bird watching tours cairns

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Birding tours.

Great Northern Birdwatching Tours

adventure awaits

Birdwatching tours.

Our scheduled tour options are available below or contact us for a private charter.

Cairns Birdwatching

1/2 to multi-day tours

10 day tours

Queensland's Channel Country

S.w.western australia.

7 day tours

Iron Range 'Green Season'

6 day tours

Boodjamulla & Gulf Country

South australia - northern specials.

8 day tours

Stunning diverse bio-systems, from World Heritage listed rainforests, remote beaches, to open savannahs and ancient escarpment country, all areas rich in their own unique birding opportunities.

Wedge-tailed Eagle

an adventure awaits

Why choose us.

• Professional & experienced  birdwatching guide
• Specialising in endemic, rare targets as well as requests.
• Incredible photographer opportunities.
• New luxury vehicle
• Very private, small groups only (# 3 guests from 2024)
• Ethical birding standards a practiced priority.
• Spare binoculars and spotting scope on all tours.
• All accreditations, licenses and required tour permits
• Enthusiastic passion/discussion and search for all wildlife, plantlife and differing eco-systems on our tours.

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What people are saying?

  Birdwatching in the Gulf Country

Wide Plains, open blue skies, meandering rivers which cut through the broad landscape, this is the Gulf of Carpentaria. In the midst, there are birds to be discovered and enjoyed-Honeyeaters,Finches, Raptors, flocks of beautiful Parrots, not to mention the shy and mysterious birds of the spinifex-clad hills. David Mead was able to navigate us through this vast country in a safe and friendly manner. With his great ‘ear and eye’ for birds he was able to find those rarer ones. A trip around the Gulf is a fabulous experience- a unique part of Australia and a must for every birdwatcher’s wish list.

Elizabeth & John (Melbourne)

“We recently joined the 7-day Iron Range tour with Great Northern Tours and were immensely satisfied with the whole experience. With just four participants, in a great vehicle for the terrain and climate, it was a very comfortable and enjoyable adventure. David not only knows the birds extremely well, he loves the landscape and ecosystems of Cape York, where he has lived and worked for many years.”

“What a wonderful experience doing a tour with David. Booking was very easy with David regularly updating us on the current travel conditions etc. We did a wet season trip to Iron Range and saw & photographed all the endemic birds up there, thanks to David’s knowledge of the area. Well done David “

Doug & Gail (Texas USA) 2018

David is personable, funny and a joy to travel with. We just went on two extended tours in North Queensland with him. The first to the Iron Range area for 10 days and the second into the Atherton Tablelands. We saw so many birds, reptiles and mammals, we couldn’t list them all. We had dreamed of an Australian birding trip for decades and David far exceeded our dreams. Thanks David and Janet for memories of a lifetime.

There is no substitute for an excellent guide when birding. My wife and I spent 3 days with David, mostly birding the Cooktown area. We found David’s ability to find local birds and identify calls is astonishing and no doubt reflected excellent local knowledge and a deep understanding of bird behaviours. He is great company on the road- excellent driver and our tour was way up there with the best we have done.

Western Queensland

This was our second trip with David and it again exceeded our expectations. David is a wonderful bird guide and we enjoy travelling with him. The small group size (4) is great for birding. This gives David’s tours the edge over his competitors. He knows the spots to go and has a wonderful knowledge of the target birds.Looking forwards to another trip next year.

I had a fantastic time chasing birds around the Aterton Tablelands with David. Both his birding and local knowledge is second to none, I can highly recommend Great Northern Bird Tours if you’re looking to see a large number of, particularly endemics during your stay in the wet tropics.  David’s vehicle was clean and comfortable and he was able to adapt to requests and adverse weather conditions. I’ll be back!

Peter- 'Gulf Country'

     Peter-‘Gulf Country’   

The Gulf’s open plains, savannah woodlands, rivers and billabongs are stunning and make birding much easier than the closed rainforests of the Cape.Birds are often  in large flocks and there is huge variety. Over our 10 days with David we saw over 190 species, including 14 Raptors, 22 Honeyeaters and an amazing 11 Finch species.  Fantastic birding, amazing scenery and David’s guiding is as good as it gets. Wonderful. 5 stars!

Also STOP BIRDS DROWNING TROUGH SENTINEL SYSTEM

And Del's book www.mycountrylifethebook.com

• Address: P.O Box 597, Malanda, Queensland, Australia, 4885
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone Number: +61 7 4096 8063

Cairn Half Day Birdwatching Tour

Cairns and its immediate hinterland offers a number of great birding sites. Whilst the most famous is undoubtedly the Esplanade with its flocks of  Shorebirds  on the mudflats, mangrove species at the northern end plus  Parrots  and  Honeyeaters  amongst the species found in the trees of the adjacent park, there are a number of other sites also worth visiting both within the city and in the surrounding suburbs. 

Cairns Birding Hotspots

Cairns esplanade.

A good variety of  Shorebirds  such as Red Knot, Pelicans, Sanderling, Dotterels and Eastern Curlews can be seen when the tide is right. During the summer months, between October and May the number and variety of shorebirds is augmented by northern hemisphere birds coming down to escape the Siberian winter.  In the Esplanade gardens  Rainbow Lorikeet , Double-eyed Fig-Parrot , Sacred Kingfisher  and a variety of  Honeyeaters  are common. Along the edge of the mangroves at the northern end of the Esplanade  Mangrove Robin  and  Torresian Kingfisher  are regularly seen.

Centenary Lakes

Found in the northern end of Cairns not far from the Botanic Gardens, a wide variety of habitats can be found here. There are mangroves along the creeks, small pockets of rainforest trees, fresh water and saltwater lakes.  Little Kingfisher, Crakes  and  Bitterns   are often seen along the creeks. Some very interesting ducks including Magpie Geese, Spotted Whistling Duck  and  Radjah Shelduck can be found here.

While the resident birds can always be seen others, such as Black Bitterns are seasonal. Not all birds here are waterbirds, Lovely Fairywrens can be found in the thickets while Rufous Owl and Papuan Frogmouth are regular visitors.

Yorkeys Knob

Crimson Finch can often be seen in the cane fields on the approach to Yorkey’s Knob. Near the golf course there is a small pond with swamp vegetation. It is a good place to see  Honeyeater . Nankeen Night Heron  and breeding  Australian Darters  can often be seen in the trees overhanging the water while  Bush Stone Curlew  often stand around on the nearby fairways. The undeveloped land nearby often has some interesting species.

Cattana Wetlands

An area of shallow ponds and reed beds with surrounding scrub near Yorkeys Knob just to the north of Cairns. It is a pleasant area with a good network of paths winding through regenerated bushland and around a series of artificial ponds. It is good for  White-browed Crakes , Cotton and Green Pygmy Geese , Magpie Goose  and other  Waterbirds . There are hides around the ponds. Sometimes there are Saltwater Crocodiles in the ponds.

• *Children travelling with 2 adults are welcome at a reduced price with children under 3 free and 3-15 at only $10.00 each (up to 4 children).
• **However, we regret we cannot take children under 145cm unless you have your own car seats or booster seats for them due to health and safety requirements.
• Pick up is usually around 0700 or 1300 and drop off at 1200 or 1800 however this can be discussed at time of booking. It is best to make sure of the tide times before decisions are made.

