Cute n’ Fluffy Animals on the Atherton Tablelands

Platypus

The Duck.Billed Platypus is such an unbelievable and at the sam time cute sight – and Yungaburra on the Atherton Tablelands is one of the best places to spot one. Platypus are mostly nocturnal, so time your visit for dusk or dawn.

Mareeba Rock Wallaby

Another cutie is the Mareeba Rock Wallaby. This rare and endangered species are unique to – you’ve guessed it – the area of Mareeba Shire. If you want to get up close and personal with these inquisitive fluff balls in their natural habitat, head to Granite Gorge.

The local wallabies there are wild, but they have become so accustomed to people that you can even feed them by hand – with wallaby friendly food which is available at the entrance of Granite Gorge Nature Park. 

Northern Bettong

Endemic to Australia this marsupial or rat kangaroo is found particularly in North Queensland in the Wet Tropics rainforest, and mostly spotted in the Lamb Range on the Atherton Tablelands. You’ll be super lucky if you do see one – there are only 1,150-2,500 individuals left. Best times to go look for them is at night time. Northern Bettongs are mostly active at night when they emerge to forage for their beloved truffles.

Lumholtz Tree Kangaroo

The smallest of the tree kangaroo species, but one of the largest of the arboreal mammals in Australia spends most of its life in the canopy of the Australian rainforest. For high rise living, Tree Kangaroos must be agile and nimble, therefore they have regained the ability to walk and can move their hind legs independently. They can be spotted in several areas on the Atherton Tablelands, with your best chance usually being the trees around Nerada Tea Plantation near Malanda.

Spectacled Flying Fox

Have you ever looked a flying-fox in the eye?  This fruit-eating tree-dweller is considered endangered, and it is only found in the rainforests of coastal Northern Australia and New Guinea.

Tolga Bat hospital here on the Atherton Tablelands is working for the conservation of bats and their habitat through rescue and landcare work, advocacy, education and research. Find out details  and book your visit here: https://tolgabathospital.org/