Roam Free with M&G

Imagine waking up to the cheerful chatter of tropical birds, the fresh breeze carrying the scent of saltwater, and the excitement of an adventure-packed day in one of Australia’s most stunning locations. Welcome to Cairns, where the reef kisses the rainforest and every moment is a delightful discovery.

Our trip started with a long road journey beginning in Brisbane, stopping in Mackay for a few days to visit family and then continuing up to Cairns – a total of 18hrs drive! That afternoon, we unpacked and settled into our new home away from home for the week ahead – Tree Tops Lodge. For a mouth-watering dinner we had Thai food from Siam Orchid Spicy Restaurant; not only was it a short walk down the hill from our accommodation but it’s also excellent place for a feed, with great variety and really lovely atmosphere.

Our first day in tropical paradise we spent the morning visiting the Cairns Botanical Gardens, it’s such a huge area to explore I could easily spend a whole day here walking through the different areas including: The Conservatory, Rainforest Gully, Rainforest Boardwalk, Fitzalan Garden, Chinese Friendship Garden and much more. There is also a cafe and visitors centre, so make sure you pick up a map when you arrive so you don’t miss anything. Come midday we popped back to our room for some lunch and to refresh before heading out again into the city for the evening.

On our drive into the city to park the car, we realised that there was an Iron Man event happening. As the city was crowded we headed straight to the night markets, where you’ll find shopping stalls and plenty of food options. Afterwards, we watched some of the iron men and women finish their last leg of their race, enjoyed some nice icecream while we walked along the esplanade, and watched the pelicans relax on the low tide shores as the sun started to set.

The following the day we drove 1.5hrs to visit the heritage-listed attraction Paronella Park! Built in the 1930s by Spanish immigrant José Paronella, this enchanting park features a majestic castle, lush tropical gardens, and North Queensland’s first hydroelectric plant. When you get your ticket you’ll also be given some fish and turtle food; when you reach the creek at the bottom of the staircase you will very quickly notice the large number of fish around the old picnic area. We loved wandering and admiring the park’s unique architecture, the beautiful scenery, and if you want to learn more about its rich history there are included guided tours.

After a lovely morning wandering through this amazing estate, we had lunch at the cafe and made our way to Mamu Tropical Skywalk in Wooroonoon Park. We walked along the rainforest track then onto the 40m long cantilever that is 20m high at the end, overlooking the treetops and valley below. As we continued walking along the 15m high skywalk, we spotted two Ulysses butterflies dancing in the tall trees and stood watching until they disappeared from our sight. At the end of the trail there is a 37m high observation tower which is the tallest rainforest tower in Far North Queensland. Once you reach the top you are treated to an amazing view over North Johnstone River Gorge. There are seats at the top so you can relax, take a moment to enjoy the view before making your way back down again.

We started our next day bright and early, navigating the winding Gillies Range Road through the Atherton Tablelands. After about 1.5 hours of driving, we reached our first destination: Millaa Millaa Falls, a highlight of the Waterfall Circuit, which also features Zillie Falls and Ellinjaa Falls. The sight of Millaa Millaa Falls did not disappoint. This stunning waterfall drops 18.3 metres into a pristine swimming hole, if you decide to take a dip. Witnessing this place firsthand, it’s easy to see why it’s such a popular spot for both locals and tourists. Second stop on the circuit is Zillie Falls, to get to the base of this fall you will travel down a dirt path that does get a little steep the closer you get to the falls but its easy navigate. If you want to get a better view, you may need to climb over a few rocks at the base. When we arrived there was only one other couple so it was lovely and quiet to relax and enjoy the sounds of the water. The final stop on this route is Ellinjaa Falls. This one was my favourite to photograph as it had multiple spots where the water fell from and the shallow pool at the bottom with the rocks gave it a bit more character. The circuit is well-signposted, making it easy to navigate. Each waterfall has parking facilities and picnic areas, so you can take your time exploring and enjoying the natural beauty of the region.

As we made our way back towards Cairns we stopped to visit Curtain Fig Tree. The Curtain Fig Tree is a remarkable natural wonder. This giant fig tree, is estimated to be over 500 years old, showcases a stunning curtain of aerial roots that cascade down from its branches. After walking along the boardwalk around the tree we enjoyed a nice packed lunch before heading on to our next stop, Lake Barrine and Tea House.

