Tablelands, Outback & Chillagoe Caves - Day Tour

Your naturalist guide will meet you at your accommodation and after introductions all round, you will ascend the McAllister Ranges and head west to Mareeba, embarkin on a remarkable journey back to prehistoric times, when dinosaurs ruled the earth.

Travelling along the agricultural paddocks of the area crossing over the Great Divide and into the Western watershed (please note the operator may take an alternate route from the wetlands if wet weather renders the road impassible).

Travel through historical towns and rolling hills rich in mineral eventually giving way to towering limestone karsts which are scattered around the Chillagoe area. Here your guide will delve into the history of the copper smelters whose old chimneys dominate the western horizon. You will certainly get to stop at the remains of the once mighty smelters to ponder what it was like working in such a harsh and inhospitable outback environment.

Enjoy a wonderful lunch at an Outback Pub including a choice of fish, chips & salad or homemade hamburger and chips before setting off to have a look at the historical town centre and surrounds en-route to enjoy a National Parks guided tour of the Chillagoe Caves!

The fossilized remains of the ancient coral reefs with hidden limestone labyrinths give a portal to a lost world just like our own Great Barrier Reef. Millions of years in the making, the limestone formations are nothing short of spectacular.

After touring the caves it’s time to head back towards the east coast, stopping at Granite Gorge, a local place of great natural beauty, nestled in dry eucalypt forest! Here you can enjoy a walk along bush trails into the gorge with large, granite boulders formed from volcanic eruptions forming imposing shapes that straddle the landscape in all directions. Wildlife abounds here! There's fantastic opportunity to see abundant bird life, possums, echidnas, quolls, gliders and Mareeba Rock Wallabies all call this area home. The Wallabies are friendly and you can pat and hand feed them, so there are some great photo opportunities to be had!  Afternoon tea consists of fresh Tropical Fruits prepared by your guide.

All too soon it’s time to say goodbye as you make your way back down the range arriving back in Cairns to be dropped off at accommodation by approximately 6.30pm.

Note: This operator prides itself on providing informative tours and has no set timetable as such, so you’ll have ample time for photographs and to enjoy the areas visited along the way. Questions from passengers are encouraged and you’ll find that the group sizes are small and personal with a maximum of 16 passengers. All Four Wheel Drive touring vehicles are fully air-conditioned and are custom built with forward facing seats and seatbelts for a safe, spacious and comfortable touring experience.

• Naturalist Eco Accredited driver guide
• Courtesy transfers from Cairns & Cairns Northern Beaches accommodation
• Air-conditioned custom built 4 Wheel Drive Safari style vehicle
• A delicious Morning tea
• A delicious lunch at an authentic Outback Pub
• National Park Ranger guided tour of Chillagoe Caves
• Chillagoe Smelters & Guided Tour 
• Granite Gorge for wildlife spotting and guided walk 
• An ultimate Bush & Outback experience

Rates - Valid 01 April 2022 to 31 March 2024 - From Cairns & Cairns Northern Beaches Accommodation 

• Adult AU$195.00
• Child (4 - 16 years of age) AU$125.00
• Family Package (2 Adults & 2 Children 4 - 16 years of age) AU$600.00 

Please Note: Infants aged under 4 years of age travel Free Of Charge 

Important Booking Notes: This tour operarates on the Tuesday & Friday each week. Addtional departure dates may be avaible for group bookings, on request. 

This operator offers a small group 4WD Tour with limited spaces. The operator's Child ages are specified as 4 to 16 years inclusive.

All infants & children are allocated a seat in the vehicle with the operator providing appropriate infant or child age capsules or booster seats for children aged under 7 years of age. If possible please use the Booking Form's Comments Box to specify each infant or child participant's age so that we can ensure that adequate and safe seating can be organised prior to departure.

Casual clothing, walking shoes, swimwear, towel, hat, water bottle & sunscreen.