Tropical North Queensland
Enjoy the dive of a lifetime on the Great Barrier Reef, a structure so large, at 1,429 miles (2,300 kilometers) long, it can be seen from outer space. Agincourt Reef just offshore from Port Douglas is a great place to start, with 16 dive sites and underwater caves to explore. Boats to the Great Barrier Reef leave from Cairns, Port Douglas, Cape Tribulation and Mission Beach. Spend a day diving or snorkeling among barracudas, colorful reef fish, turtles and sharks. Enjoy glass bottom viewing in comfort on the Reefworld pontoon.
See Australian wildlife from koalas and crocodiles to butterflies at the many sanctuaries around Cairns, Tropical North Queensland’s largest city. Hartley's Crocodile Adventure, the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, Birdworld Kuranda and Cairns ZOOM & Wildlife Dome are some of the places where you can interact with the unique flora and fauna in this part of the world. While in Cairns, beat the heat at the Esplanade Pool or the Sugarworld Waterpark. From Cairns, take a tour with an indigenous guide to the ancient rock art sites in Hope Vale and Laura River in the Cape York Peninsular.
To the west is the Gulf of Savannah region, a mixed landscape of outback woods, rivers, wetlands and historic gold-mining towns between the Great Dividing Range and the Northern Territory. Tour underground lava tubes at Undara and discover gold-mining history at Golden Gate Mining and Town Complex near Croyden. Fish for barramundi in the wetlands and river near Karumba.
South and inland of the gulf are the rainforest towns of the Atherton Tablelands. Here you can experience 1,500 free-flying butterflies in rainforest habitats at the Butterfly Sanctuary Kuranda. Enjoy the area’s many scenic waterfalls and barramundi-filled lakes popular with fishermen.
Many Chinese people came to the Atherton Tablelands to work in the gold-mining camps of Tropical North Queensland. Immerse yourself in their history and material culture at the Atherton Chinatown Museum and Temple.
Tropical North Queensland’s diverse and beautiful landscapes are the perfect place to enjoy Queensland’s sunshine. Autumn and spring are the best times to visit to avoid the rainy summer season.