Tour Includes:

• Tour Guide Fees
• Transport in a comfortable tour 4WD air-conditioned vehicle
• Permits & entrance fees
• Accommodation pick up and drop off

Does not include:

• + Items of a personal nature including drinks and snacks

We Recommend you bring:

• Comfortable covered walking shoes – while there are no major hikes during this tour there will be some walking on potentially rough paths
• Lightweight long-sleeved shirt and long trousers- some plants can be rather scratchy
• Lightweight raingear
• Insect repellent
• Camera and binoculars

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Wild Watch Australia

Bird Watching, Wildlife and Photography Tours

Bird watching, tour options, bird watching, wildlife & photography tours….., with experienced, professional naturalist, jonathan munro. leading tours since 1987..

Excursions tailored to your interests, from one day to any duration, fully-accommodated and all-inclusive or with guiding only. Cairns and Misty Mountains-based. Over 3500 excursions since 1987.

Wild Watch Australia offers tour in the Cairns, Cape York and Gulf Savannah regions of Tropical North Queensland and also group tours to most other notable regions around Australia.

Clients include private individuals such as Audubon Societies , Sierra Club, bird clubs, zoo groups, university and alumni groups and film crews.

Read my Blog

Tours in Tropical North Queensland, Cape York & the Western Gulf Savannah.

Wild Watch offers the visitor an unparalleled opportunity to observe some of Tropical North Queensland’s unique wildlife in a diversity of habitats spanning elevations from coral cays within the Great Barrier Reef to highland tropical rainforest at over 1000 metres elevation. This exceptional diversity of environments encompasses lowland, foothills, upland and highland rainforests, tall wet sclerophyll forest, dry sclerophyll forest, savannah, extensive wetlands, arable lands, mangroves, mudflats, inter-tidal zone and coral cays.

Of particular interest are the World Heritage listed rainforests which are considered to be one of the most ecologically rich and evolutionary significant sites in the world.

Fifty-four vertebrate species are unique to the region, including five endemic possums and two species of tree kangaroos. The charismatic platypus is found throughout most of the region’s freshwater wetlands.

These restricted forests support a unique assemblage of flora and fauna, and contain the highest amounts of biological diversity and endemism within Australia.

Tropical Bird Watching

The Tropical North Queensland region is internationally recognized as a major destination for birdwatchers from around the world.

Over half of Australia’s bird species have been recorded from the eleven distinct habitats which occur from the Great Barrier Reef to the Highland Tropical Rainforests, and all within a 150 kilometre radius of Cairns! Twelve species are locally endemic to the region, mostly occurring in the highland rainforests of the Atherton and Evelyn Tablelands region and all are regularly recorded at Warrigal, our private highland rainforest preserve.

A 4-5 days fully accommodated/all-inclusive tour visiting a diversity of habitats at different elevations, usually averages about 200+ species; a single day 100+ species (full species list available).

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Nocturnal Wildlife Spotlighting Tours

These popular tours are conducted in a number of different habitats but primarily at Warrigal, our private highland rainforest preserve. Situated at 1000+ metres elevation in the Misty Mountains, south-west of Cairns, the preserve adjoins Tully Falls National Park and a State Forest fauna sanctuary within the largest single tract of tropical rainforest remaining in Australia.

Warrigal has been used as a scientific research/study site for arboreal mammals and is now recognized as having one of the largest concentrations of rare rainforest ringtail possums in Australia. With favourable weather conditions it is not unusual to observe thirty to forty animals or more in a 1.5 to 2 hours walk during an evening ‘spotlighting’ tour!

Species frequently seen while spotlighting include Lumholtz’s Tree-kangaroo, Lemuroid (including the rare pale morph), Herbert River, Green and Common Ringtail Possums, Coppery Brushtail, Striped and Long-tailed Pygmy Possums, Rufous, Masked, Red Boobook and Lesser Sooty Owls, Chameleon and Northern Leaf-tailed Geckos, Pink-tongued Lizards, Swamp Wallabies, Red-legged Pademelons, Long-nosed and Northern Brown Bandicoots and many other species.

Platypus Tour

Platypus are mainly nocturnal and crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) but can occasionally be observed during daylight hours. They are particularly active during winter and early spring when females feed frequently to build up fat reserves in preparation for breeding and egg laying.

Sensitive to sudden noise, vibrations and movements, this secretive animal usually disappears at the first sight or sound of disturbance. On our excursions, we regularly have excellent views of this shy and elusive animal and have often observed interesting interactions between individuals and with other species.

Sunset Kangaroo Tour

Of the forty-nine species of kangaroos that can be found throughout Australia, seventeen occur in the Tropical North Queensland region. Of these, 10 species are relatively common and can be observed on our early morning and afternoon/evening tours. They include Eastern Grey Kangaroos, the red form of Common Wallaroo, Whiptail, Agile and Northern Swamp Wallabies, Mareeba Rock-wallaby and Rufous Bettong.

These species show a habitat preference for open eucalypt woodland and/or rocky outcrops. The rainforest species include Lumholtz’s Tree-kangaroo, Red-legged Pademelon and the primitive Musky Rat-kangaroo which exhibits characteristics of ancestral kangaroos and possums. They range in size from about 500 grams to more than 60 kg.

Wetlands and Waterbirds Tour

We offer the visitor the opportunity to explore a number of different wetland habitats around the North Queensland’s Cairns, Southern Tablelands and Gulf Savannah regions

These diverse tropical wetlands include ephemeral nymphae lagoons, billabongs, paperbark and feather palm swamps, flood plains, deep, permanent, artificial lagoons or tanks, crater lakes or maars, mangroves, mudflats and inter-tidal zone. The ephemeral wetlands often provide excellent viewing of flocks of waterbirds such as Black Swans, Whistling Ducks, Magpie Geese, Brolgas and Sarus Cranes, Black-necked Storks, Spoonbills, Herons, Ibis, Darters and Cormorants.

  Click here for more information

Iron Range Bird Watching

Tropical parrot tour.

This popular tour specializes in observing psittacines in their natural habitats. Twelve species occur within the Cairns and Tablelands region including Cockatoos, Brush-tongues, Long-tailed and Broad-tailed Parrots and the diminutive Fig Parrot.

Most species we can regularly observe on our Tropical Birding tours.

Warrigal Highland Rainforest Preserve

Situated at over 1,000 metres elevation Warrigal Highland Rainforest Preserve adjoins the World Heritage listed Tully Falls National Park and the largest single tract of rainforest remaining in Australia. Covering an area of almost 300 acres, the preserve comprises of three main habitat types. Most noteworthy are the climax higland rainforest of types 5a, 8 and 9, wet sclerophyll forest and acacia regrowth. Furthermore there are areas of turkey bush scrub, grassland, two dams, several creeks as well as rocky outcrops on the property. Strategically situated between the rainforest clad Misty Mountains, wet sclerophyll forests and drier savannah woodlands, the preserve and surrounding area are especially rich in wildlife.

With such a diversity of habitats the region is home to many rare, unique and primitive plant and animal species, many of which are endemic to the north Queensland region. The list of species recorded at Warrigal Highland Rainforest Preserve is impressive and includes 242 species of birds, 12 species of possums, 8 species of kangaroos, Platypus, Echidnas, Bandicoots and many others. Warrigal Highland Rainforest Preserve is owned and managed by Wild Watch Australia.

