Tropical Tastes (food & wine trail)
(this is a full day drive starting at approx 9.30am, returning at approx 5.30pm)
The Walkamin/Mareeba section of the Tablelands is classed as the Food & Wine Trail area. There are a variety of wineries, distilleries and coffee plantations to choose from, as well as plenty of choices to stop for lunch along the way. This trip originates from Atherton, and normally takes a whole day, starting at 9 – 9.30am and returning to Atherton at approx 5 – 5.30pm, so it’s best to come into the Atherton Tableland Information Centre either the afternoon before or the morning of your trip.
Travelling north out of Atherton towards Mareeba, you’ll come to a town called Walkamin. A little further along after the speed limit drops from 100 to 80, turn left into Hansen Road, then right into Chewko Road. This is where you’ll find the Mt Uncle Distillery (famous for their banana & coffee liqueurs), which make a variety of liqueurs for a sample and sale. Please note that this is not a winery. You can also sample and purchase some of the large variety of flavoured macadamia nuts grown locally. There is a small fee for sampling but you can collect a ‘One pay, one free’ voucher from the Atherton Tableland Information Centre.
From Mt Uncle head back down to Chewko Road but take a right into Hansen road, which then turns into Channel Road. Follow Channel Road until you come to the Mareeba and Dimbulah Highway (‘T’ intersection) and then turn right and drive until you reach NQ Gold Coffee Plantation. This is a coffee plantation that has been in the Maloberti family for generations and is still owned and operated by the infamous ‘Bruno’. Here you will take part in a tour where you’ll learn everything from how the coffee grows as a ‘cherry’ to how it ends up in your cup. The coffee is still harvested and dried in the traditional family way. Ground coffee and chocolate covered coffee beans are available for purchase.
After leaving NQ Gold, continue on the road back to Mareeba and when you reach the intersection, turn left and drive about 15 minutes until you come to Bilwon Road at Biboohra. Follow the signs until you reach the Golden Drop Mango Winery where you can take part in tasting their variety of mango wines and liqueurs. You can learn about their harvesting methods and also how the wines, liqueurs and champagnes are made. Wines, liqueurs, champagne, dried mango and frozen mangoes are for sale and there is a small fee for sampling the wines etc.
Travel back towards and through Mareeba, where you can take part in the sampling of coffee and guided tour through Coffee Works. (see Option 1) Tours are only available at 10am, 12 noon and 2pm daily. (10% discount voucher available from Atherton Tableland Information Centre) A coffee shop is located here where you can enjoy a smoko break or early lunch. Please note that Coffee Works is not a plantation.
Continue through town and turn left onto the Kennedy Highway as if you are heading to Kuranda, and just after you cross the bridge, you’ll notice a large shed on the right hand side. Turn right here and follow the signs to the Boutique Winery. This will bring you to de Brueys Winery where they make a huge variety of fruit wines, including lychee, wild cherry and many others.
Back out on the highway, turn right, travel approx 11km and then turn left at the sign for Jaques Coffee Plantation onto Gilmore Road. The drive from this turnoff is roughly 12 minutes but is well worth the trip. Here you can watch a movie in their air conditioned theatre, do a tour of the plantation on the ‘Bean Machine’, sample the coffee and relax a while. If you are up to it, they also offer micro-lite flights over the plantation for a fee. Liqueur is on offer for sampling for a small fee but make sure you collect a ‘free tasting’ voucher from the Atherton Tableland Information Centre.
Turn left back onto the Kennedy Highway to the Tichum Creek Coffee Farm and Coffee Shop. This is the ideal place to finish your day, enjoy a hot or cold drink and a piece of their famous ‘Opera Slice’. Get your voucher for a free tasting from the Atherton Tableland Information Centre.
If you have booked your tour early in the morning, then Wondaree Macadamias (see option 2) in Tolga will be your last stop and they can take you on a personal tour of the plantation and work area. You will need to phone ahead in the morning before setting off on your sampling tour, to make an appointment.
Option 1: Coffee Works: 4092 4101 - $9.90 per person for guided tasting tours, including sampling 21 different coffees, 2 different teas and 9 different chocolates.
Option 2: Wondaree Macadamia Nut Farm: 4095 4597 – normally $4 per person for tours.
The Mungalli Cheese Dairy is considered to be part of the Food & Wine Trail but is actually located at the other end of the Tablelands and is best visited while doing the ‘Back to Nature’ itinerary.
THINGS YOU WILL NEED
Discount or free tasting vouchers for the relevant attractions from the Atherton Tableland Information Centre - as they are not available at the attractions. Bottled water for in between tastings.
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