Unearth amazing moments in the Mareeba Shire
The SPECTACULAR secret drive from the REEF to the OUTBACK.
THERE’S A LOT to take in during a road trip from Cairns to Port Douglas via the outback. The route, which takes about two and a half hours one way, includes granite rock formations and caves, Aboriginal rock art, cascading waterfalls, farm-to-fork dining and an abundance of wildlife. Hit the Kennedy Highway and discover the Mareeba Shire from the reef to the outback.
FROM CAIRNS TO CHILLAGOE
is a hub for creative types, just 20 KURANDA minutes from Cairns. Stop at the stunning FALLS, walk along trails surrounded BARRON by World Heritage-listed rainforest and visit the famed markets. Wildlife parks, Indigenous cultural centres and a vibrant live music scene are also on offer for village visitors. Stop 20 minutes out of Kuranda at DAVIES or FALLS, taking CREEK EMERALD CREEK a dip in placid pools punctuated by distinctive granite boulders. Drive 10 minutes more to the MAREEBA HERITAGE MUSEUM & VISITOR’S to discover the local history before CENTRE visiting farms and paddock-to-plate eateries. It’s about a 90-minute drive from Mareeba to and the CHILLAGOE CHILLAGOE-MUNGANA CAVES, said to be 400 million years old. Here you can see Aboriginal rock art, ‘chandelier’ formations and ancient marine fossils. Stay overnight in a cabin or caravan park and enjoy country hospitality at the local pubs or cafes. FROM CHILLAGOE BACK TO MAREEBA The road from Chillagoe is a dramatic landscape along so-called WHEELBARROW WAY, named for the miners of the late 1800s who piled their belongings in barrows while looking to make their fortunes. Set off early when the light is most dramatic, as the 140-kilometre route veers from savannahs to cattle country and verdant farmlands. FROM MAREEBA TO PORT DOUGLAS From to JULATTEN, birders will MT MOLLOY have a field day as they try to spot rare species such as spectacled monarchs, pale-yellow robins and the great bowerbird. Stop at the lookouts on the where you’ll feel REX RANGE, like you can touch the sky while looking out over crayon-green rainforest tumbling down to the Coral Sea. The final 30-minute leg to Port Douglas is every bit as spectacular. Insider tip: Take a trip from Chillagoe to MT (4WD only), a sacred site for the MULLIGAN Djungan people, or head to IRVINEBANK, which has a rich mining past and architecture from the 1800s. and LOUDOUN HOUSE MUSEUM house an extensive collection BRIAN’S SHED of mining relics and are worth a detour.