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Cairns Birdwatching Tours

You can save 5% to 15% in our Cairns Beaches Tourist Information Centre

(With over 16 years’ experience and local knowledge we deliver you the best prices and tours to suit your budget)

Imagine visiting a wonderful environment with more than 100 different bird species in Tropical North Queensland Australia. Cairns largest range of birding trips with opportunities to see birds in the wild in a variety of bird habitats.

Tours with birdwatching guides or self-drive options. Visit our Cairns Beaches Information centre for free information on cairns birdwatching locations, birdwatching accommodation, birding trips and tours around Cairns, Atherton Tablelands and Daintree Cape Tribulation.

Cairns Birding Tour options, locations and Cairns Birding Guides

We have a variety of options. Here are 8 popular options. (For other options and specific requests please contact us)

2.  ATHERTON TABLELANDS BIRDING DAY TOUR: Which visits a range of habitats from rain forest, woodlands, grasslands, wetlands and volcanic lakes. Well known Alans Wildlife Tours specialises in Tablelands birdwatching within an hour of Yungaburra > 300 species are found in diverse habitats, this is more than half of Australia’s birds. On a good day approximately 70 species can be seen including Leser.

3.  MICHAELMAS CAY BIRD WATCHING:

At times this protected seabird sanctuary can host up to 20,000 migratory seabirds. A very important breeding habitat that is loved by ornithologists, photographers and birdwatchers.

Breeding activity can be observed most of the year and seeing the seabirds there is an absolute joy. Our Tourist Information Centre has Free binoculars to lend as well as bird guides when collected from our Information Centre. Our ornithologist trained specialist can assist you with your Michaelmas Cay bird watching experience.

Commonly seen seabirds at Michaelmas Cay are Lesser Crested Tern, Bridled Tern, Crested Terns, Gull Billed Tern, Caspian Tern, Black Naped Terns, Sooty Terns, Common Noddy, Black Noddy, Greater and Lesser Frigatebirds, Brown Boobys and Silver Gulls. However this is just an introductory list.

For details or bookings on any Michaelmas Cay activities and tours just contact us.

4.  DAINTREE CAPE TRIBULATION: Full day and half day birdwatching contact us for the best prices on all birdwatching tours. Range of tours including birding tours on the Daintree River. A boat trip on the Daintree River is a great way to observe the wildlife of the Daintree Rainforest. Rare birds, snakes and crocodiles are seen on most cruises. Popular birding tours include Daintree Boatman Nature Cruise who also run half and full day tours. Combining Daintree River Cruise with a road cruise. Contact us for more details.

A. The popular Early birders: Tour departs at 7 am where you explore the reserve with an experienced bird guide B. The sunset Safari: which departs at 3.30 pm. Start with an eco cruise on the lagoon then explore the reserve by AWD C. Stay overnight in Safari Cabins:  All inclusive. Price includes all meals, wildlife safari cruise and canoeing.

6.  CAIRNS TRINITY INLET: Birdwatching and crocodile spotting enjoy a half day wilderness cruise on the Cairns inlet.

A. Full Day Tour covering Coast to the outback locating up to 90+ species B. Half Day Tour up Great Dividing Range 55+ species C. Fully guided tour to and on Daintree River 

8. GREEN ISLAND and FITROY ISLAND : Low Isles are also good spots for birdwatching ask us about full and half day tours to these locations.

9.  CENTENARY LAKES AND CAIRNS FORESHORE: Self-guided options visit our Cairns Beach Visitor Information Centre for birding lists and local tips.

General tour information

You can book Birdwatching tours for a full day and half day options.

Special Discount

We have special discount for students, families, seniors and groups. Ask about our discount vouchers and coupons that can save 10% off admission to places like Birdworld, Butterfly Sanctuary, Port Douglas wildlife Habitat, Cairns Tropical Zoo etc. Discount vouchers and coupons to save you on a large variety of other Cairns attractions. Discounts off underwater cameras and many others.

Free bookings, save time and money by booking all your tours in the one location. Free tour reports and free maps. Free 25% discount voucher off our standard underwater cameras, free postcards. Enjoy FREE wifi in our Visitor Centre.

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Cairns Accommodation

Looking for Cairns accommodation as well as your Cairns tours? We also offer accommodation with a special discounts through us. We have budget, affordable and luxury, self-contained accommodation, by the beach and in Cairns. The beach accommodation is located only 50m from the beach, and it faces a rainforest. Stay and utilize our local expertise on all Cairns tours.

You can either enquire about accommodation when booking a tour, or you can book the accommodation directly from here . If you want to read more, or just check out the apartments then click here .

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Cairns Bird Watching Tours | Private Charter Exclusive Access | FNQ

Tour Code: 1009

Departing: Cairns

Pickup: Cairns, Cairns Northern Beaches, Palm Cove, Port Douglas

Tour Highlights

• Amazing bird watching experience around the Tropical Atherton Tablelands just behind Cairns.
• Visit the picturesque Clanys Lagoon, Pandanus Lagoon, Yungaburra and Lake Barine  
• Exclusive access to the Shared Earth Reserve, (Mareeba Wetlands) 5,000 acres of lagoons, trails, bird hides and dirt roads with a myriad of bird watching opportunities.

Description & Tour Inclusions

Included in price.

• Naturalist guides
• Small group tour: Up to 6 guests
• Courtesy return transfers from your accommodation in Cairns City, Northern Beaches and Port Douglas
• Picnic style lunch & Morning Tea
• Bird books/apps
• Private access to Shared Earth Reserve
• Exclusive access
• Amazing birdwatching opportunities
• Habitat diversity
• Atherton Tablelands
• Supporting Conservation
• Lake Barrine Crater
• Yungaburra Region

Our Cairns bird watching tour is a unique full day private charter tour taking you to the Tropical Wetlands on the Atherton Tablelands with exclusive access to the Shared Earth Reserve (formerly Mareeba Wetlands) where more than 220 bird species have been recorded.

Cairns Birding Tours - Small Group Private Tours

Your private naturalist guide will take you through this unique location encompassing 5,000 acres of lagoons, trails, dirt roads and bird hides.

Bird watching is best experienced early in the morning so expect your private naturalist guide to pick you up at 6:30am and you return at around 4:30pm back to Cairns .

The Shared Earth Reserve on the Atherton Tablelands behind Cairns is owned by Forever Wild whose work is to protect Earth’s last wilderness for our future generations.

Our Naturalist Guides are highly experienced and very passionate, their passions for birdwatching and photography guarantee you an unforgettable day.

You will reach your first destination around 8:00am; Clancy’s Lagoon is surrounded by walking tracks from where you can observe an array of bird species.

We will then take a short morning tea break before heading towards our second location: Pandanus Lagoon where waders and waterbirds live including a very large colony of Black Sawn.

You will also be able to observe kangaroos, echidnas, dingos, snakes and other reptiles.

This portion of the tour is approximately 12 kilometres amongst the wetlands.

After a well-deserved lunch under a shady billabong we still have a couple more hours of birdwatching; for this portion of the tour we will head to the nearby Atherton Tablelands to locations such as Lake Barrine and Yungaburra.

To maximise your birding experience, we can also combine the Tropical Wetlands with the Daintree Rainforest.

Enjoy the morning at the Shared Earth Reserve then head back to the Daintree Rainforest for a wildlife river cruise.

