery is to die for here as well, rivalling some of the world’s best road trips, easy. There are majestic waterfalls and quirky animals like the platypus. Pristine lakes and rivers are aplenty where you can take a dip. Plus, entering that dense tropical rainforest is the ultimate therapy for your tired and stressed mind.
The Outback is bringing gourmet back. Join Brett’s Outback Tasting Adventures, a gastronomic food tasting tour that you and your best buds won’t forget. Visit up to seven unique sites spread across Atherton Tablelands and Port Douglas. Sample wines, spirits, cheeses, tea, coffee, rainforest condiments, chocolates, tropical fruits, nuts, and even exotic meats like crocodile and kangaroo. More than just a foodie outing, you will also get to devour the beautiful, contrasting landscapes of Far North Queensland – a fitting meal for a soul starved of wanderlust.
