- General
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Tourists interviewed on the Atherton Tablelands often express a regret at not having allowed more time to explore the many and varied attractions of this beautiful region beyond Cairns. Even wheelchair users find that this quiet tropical paradise has a lot to offer. Primary industry is the Tablelands communities' main income, with Tourism coming a close second..... in many cases the two are combined to enable our farmers to earn a living. We have National Parks and World Heritage Rainforests, waterfalls, tropical produce and dairy industry, wineries, wildlife, a wide variety of birds, lush green mountainous landscapes that seem to go on forever, and locals who don't mind sharing a smile or a laugh with you. During the last World War, the Tablelands was the northernmost location for R&R and training of the Australian and American military, being on the doorstep of the Asia-Pacific region. Many places show signs of past military activity and a number of museums on the Tablelands are dedicated to military history.
However, wheelies need to carefully research their itineraries, as proper wheelchair accessible accommodation is difficult to find, and many tourist attractions are only partially accessible. To make your planning a lot easier, Wheelie Easy has researched wheelchair access on the Tablelands and published a handbook which is revised every Wet Season (January).
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Download the Wheelie Easy Wheelchair Access Guide for the Atherton Tablelands and Beyond here.
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Living in Tropical North Queensland? If you find you need to make your residence or business more wheelchair accessible, ask the local experts - Ageing In Place Australia
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Mareeba
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Mareeba is the centre of the drier part of the Tablelands, and offers a wide variety of attractions. Between Kuranda and Mareeba alone you can find coffee plantations, a zoo, and the Barron Valley National Park. Closer in near Mareeba you will find Davies Creek National Park, Mareeba Tropical Savanna and Wetlands Reserve, several military history venues, tropical fruit wineries and coffee processing venues, and the township of Mareeba itself is a pleasant wheelchair friendly town during the week... and very quiet on weekends - as are all Tablelands towns. Mareeba is the first big town for graziers and miners travelling down from the Cape York region, and many gather for the Mareeba Rodeo in July each year. For more information about Mareeba, drop in to the Mareeba Heritage Museum and Tourist Information Centre.
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Atherton
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Atherton's climate is very pleasant any time of the year, with temperatures seldom going below 15 degrees Celsius or above 30 degrees in summer. Much greener than Mareeba, this is the place to commence exploring the Tablelands' Wet Tropics. Meet the locals at the beautifully restored pub in the centre of Atherton, the "BV", or Barron Valley Hotel. Be sure to drop in to the Tablelands Visitor Information Centre in Atherton's Main Street for help with directions, maps, souvenirs and bookings, and don't miss a visit to Atherton's Chinatown with its unique temple (closed Mondays & Tuesdays) and watch local bird trainer Mark Culleton's Birds of Prey Show.
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Malanda
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Malanda is the centre of the Tablelands' dairy industry with a dairy factory and a museum - the Malanda Gourmet Food Factory. The Malanda Falls Visitor Information Centre has a good visual display of the volcanic nature of the region and is located next to the Malanda Falls. On the way out towards Millaa Millaa, be sure to allow time for some relaxing fishing, a game of aquagolf, and/or a great fish & chips meal at Tarzali Lakes ... look for the Big Fish.
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Yungaburra
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This little village prides itself on its historical buildings and is well known for its monthly markets. Unique on the Tablelands, it is also the home of the Tablelands Folk Festival, held annually in October.
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Herberton and Ravenshoe
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Explore the region's history and find out how the Tablelands developed since the first discovery of gold and tin in the region at the Mining and Visitor Information Centre It is well worth stopping for.
Visit Ravenshoe on a Sunday for a steam train ride in the afternoon - loads of fun for adults and children alike. Before you board the train, drop in to the Ravenshoe Visitor Centre for a great display of this region's natural attractions.
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