Our private birding and nature tour is designed for small group, up to 6 guests.

Transportation is a modern 7 seat capacity fully air-conditioned Imax or a 13 seat Hi-Ace for larger group.

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Cairns Birding Tour Highlights

• Highest bird count in a single day was an impressive 98 species on our birding tour.
• Highly experienced and passionate naturalist guides.
• Wide variety of bird watching habitats: lakes, swamps, billabong, creeks and savanna woodland

Cairns Birding Tour Opportunities

You will observe many bird species on your Tropical Wetlands Birdwatching private tour such as 6 different Quail species, Magpie, Geese, Black Swans, 11 different duck species and three different Grebes, Darters and Cormorants, Pelicans, Crakes, Rails, Swamphens, Moorhens, Coots, Herons, Egrets, Bitterns, Ibis, Spoonbills, Storks (Jabiru), Cranes including Brolga, Sarus Crane, Bustards, Sandpipers, Godwits, Common Greenshank, Stints, Jacanas which thrive on the water lilies, Curlews, Stills, Avocets, Lapwings, Plovers, Dotterels, Terns.

Some of the birds of preys you may encounter are: Osprey, Kites, Hawks, Eagles, Harriers and Falcons.

Five different pigeons species inhabit the Shared Earth Reserve and doves have also been recorded.

Another regular sighting is the famous Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo. We have great sightings of Black Cockatoos at the Wetlands and on the road into Mareeba Wetlands.

Parrots including Lorikeets, Rosellas & Red Wing Parrots are quite often seen as well as 9 different varieties of Cuckoos, Keels and Coucals AND Frogmouths and Night jars.

A crowds favourite... the Kingfishers especially the Azure Kingfisher (stunning bird), a delight to see around the lagoons.

Both the laughing Kookaburra and Blue Winged Kookaburra are regularly spotted as well as Bee eaters, Rollers, Tree Creepers and Pardalotes.

Numerous Honeyeaters, Robins, Bee Eaters, Thrushes, Monarchs, Magpie Larks, Fly Catchers and Wagtails are seen throughout the Wetlands.

Don't miss the Great Bowerbird.

The open savannah and eucalypt habitats within the Mareeba Wetlands give great opportunities to observe Finches, Fairy Wrens and Manikins.

There are a lot of bird species to discover and/or re-discover in the Tropical Wetlands; each tour is unique and every time you join us on a private Tropical North Queensland birdwatching tour you will experience something distinctively unique.

Cairns Best Bird Watching Tours - Curated Nature Tours

Alternative Itinerary

We are very fortunate to live in Tropical North Queensland where we can experience several different bird watching habitats and they are all very easily accessible.

We can taylor made your day to suit your needs; we can shorten the above day and add the Daintree Rainforest and include a Daintree bird watching river cruise.

See more private charter rainforest tours and wildlife tours in Cairns and Far North Queensland in Australia.

Tour Details

Tour languages offered.

Departs From

Departure time.

• Cairns City 6:30am – returns 4:30pm
• Northern Beaches 6:30am – returns 4:30pm
• Port Douglas 6:30am – returns 4:30pm

Pickup Locations

• Cairns Northern Beaches
• Port Douglas
• Modern 7 seat capacity fully air-conditioned Imax. 13 seat Hi-Ace can be arranged for larger groups.

Destinations

• Mareeba Wetlands & Atherton Tablelands

Months of Operation

January - December

Days of Operation

10 hours (approx.)

Fitness Level Required

Low, Medium

What to Bring

• Sun protection (hats, sunglasses)
• Insect Repellent
• Natural coloured light weight clothing
• Binoculars (communal pair in the vehicle)
• Day pack with camera
• Comfortable walking shoes

Child Policy

• This private birding tour is more suitable for young adults however we are happy to discuss children’s age.
• Please note this tour’s duration is approximately 10 hours and includes a lot of walking.

Cancellation Policy

All cancellations must be in writing.

We understand things may change, so we have made cancellations very easy.

In every instance we always recommend you purchase travel insurance for life’s last-minute hiccups.

Please see our   terms and conditions  for details prior to booking.

Operators policy:

For cancellations made to Private or Group tours, the following penalties apply:

• i. Cancellations received more than 30 days prior to departure – no fee applicable.
• ii. Cancellations received less than 30 days but more than 7 days prior to departure – 25% fee applicable.
• iii. Cancellations received less than 7 days but more than 48 hours prior to departure – 50% fee applicable.
• iv. Cancellations received less than 48 hours or for non-appearance to commence the tour – all monies will be forfeited

FORCE MAJEURE Force Majeure means (without restriction) any event which FNQ Nature Tours could not, even with due care, foresee or avoid. Force Majeure covers events such as, but not limited to, adverse weather conditions, fire, floods and all similar events beyond our control. In the case of Force Majeure FNQ Nature Tours will not accept liability, and reserves the right to change and cancel trips.

If a Force Majeure circumstance necessitates cancellation of the tour then: i. The traveller must rely upon any travel insurance they hold for compensation; and ii. Where possible, FNQ Nature Tours will substitute an itinerary with similar experiences.

au $1,150.00

Prices are AUD, per charter and include all levies fees and taxes.

Choose Your Option

18 yrs & over

Ages of Children

(discounts may apply), 1300 761 612, +61 427 074 745, you may also like.

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Eyes on Wildlife Birding & Wildlife Tours Australia

Eyes on wildlife acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land that we explore on our tours, we pay our respects to their elders past and present. .

Welcome to the Atherton Tablelands, Wet Tropics Bioregion and surrounds. 

I started Eyes on Wildlife to get you up close with our amazing wildlife and their environment, but also to share my skills which involve finding wildlife, and understanding the intricate relationships between animals and the ecosystem they live in. If you return home from a tour more conservation-minded, awestruck, or motivated to explore nature around your home, then I will consider my efforts worthwhile. Together we can make this a better world for our wildlife, ourselves and nature in general!

It is not hard to be impressed by our wildlife and natural environment. We have an exceptional biological diversity which few other regions in the world can compete with. The  Atherton Tablelands  has a very high density of wildlife in general with a high percentage of endangered wildlife. A large area of the Atherton Tablelands is part of the World Heritage listed Wet Tropics of Queensland .  

Would you like to see and photograph some of the most amazing and rare wildlife in the world, learn new skills that will help you go out and find wildlife on your own, or simply enjoy a wonderful day, half day or night in our fantastic Wet Tropics? Have a look at the tours page to find out which tour(s) would suit you. Get up close with birds, possums and other marsupials like the Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroo or Broad-toed Feather-tailed Glider - the smallest gliding mammal in the world, geckos, frogs, our wonderful Platypus and so many other critters.

Join me for a most rewarding and wonderful wildlife experience and book a wildlife tour today!

Your guide, Patrick

PH: +61 0439817214

[email protected]

Ultimate Wet Tropics Mammals Expedition

Cape York Mammals Expedition

Tap image below for more info

Nocturnal wet tropics tour (2.5 hrs).