Unfortunately, the tea house was closed for the day due to roadworks, which had finished just before we arrived. But we still went for a walk around the short rainforest track which takes you past 2 giant Bull Kauris trees that are 45meters tall with a trunk girth of more then 6meters and are estimated to be over 1000yrs old. After leaving Lake Barrine we stopped at Peterson Creek Wildlife & Botanical Walking track. Most of the tracks were closed so we only spent a very short time here. It doesn’t seem like any maintenance is done here anymore and it’s now mostly private property and closed off. If you are in area then I wouldn’t recommend spending time here as there’s nothing really to see anymore.

We finished our day with a stop at The Cathedral Fig, a huge and stunning strangler fig located in Danbulla National Park, it’s estimated to be 500yrs old and the crown of the tree extends over 2000 square metres which is an area equivalent to two Olympic-sized swimming pools. There is a short 300 metre boardwalk around the tree which allows you to view the canopy and its root system.

The following day we visited Kuranda. Starting the day with taking the Skyrail which we pre-booked the first departure of the day, arrived 8.45am for a 9am departure. The views from the gondala where just amazing. The first stop is Red Peak, where there is a lovely short boardwalk with several lookout points offering stunning rainforest canopy views, perfect for photography lovers. We got back on the gondola for the next leg of the Skyrail journey – along this stretch we had views of the majestic Barron Falls and Gorge from above. The next stop is Barron Falls Lookout, we jumped out and walked along the platform, which gives you an amazing view of the gorge and you can hear the roar of the water as it falls over. After a short pit stop we got back on the Skyrail and made it to our final destination, Kuranda Terminal.

We disembarked and strolled to the town centre. Our first stop was the butterfly sanctuary, as we wanted to arrive before the tour groups. It’s the largest butterfly flight aviary and exhibit in Australia, home to over 1,200 tropical butterflies from a variety of species. I love butterflies, and taking photos of these flying beauties is just so fun. We enjoyed walking through the aviary, watching the butterflies fly around, and watching the kids faces light up when one of them would land on them.

After taking heaps of photos, we made our way towards the Original market and Heritage market. Both markets feature a wide range of stalls selling locally produced souvenirs, arts and crafts, jewellery, gemstones, clothing, and organic produce. For lunch we stopped at a very busy burger joint called Skippies, and had big juicy burgers. Once we had finished our food we walked down the streets, popping into the cute stores along the way, including the Kuranda fudge bar, Candy kitchen and Australian Bush Store.

As we had a timed ticket on the Kuranda Scenic Railway to get back to Cairns, we made our way towards the Kuranda Train Station. We hopped on the train and found our allocated seats. We were lucky that both of us got a window seat to enjoy the views outside as we made the journey back. The train is a vintage diesel locomotive that has been carefully restored. The carriages themselves are heritage-style and made from silky oak timber. For the trip you are given a guide which goes through every detail about the train, railway and carriages. There’s only one stop along the way, and it’s a quick 10min stop at Barron Falls on the other side of the falls from the skyrail lookout. During the train ride you go past Storey Creek Falls, where the train slows down enough that you can get up from your seat and get some quick photos of the falls. The train journey is about 2hrs long before you finally make it to Freshwater Station. This is where we got off and transferred back to our car at Skyrail parking.

After a couple busy days exploring the different parts of the rainforests of Cairns we had a bit more of a rest day by the ocean. Still a bit of an early start as we drove to Palm Cove for a nice morning walk along the beach, past the rows of palm trees and down the jetty. Being there early was great as there were only a handful of others on the beach. We didn’t go in for a dip but instead looked for a place for a late breakfast. We decided on Vivo, and it was a great choice. The food was delicious and the coffee hit the spot. I went with french toast with bacon and grilled caramelised pineapple, I would 100% recommend this spot for a good feed. For the afternoon we drove back to our room and got ready for our trip back home the next day.

We left early and made a detour on our trip home to stop at Wallaman Falls, it’s the highest permanent single drop waterfall in Australia. Wallaman Falls is part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. It was 4hr drive from our hotel and we arrived at around 8am, there was fog everywhere. We spent about 30mins at the lookout taking photos and enjoying the waterfall as we watched the fog lift from the valley.

As we drove down the winding road there are a few little lookouts you can pullover and enjoy the views. As we approached the bottom of the road, it led into a cattle paddock, there were plenty of other wildlife around as well, heaps of wallabies, cattle with calves and even saw a Jabiru in flight which was a highlight. The rest of the drive back to Mackay was steady and we stopped in Bowen for lunch by the beach.

This week in Cairns has been absolutely amazing! From relaxing on Palm Cove’s stunning beach to the rainforests of Kuranda, each day offered something new and exciting. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting the Waterfall Circuit, taking in the beauty of the giant fig trees, and indulging in the delightful local cuisine.

Have you been to Cairns? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below – we’d love to hear from you!