Food, wildlife and trails from the heart of the Atherton Tablelands
From its beginnings as a timber-getters’ camp and staging post between the outback tin mines and the coast, Atherton has blossomed like its trademark Jacaranda trees into a diverse regional centre. Well known to the locals as a highland getaway destination, Atherton is also famous for its rich soils, which grow superb produce and flowers.
Atherton has become a popular mountain biking destination with the growth of the Atherton Forest Mountain Bike Park, a network of purpose-built, single-track mountain bike trails in the Herberton Range State Forest, with easy access from Atherton’s CBD.
Browse through the town’s quaint shops like Atherton Antiques & Australiana and enjoy a picnic at Halloran’s Hill with a view of the Seven Sisters volcanic cones. Hasties Swamp (Nyleta Wetlands) is a seasonal wetland with an annual wet and dry cycle. The two-storey bird hide provides wheelchair access on the lower level.
Take time to get to know the inhabitants at The Bat Hospital on the road to Herberton. Here, you can see flying foxes and microbats at the visitor centre and learn more about their conservation. The not-for-profit facility is dedicated to the conservation of bats and their habitat.