Nocturnal Exploration Tour (4hrs)

Atherton Tablelands Birding Tour

Mammals Galore Tour

Cairns Birding Tour (full day)

Cairns  - Cassowary Coast Birding Tour (2 days)

Birding Cairns-Atherton-Cairns - 3 days

Wet Tropics Birding Tour - 4 days

Cape York Birding Tours

Ultimate Wet Tropics Mammals Expedition - 10 days

Rare Wildlife Expeditions

Cape York Mammals Expedition - 6 days

Patrick in the field with Gouldian Finches

ENDORSEMENT

"...Patrick De Geest of Eyes on Wildlife is one of the top 3 guides in the world that I have ever had the pleasure of travelling with. Highly recommended!"  Russell Graham top birder from the USA, listed top 50 in the world with more than 8000 species seen. Facebook review December 2017.

"A day with Patrick is like being in your favourite nature television programme; we were privileged to benefit from his wide knowledge, his enthusiasm and his amazing ability to spot animals and birds. Two great days. The Eggebert/Walker family.", UK.   email August 2018.

"It doesn’t get better. I had the most amazing spotlighting experience ever. I’ve been spotlighting and teaching about Australian mammals since the early 70's. Even written some kids books about these amazing creatures. Wow. I saw three possum species I had never seen. Plus you must experience the remarkable striped possum. Tree kangaroos were on call.  Got magical photos of a platypus, gecko and frog. I learned heaps. On my own I wouldn’t have found all these animals in a month. (I think we found a dozen species) This is a one of a kind experience seeing this many native mammals, half unique to these tablelands. These animals are very illusive and you won’t see most in a zoo. I’m also a wildlife photographer exploring across Australia and this is the best one day tour I’ve done."  Bob Winters (one of the most experienced and published environmental educators in Australia) email September 2019  

"We had an excellent experience with Partick in later August 2022. We went on the 4 hour nocturnal trip (6:15pm till a little after 10:30pm) . Patrick is extremely friendly, knowledgeable and it was a pleasure wandering the Atherton forests at night, guided by Patrick. (One of us has health issues, but was fine with the limited amount of walking needed, as we drove from spot to spot) We saw Northern Yellow-bellied Glider, Northern Greater Glider, Green Ring-tailed Possum, Herbert River Ring-tailed Possum, Lemuroid Ring-tailed Possum, Common Brush-tailed Possum, Long-tailed Pygmy Possum, Rufous Bettong, Red-legged Pademelon, Fawn-footed Melomys, Spectacled Flying-fox, Eastern Barn Owl, Northern Leaf-tailed Gecko and Chameleon Gecko. We would highly recommend this trip to anyone interested in nature." Craig S. August 2022 -Tripadvisor.    

" The best days birding we have ever done thanks to the brilliant Patrick . His knowledge of the local birds was outstanding. Can’t wait to go again." Rob & Louise August 2022 - Tripadvisor.                                                                                          

Member of the following conservation groups (click logos for more info):

 Phone

Outside australia: +61 439 817 214, in australia: 0439817214.

©eyesonwildlife.com.au

Cairns Tourist Information Centre Tour & Accommodation Bookings Telephone: + 61 (07) 4047 9125 Email: info@cairnstouristinformation... Sh 6, Cnr Aplin St & The Esplanade

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Find Our Locations

Wildlife Tours & Bird Watching

Cairns and its surrounding areas have an abundance of bird watching and animal spotting opportunities for wildlife in their natural environment. From tropical ancient rainforests, to protected wetlands and Savannah woodland habitats, there are literally hundreds of species on our door step. Nature lovers will appreciate having a local knowledgeable guide, which will ensure you get to see as much as possible during your visit to our beautiful region.

4 DAY NATURE WILDLIFE AND CONSERVATION SAFARI

Rates from: $3650

Guests will not only experience four days exploring the natural beauty of Far North Queensland; they will also be offered unique and exclusive opportunities to visit conservation organisations to learn about the efforts of supporting nature and wildlife conservation in our region. Learn about rainforest restoration and wildlife rehabilitation. A major highlight of this tour for guests is meeting the unsung heroes of the nature and wildlife conservation community who have dedicated their lives to protecting and conserving the wild future of our planet.

FNQ Nature Tours 5 Day Birding Tour (Private Tour)

Rates from: $3500

This unqiue private guided 5 day accommodated tour is perfect for nature lovers, especially those whom have an interest in bird watching!  No other company offers this customised and comprehensive itinerary, that encompasses our entire local region from the ancient rainforests of the Daintree National Park,  through to the outback scenery of Julatten, Mitchel Rivers Headwaters and the lush highlands of the Atherton Tablelands.  Tour also includes lodge style accommodation and local birding experts.  Join the team at FNQ Nature Tours while we cover a vast variety of stunning birding hotspots in Far North Queensland.

FNQ TROPICAL WETLANDS Birdwatching (Private Day Tour)

Rates from: $1150

This unqiue private guided tour option is perfect for nature lovers, especially those whom have an interest in bird watching!  No other company can provide this itinerary, as FNQ Nature Tours is the only local operator who has the exclusive access permits. This "Shared Earth Reserve" encompasses 5000 acres of lagoons, trails, bird hides and dirt roads containing an abundance of bird watching opportunites. 

With amazing habitat diverity including permanent lakes, swamps, billabongs, creeks and an incrediable mosiac of old' growth savanna woodlands. Our team of staff are highly experienced and passionate naturalist guides, with their own personal interests in bird watching and photpgraphy.  You will be gauranteed a wonderful and memorable tour experience.

Wait-A-While Rainforest & Wildlife Night Tour

Rates from: $220

Wait-a-While Rainforest Tours is a small group experience within the Wet Tropics World Heritage area of Tropical North Queensland. Our wildlife tours visit restricted access mountain rainforest at night in the Atherton Tablelands. This is the best tour for seeing native and nocturnal wildlife  in a natural environment.

Contact our Cairns Local Booking Offices | The time in Cairns is currently : asdsadas

Aplin Street [ View Map ] Hours 8am-8pm P: (07) 4047 9125 Email: [email protected]

Shields Street [ View Map ] Hours 730am-9pm P: (07) 4047 9122 Email: [email protected]

Bird, Wildlife & Photography tours across the Atherton Tablelands

218 Old Boonjie Road, Topaz, Queensland, 4885

Office Hours

Mon – Sat : 9:00AM – 5:00PM Closed Sundays

+(61) 7 4096 8063

Cassowary Tours

Visiting the wet tropics.

The Wet Tropics ( Cairns and the Atherton Tablelands), which cover only 0.12% of the countries area, are home to  40% of Australia’s bird species. However, it is not only birds that are well represented here. It also has 36% of Australia’s mammal species (including 30% of the marsupials, 48% of the bats, 25% of the rodents), 25% of it’s frogs, 23% of it’s reptiles, 41% of it’s freshwater fishes, and 60% of it’s butterflies. The plant world is also well represented with 65% of the ferns, 21% of the cycads, 37% of the conifers and 30% of the countries orchids all to be found in this small area. It is a “must visit” destination for any natural history enthusiast.

Percentage of Australian Birds

Number of bird species recorded

The Endemics of the Wet Tropics

Of australian birds can be found in the wet tropics, you can expect to see 200+ in a week.

Number of Endemic Birds

Percentage of Mammals

Percentage of Frogs & Reptiles

Endemics only found in the wet tropics

Of australian mammals can be found in the wet tropics, of australian frogs & reptiles can be found in the wet tropics, why choose cassowary tours, ethical tourism.

We believe in ethical bird and wildlife watching as we want future generations to still be able enjoy the things we show you now.

