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Itinerary
Many of our guests have commented that they were not aware that there was so much to “see & do”, so we have put an itinerary together to help you enjoy all that this wonderful region has to offer …
Day 1:
Settle into your chosen accommodation. If there is anything we can do to make your stay even more enjoyable, please … just ask!
Need to do some shopping …
IGA is 1.5km away in the Silo Shopping Centre & open from 7am – 8pm daily and stocks a variety of fresh Tableland produce. (Coming from the Park, turn left at the roundabout beside Tourist Information).
Woolworths is just 2km away in Cook Street, open every week day until 9pm, Saturdays until 5pm and 9am - 6pm on Sundays. In the Woolworths complex you will also find Country Target, a chemist, butcher, jeweller, newsagent, Subway & Gloria Jeans.
Atherton boasts a variety of shops including The Coffee Club, Brumby’s Bakery, BIGW and other specialty stores including hairdressers, hardware stores, several beauticians, clothing shops & bakeries. Feel like a delicious coffee? … Gallery 5 is just at the end of Herberton Road on the left hand side by Tourist Information with healthy and not so healthy treats for you to enjoy. Gallery 5 also stocks a variety of local art work and interesting nic nacs.
(Being a regional town, not all shops are open on Sundays. You will find shops such as Brumby’s, the newsagents & Gloria Jeans are open at various times).
Please ask at Reception if we can assist further with your shopping needs.
A trip to the shops in Atherton would not be complete without a visit to Fascinating Facets & the Crystal Caves (A discount voucher for entry is available at Reception).
With the shopping done … still time to spare …
Why not take a stroll to Atherton Chinatown just 500m away and enjoy a piece of Atherton’s history. Chinatown is open from Wednesday to Sunday inclusive. www.houwang.org.au
Hallorans Hill Lookout is a must for a total view of the Tablelands. Rest for a few minutes, enjoy the peace, the fresh air and the vast range of colours … on a clear day you will see the Seven Sisters.
Don’t forget, just on dusk … Platypus Park is just 500m away beside the Chinese Temple. There is small platypus in the pond which are seen regularly by many of our guests. Platypus Park hosts the Atherton Markets on the 1st Saturday of the month.
You might like to pick up a copy of the Tropical Atherton Tableland Map and a Discover Magazine from Reception.
Day 2: Why not visit the beautiful Waterfalls? ….Drive out to Milla Milla via Malanda. Stop off at the Malanda Dairy Centre for a tour and make sure you spend time in the faboulous coffee shop attached to it.
Other areas of interest in this general vicinity include the Nerada Tea Plantation, Mungalli Creek Dairy (just delicious), the Mt. Hypipamee National Park, Crater and Dinner Falls.
Day 3: Enjoy the gorgeous village of Yungaburra, its various art galleries, nic nac shops and craft centres. Take the time to enjoy the Curtain Fig Tree and the Cathedral Fig Tree. Nick’s Swiss Restaurant is also a local favorite. Also in this area you will find the Gallo Cheese & Chocolate Farm www.gallodairyland.com.au. Viewing, tastings and a coffee shop are available. (A discount voucher for Gallo's Cheese is available at Reception). The very popular Yungaburra Markets are held on the 4th Saturday of every month.
You are also very close to the Lakes area - Lake Eacham & Lake Barrine. Why not take a cruise on Lake Barrine? … The teahouse at Lake Barrine is very well known for its homemade scones, cream and jam!
Day 4: How about heading north a little way and stopping off at the Tolga Woodworks? ... Not only will you admire the craftsmanship of the various pieces the Tolga Woodworks also has a very nice café. Markets are held at the Tolga Racecourse on the 1st Sunday of the month.
Whilst in Tolga you could take the Lake Tinaroo turnoff and head out to the Tinaroo Dam. It is an enjoyable drive and the road will bring you to an open air information centre about the dam.
Day 5: Today could be coffee & wine tasting day …
Please come and see us at Reception. There are a number of coffee plantations and wineries in the area, all offering various discounts for tours and tastings all in the general area of Mareeba. The Mareeba Markets are held every 2nd Saturday at the Mareeba Cultural Centre.
OR
Take a short drive to Herberton and visit the Historic Herberton Village. The “town” has just been lovingly restored to its former glory. Show the kids or maybe reminisce yourself, in the School house, step back in time in the grocery store than head to the blacksmiths. Buildings date back to 1870 with a great assembly of original displays, machinery and vehicles www.herbertonvisitorcentre.com.au. Whilst in Herberton don’t forget the Mining Centre. Please see Reception for the Great Nature Walking Trails brochure if you love to bushwalk. Some people travel on to Ravenshoe from here to see the Wind Farm.
Day 6: Today, why not visit the Cairns Wildlife Safari Reserve or Blazing Saddles Horse riding ATV’s for a bush adventure on horseback or quad bike? (Small quad bikes are available for ladies and children over 12).
OR
Visit the Kuranda Markets which is just a 50 minute drive from Atherton. We would be very happy to make your Kuranda Train and Sky rail bookings for you.
Day 7: If you just feel like having a relaxing day in the Park before you head off on your next adventure, our pool & cabana area is very relaxing (even in winter) and a great place to access the free wireless internet, so you can catch up on your emails to all your family and friends or write your postcards.
For the bird lovers, our award winning gardens will delight. Please make sure you see Reception for a copy of the bird and butterfly list. This lists all the species that have been found in our Park, and you are more than welcome to add to our collection. Hastie’s Swamp, also popular for bird lovers, is just a 2km drive away. For those who love to bushwalk, there is a short bushwalk from the Park to the top of “Merry Widow” with stunning views of the Atherton Township and region.
NEW IN 2011: Close-Up Birding Adventures with David "Chook" Crawford. Please visit Chooks website on www.closeupbirding.com.au David has a range of tours and adventures to choose from and he is very happy to pick guests up from our Park.
NEW IN 2012: Balloon Hot Air is happy to offer our guests a discount of $20.00 per couple for those wishing to take a scenic hot air balloon flight over Mareeba. See our "specials" page. You can visit Balloon Hot Air at http://www.hotair.com.au
OTHER AREAS OF INTEREST …
What you see above are the major destinations from the Tropical Atherton Tableland Map and there are many points of interest along the way. The staff at the Atherton Visitor Information Centre (cnr of Herberton Road & Main Street) have a wealth of knowledge and are extremely helpful. They would be very happy to assist you if you have particular interests of your own. You might also like to visit the Cairns Outback website http://www.cairnsoutback.com.au You will find some very interesting information and a copy of the Wheelbarrow Way Directory showing you some wonderful places and things to do in our Outback region.
As our region is very much self-drive, for any hire car or camper van requirements, we recommend DriveAway Holidays. A multi-award winning car hire wholesaler offering great rates on worldwide car rental, Peugeot Leasing, Motorhome rental, GPS rental and more. You can visit their website: http://www.driveaway.com.au You might also like to visit Auto Europe for your car needs. Auto Europe offers car rental services in over 130 countries and over 8000 locations worldwide. You can visit their website: www.autoeurope.com.au
