Routes to the Tablelands

There are many routes into our region.

Northern Region

From Port Douglas And Daintree, take the Rex Range Road

Take the Rex Range just south of Mossman and 12 kilometres north of Port Douglas. This is a lovely drive through sugar cane farmland before climbing the Rex Range to Julatten and Mt Molloy. It is about 75 kilometres to Mareeba.

From Smithfield, north of Cairns, take the Kuranda Range

This is a good option if you are visiting the Tablelands from one of the beach suburbs, and has breathtaking rainforest views. Take the Kuranda Range, near the Smithfield Shopping Centre. As the road climbs and gently winds through the rainforest, you may catch glimpses of the Skyrail Cable Cars making their way down the range above you. Once over the Barron River Bridge, the village of Kuranda is on the left at the traffic lights.

Central Region:

From South of Cairns via Gordonvale, take the Gillies Highway

Drive approx 35km south from Cairns, turning right at the traffic lights at Gordonvale. You will start your gradual climb up the Gillies Range. Stop at Heales Lookout along the way, you can see over the deep valleys, all the way to the coastline. When you reach the top of the range, the temperature cools, the forest turns a lush green the rolling green hills of the Atherton Tablelands stretch out before you. The first village your come to is Yungaburra.

Southern Region:

From Innisfail, take the Palmerston Highway

Just north of Innisfail, tale the Palmerston Highway. It is a very pretty and easy drive. You will travel through the Wet Tropics rainforests of Johnstone River Valley to Millaa Millaa, with waterfalls, picnic areas and spectacular lookouts along the way.

Outback Region:

From The Outback And The Matilda Highway Via The Kennedy Highway From the west the Gulf Development Road joins the Kennedy Highway near Mt Surprise, while to the south-west ready access is available from Hughenden and Charters Towers, bringing the visitor into the Tablelands through Mt Garnet and Ravenshoe.