Local Knowledge

Our experienced guides live and work in the area.

Small Groups

We specialise in small groups ranging from 1 to 6 people.

All permits

All our guides have the necessary permits, insurances, licenses and authorisations.

Air-conditioned Vehicle

All our tours use comfortable air-conditioned vehicles.

Updates from around Far North Queensland

What we are doing, seeing or hearing around Cairns, the Atherton Tablelands, Daintree, Georgeotwn, Cape York & the Gulf.

Latest Updates (click title to see full post)

Eastern Spinebill’s at Topaz

May 13, 2021

These very active little honeyeaters with their dark heads, backs and wings, white chests with black crescents at the sides, buffish throat patches rimmed in black, and rich rufous/buff underparts are attractive additions to any gardens.

Bush Hens & Buff Banded Rails

Apr 29, 2021

The Wet Tropics has experienced a huge amount of rain in the last couple of weeks. Up here in Topaz it is a great time of year to see Buff-banded Rails and the smaller and even shyer Bush Hen.

Wompoo Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus magnificus)

We offer a number of different tours ranging from day tours (which can be found under Birdwatching, Wildlife & Photography) to longer Accommodated Tours around the Atherton Tablelands. Looking for something further afield? Visit Around North Queensland for other north queensland accommdated tours. Fancy something more exotic? Visit Futher Afield to visit our other site which offers other Australian & oversea destinations.

Birdwatching

Photography, accommodated tours, around north queensland, further afield.

Tours around Australia & Overseas with our Parent company – Sicklebill Safaris

Make a Donation to THE Tree Kangaroo & Mammal Group

Can you help?

Tree kangaroo & mammal group.

A percentage of profits from every tour is donated to the Tree Kangaroo & Mammal group. This fantastic group works to conserve tree-kangaroos and other mammals of Far North Queensland.

Direct donation link coming soon

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Two wonderful tours. A customized Aboriginal Art & Culture and Birds in FNQ getting as far north as Musgrave. Then a Wet Tropics tour focusing on the Tablelands. Golden-winged parrots, three species of bower bird, Cassowaries below us at breakfast, a displaying Victoria’s Riflebird in the morning. Incredible rock art at Laura. I could go on and on. Thanks to Sue for planning it and feeding us so well and to Phil for getting us everywhere and pointing out the birds.

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Bird watching with ocean views!

Bird watching is one of Cairns Adventure Park’s most popular activities with guidance available for individuals and tour groups upon request.

Cairns Adventure Park features one of the most scenic and wildlife rich bush walking tracks in Cairns. Linked to the famous Red Arrow walking track, and home to the Great Barrier Reef Lookout, our bush walking track is a must do in Cairns for all visitors and locals.

Cairns Adventure Park is the only elevated, designated bird watching zones within the Cairns city area. With the Cairns Botanical Gardens and Centenary Lakes bird watching areas located within short walking distance, the Cairns Adventure Park offers bird watchers a unique view at some of the regions 200-odd sea-level dwellings, coastal bird species.

Contact us today to arrange free access to our bird watching and bush walking tracks or for further information.

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Cairns Birding Tours

By birdwatching tropical australia, about birding tropical australia, read about the birdwatching tropical australia and your guide.

"I HAVEN'T BEEN  EVERY-

But it's  on.

Susan Sontag

Birdwatching Tropical Australia

Australia has more than 850 species of birds including its migrants. Of these about 630 species occur in Queensland. The Wet Tropics and Cairns region alone is home to over 430 species of birds, 12 of which are local endemics.

Your guide, Doug Herrington, has a great passion for the birds of Tropical Australia and has more than 20 years’ experience birding the Port Douglas and Cairns areas. He gets great pleasure from sharing his experiences with other birders. Birdwatching Tropical Australia provides tours beginning in Port Douglas or Cairns.

The area includes a large range of very different habitats from sandy beaches to rocky shoreline and mangrove lined estuaries as well as wet and dry sclerophyll forests, lowland and high-altitude rainforests and several wetlands. All of these provide superb birding habitat. Tours can include birding the coastal areas, Julatten, Atherton Tablelands and Mt Lewis as well as some of the inland savannah area between Mareeba and Mt Carbine.   

Birdwatching Tropical Australia specialises in one day and multi-day individual and small group birding and bird photography tours. We like to go where the birds are. Beginners, experienced birders and photographers are all catered for and our routes can be adjusted to suit particular interests such as those with target lists. 

​ Your Guide - Doug Herrington

Doug launched Birdwatching Tropical Australia’s tours in January 2012 after many years of recreational birding in Australia and South Africa. Doug Herrington’s accumulated experience of 20 years birding and exploring the Wet Tropics of Queensland, Australia has given him him an intimate knowledge of the birds and wildlife of Northern Queensland.

Whilst living in South Africa, Doug was trained and certificated as a SATOUR guide. He also obtained a diploma in Nature Conservation and Wildlife Management, both of which enrich his skills and knowledge. He now conducts day tours and multi-day tours specialising in the birds of the Wet Tropics as well as extended wet season tours to the northern Cape York Peninsula. Having garnered a deep and intimate knowledge of this region and coupled with his love of sharing what he sees and experiences with his clients, he is highly regarded as one of the finest, most knowledgeable and experienced bird guides in the area.

Doug is also an accomplished bird photographer and can cater for those who wish to photograph the birds of the Wet Tropics and Cape York. Doug’s skills at logistics and attention to detail offer you the opportunity to travel the area in comfort and security.

P.O. Box 746, Mossman, Qld,4873 Australia

Call us at 0418 757 288, [email protected].

Finding Birds around Cairns, QLD

Guide to finding birds around cairns, qld.

Cairns, in Queensland’s far north, is one of the world’s premier birding hot spots. With over 400 species to be seen within a 200 km radius of the city there are plenty of opportunities to find birds to photograph.

 (Photo left to right – Blue-faced Parrot Finch, Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Golden Bowerbird, Noisy Pitta)

NORTHERN QUEENSLAND ENDEMIC BIRDS;

Tooth-billed Bowerbird, Golden Bowerbird, Victoria’s Riflebird, Sooty Owl (Lesser), Bridled & Macleay’s Honeyeaters, Grey-headed Robin, Fernwren, Atherton Scrubwren, Mountain Thornbill, Pied Monarch, Bower’s Shrike-thrush and Chowchilla.

CAIRNS WEATHER

Cairns has a Tropical climate with hot, humid summers (November – April) and mild winters (May – October). During the hot summers you have the advantage of being able to drive up to the tablelands were the temperature drops a few degrees cooler than the coast.

BEST TIME OF YEAR TO SEE BIRDS

Another fact about Far North Queensland is there’s never a bad time to visit, the summers bring some fantastic migrants like Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Dollarbird, Metallic Starlings and Spotted Whistling Ducks. Winter brings cooler temperatures making it much more comfortable to do longer walking trails.

CAIRNS CITY ESPLANADE – (Photo Above – Mangrove Robin)

-16.909365, 145.767515

Cairns has some fantastic birding really close to the city, the Cairns Esplanade can be a great place to see many wader species including Greater and Lesser Sand Plovers, Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits, Great Knots, Eastern Curlews, Curlew Sandpipers, Pelicans, Intermediate Egrets, Spoonbills and maybe even a Beach-stone Curlew. Peak time of year to see waders is September to March when the migratory waders are visiting, the best time of day to see them here is usually the last two hours before high tide.

While walking along the esplanade check for flowering and fruiting trees, these attract a large number of birds like Double-eyed Fig Parrot, Rainbow Lorikeets, Metallic Starlings, Australasian Figbirds, Yellow, Brown, Lewin’s and Varied Honeyeaters and Torresian Imperial-pigeons (Summer). Other birds that can be seen in the area are Nutmeg Mannikin, White-breasted Woodswallows, Willie Wagtails and Masked Plovers.

The Northern end of the Esplanade ( GPS -16.903010, 145.762759 ) is one of the best spots to see Mangrove Robin, you should hear them calling most of the day but early morning and evening is best. If you want great views you will need to “Psssshh, Psssshh” them out into the open, good luck and make sure you cover up as the sandflies can be friendly.

CAIRNS CITY BOTANIC GARDENS – (Photo Above – Male Olive-backed Sunbird)

GPS -16.899596, 145.748138

Cairns Flecker Botanic Gardens located just north of the city is a beautiful place to explore, you can usually find Olive-backed Sunbirds, Yellow Oriole, Metallic Starlings and a variety of Honeyeaters.

Across the road at Centenary Lakes is another spot worth a walk around,

The Rainforest boardwalks leading to the lakes can produce Papuan Frogmouth, Orange-footed Scrubfowl, Pale-vented Bush-Hen, Nankeen Night-heron and maybe even a roosting Rufous Owl. These boardwalks are also a fantastic place to go spotlighting at night with a chance to see the stunning Striped Possum, well worth getting eaten alive by mosquito’s!

The areas around the Fresh and Saltwater Lakes are fantastic for Double-eyed Fig Parrot, Black Butcherbird, Black Bittern, Yellow, Brown-backed, Dusky, Graceful, Yellow-spotted and White-throated Honeyeaters. In the lakes themselves look for, Pacific Black Ducks, Magpie Geese, Radjah Shelducks and in the wet season months (November – March) maybe even some Spotted Whistling Ducks which are becoming a regular visitor.

Also, look out for Little Kingfisher which has been seen hanging around between the Freshwater Lake and the Mangroves ( -16.902744, 145.750436 ).

METALLIC STARLING COLONY – (Photo above – Metallic Starling)

GPS -16.885850, 145.749568

Metallic Starlings are a fascinating bird that migrate from Papua New Guinea to Cairns around August to breed, this spot near the airport is one of best and easily accessible making for some great photos.    They stay in the Cairns area until around April, whereupon they make their return journey back to Papua New Guinea.

JACK BARNES MANGROVE BOARDWALK – (Photo Above – Male Shining Flycatcher)

GPS -16.883450, 145.761091

This Mangrove Boardwalk near the Cairns Airport is a great place to see all of the local Mangrove specialties without having to walk through the mud. While walking the boardwalk look out for Large-billed Gerygone, Shining Flycatcher, Little and Collared Kingfisher, Striated Heron, Black Butcherbird and Mangrove Robin.

CATTANA WETLANDS – (Photo Above – White-browed Crake)

GPS -16.829292, 145.703194

Cattana Wetlands is an up and coming wetland and is well worth a look early in the morning, there are some great walks around the freshwater lakes and can be reasonably productive.

Look for Yellow & Olive backed Oriole, Australasian Figbird, Olive-backed Sunbird, Yellow, Graceful, Yellow-spotted, Brown and Dusky Honeyeaters, Black Butcherbird, Crimson Finch, Nutmeg and Chestnut-breasted Mannikins, Little Shrike-thrush, Red-backed & Lovely Fairy-wrens, Laughing & Blue-winged Kookaburras, Forest Kingfisher.

In the lakes themselves keep an eye out for Magpie Geese, Green Pygmy Geese, Grey Teal, Pacific Black Duck, Hardhead, Australasian Grebe, Purple Swamphen, Buff-banded Rail, Pale-vented Bush-hen, Dusky Moorhen Eurasian Coot and Bush Stone-curlew.

This is also one of the better places around Cairns to see the elusive White-browed Crake especially early in the morning.

COPPERLODE DAM – (Photo Above – Black-faced Monarch)

GPS -16.979968, 145.675083

Copperlode Dam is a great place to see Rainforest species and its 0nly a 21km drive from the city, it’s a beautiful drive with some of the best views over Cairns City.

Species seen in the area are Double-eyed Fig-Parrot, Australian King-Parrot, Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Superb Fruit-Dove, Topknot Pigeon, Rufous Fantail & Grey Fantails, Little Shrike-thrush, Bower’s Shrike-thrush, Macleay’s & Scarlet Honeyeater, Chowchilla, Eastern Whipbird, Noisy Pitta, Spotted Catbird, Tooth-billed Bowerbird, Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, White-eared Monarch, Black-faced Monarch, Spectacled Monarch, Pied Monarch, Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Victoria’s Riflebird, Pale-yellow Robin and Eastern Yellow Robin.

MOSSMAN AREA – (Photo Above – Beach-stone Curlew)

GPS -16.464036, 145.373125

Newell Beach and the Mossman River mouth  -16.434256, 145.405224 ) is one of the best places to see Beach-stone Curlew, a pair frequent the area regularly. Also check for all the common wader species like Bar-tailed Godwit and Greater Sand Plover.

Mossman Gorge -16.472116, 145.331202  is one of the must do stops north of Cairns, Mossman Gorge is a great place to go for a swim and also to do some birding at the same time. Just be aware that the Gorge can get really busy so best to go early in the morning.

All the common Rainforest species are present here and if you have time to look it is also a great place to see the          dinosaur-like Boyd’s Forest Dragon and Northern Leaf-tailed Gecko.

DAINTREE AREA – (Photo Above -Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher)

GPS -16.249877, 145.318306

Daintree village is a sleepy little town 110 km North of Cairns, it’s famous for is amazing Daintree River which runs just beside the village. The best way to see birds in the Daintree is to take a boat cruise and the best man for the job is Murray Hunt, he runs DAINTREE BOATMAN NATURE TOURS . I highly recommend taking an early morning or late afternoon tour with Murray, he’s a local guide that’s very passionate about all the Fauna and Flora of the area. Murray specialises in taking out photographers, he knows how to position the boat in the right spot for that amazing photo.

Getting on the Daintree river will give you the opportunity to see Black Bittern, Great-billed Heron, Osprey, Azure & Little Kingfishers, Shining Flycatchers, Wompoo & Superb Fruit-doves, Papuan Frogmouths, Radjah Shelducks and lately they have even had some rare Spotted Whistling Ducks turn up.

Another place close to the Village is Stewart Creek Road, the whole road is very birdie especially towards the end where there is some great lowland Rainforest ( -16.314590, 145.323590 ). Look for Pied and Spectacled Monarch, Shining Flycatcher, Black Butcherbird, Spangled Drongo and Blue-winged Kookaburra. During the months of November to March this is also a great spot to see the stunning Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher which migrate here from Papua New Guinea to breed in the wet season, look out for low Termite mounds near rainforest edges where they nest.

CAPE TRIBULATION – (Photo above – Azure Kingfisher)

GPS -16.087353, 145.462953

It’s worth visiting Cape Tribulation just for the beautiful drive and ferry ride across the Daintree River, it’s also one of the best spots to see endangered Southern Cassowary. Keep an eye out on the road between the ferry and the township, they’re often seen crossing the road in this area so make sure you drive slow.

JULATTEN (Photo Above – Noisy Pitta with Spider)

GPS -16.593364, 145.3407480

Julatten is to one of my favorite areas to visit and take photos, it has some really fantastic places to check out and if you need somewhere to stay then you can’t go past the stunning stand alone cabins that Sweetwater Lodge provide, and during winter they have Blue-faced Parrot-finch right outside your door!

Sweetwater Lodge are fortunate to have a huge amount of resident birds which means you don’t have to go far to get some amazing photos. These including Noisy Pitta, Red-browed Finch, Macleay’s, Yellow-spotted and Graceful Honeyeaters, Pale-yellow Robin, Little Shrike-thrush, Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Black-faced & Spectacled Monarch, Cicadabird and Spotted Catbird.

Spotlighting in the area can also be very rewarding with Barking, Sooty (Lesser) and Barn Owls, Papuan Frogmouths are usually heard Calling and Boyd’s Forest Dragon and Northern Leaf-tailed Gecko are also common. Also keep an eye out for Stripped & Green Ring-tailed Possum, White-tailed Tree rat and also Long-nosed and Northern Brown Bandicoot.

They also have a resident Platypus in the stream at the bottom of the property.

MOUNT LEWIS – (Photo Above – Blue-faced Parrot Finch)

GPS -16.592833, 145.275336

By far my favorite place to visit when I am in the area is Mount Lewis, it’s just amazing! Leaving Kingfisher Park head North for about 1.6 km, turn left onto Mount Lewis Road and from here you’ll have about 1.2km of sealed road before you hit the steep, windy gravel road. It’s about 10 km’s to the clearing where the walking trail starts, a 4WD is recommended but if you’re careful you could make it up in a SUV (Rav4 or similar).

The clearing ( -16.592833, 145.275336 ) at the top is the best place in Australia to see the magnificent Blue-faced Parrot Finches which can be seen here during the wet season months from November to April. They’re often found hanging out with Red-browed Finches feeding on the long grass or blackberries growing in the clearing, early morning is best but can be misty due to the elevation. The clearing is also a great place to see Victoria’s Riflebird, Bower’s Shrike-thrush, Bridled, Lewin’s Honeyeaters, Mountain Thornbill, Topknot Pigeon, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Wompoo and Superb Fruit-Doves.

MOUNT LEWIS DAM WALKING TRAIL – (Photo above – Pale-yellow Robin)

GPS -16.601662, 145.272938

From the clearing there’s a walking trail which takes you uphill towards the top of Mount Lewis where you’ll find a small Dam. This walking trail leads you through spectacular cloud forest and is the best place to see just about all of North Queensland’s Endemic birds. Look and listen for Tooth-billed & Golden Bowerbird, Spotted Catbird, Victoria’s Riflebird, Chowchilla, Yellow-throated & Atherton Scrubwren, Grey-headed and Pale-headed Robin, Bower’s Shrike-thrush, Bridled and Lewin’s Honeyeaters,  Eastern Whipbird, Rufous and Grey Fantail, Bassian Thrush, Grey and Golden Whistler and Mountain Thornbill, and Fernwren.

The damp, dark forest can make photography very difficult but that’s all part of the challenge!

The Dam itself doesn’t usually produce much but there is a resident Platypus to look out for.

WONGABEL STATE FOREST (Photo above – Male Victoria’s Riflebird)

GPS -17.332126, 145.500612

Wongabel State Forest is definitely worth a look, there’s a loop walk and it’s one of the best places to spot Lumholtz’s Tree-kangaroos. Look for large dark objects resting in the forks of the larger trees.

It’s also a great place to see White-headed Pigeon & Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Spotted Catbird, Tooth-billed Bowerbird, White-throated Treecreeper, Large-billed and Brown Gerygone, Chowchilla, Bridled and Macleay’s Honeyeater, Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Bower’s and Little Shrike-thrush, Atherton, Yellow-throated and Large-billed Scrubwren, Pied Monarch, Pale-yellow and Grey-headed Robin.

I have also seen male Victoria’s Riflebird displaying near the track.

MOUNT HYPIPAMEE NATIONAL PARK (Photo above – Golden Bowerbird at Bower)

GPS -17.428355, 145.486226

One of the highlights of the Atherton Tablelands is Mount Hypipamee National Park, this is one of the best places to see the magnificent male Golden Bowerbird which have Bowers in the area. It’s also a great place for Southern Cassowary which are a regular visitors to the car park, be cautious as they can be VERY dangerous.

Other birds that can be found in the general area are Eastern Spinebill, Grey-headed and Pale-yellow Robin, Lewin’s and Bridled Honeyeater, Chowchilla, Spotted Catbird and also Tooth-billed Bowerbirds.

Mount Hypipamee is also the great for spotlighting as I’ve seen Green, Herbert River, Lemuroid Ringtail and Brushtail Possum all in one night up here. Lumholtz Tree Kangaroo can also be seen here along with the rare Long-tailed Pygmy Possum if you’re lucky.

CURTAIN FIG TREE, YUNGABURRA

GPS -17.285644, 145.573356

Close to Yungaburra, the Curtain Fig Tree is a very impressive sight and well worth a look. Along with the spectacular Fig Tree this area is also great for Pied, Black-faced and Spectacled Monarch, Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Pale-yellow and Grey-headed Robin, Victoria’s Riflebird, Little and Bower’s Shrike-thrush, Spotted Catbird, Lewin’s and Macleay’s Honeyeaters.

If you haven’t seen a Platypus yet then try the Yungaburra viewing platform just south west of town off the Gillies Highway,  GPS -17.274643, 145.580970

CRATER LAKES NATIONAL PARK, LAKE BARRINE & EACHAM – (Photo above – Boyd’s Forest Dragon)

Lake Eacham – GPS -17.284738, 145.629374

Lake Barrine – GPS -17.245215, 145.639140

Lake Eacham and Lake Barrine hold a special place in my heart. Lake Eacham was where I proposed to my lovely wife Lauren, it has always been one of our favorite places to visit on a Sunday and have a BBQ and swim.

Saying all of this both Lakes are also fantastic places to go for a walk around and photograph some great birds.

These include Tooth-billed Bowerbird, Spotted Catbird, Victoria’s Riflebird, Double-eyed Fig-Parrot, Australian King Parrot, White-throated Treecreeper, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Bridled honeyeater, Dusky Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Macleay’s Honeyeater, Chowchilla, Eastern Whipbird, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Barred Cuckoo-shrike, Pale-yellow Robin, Grey-headed Robin, Black-faced Monarch, Spectacled Monarch and Grey Fantail.

Also look for the very sneaky Boyd’s Forest Dragon which are common at both lakes, they are usually found on a smallish vertical branch about one metre off the ground and will be looking right at you!

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Cairns Day Tours

Birding · birding with a camera (bwc)® ·  photography.

Cairns is nestled in an extremely rich area of the Wet Tropics in northeast Queensland, where a diverse array of habitats can be reached very easily, including wetland areas such as coastlines, tidal flats, and tropical wetlands, as well as discrete forest types, including lowland and upland rainforests, as well as vast open eucalypt savannas, containing within them a mosaic of remnant monsoon forest. Cairns offers easy-going birding days for those seeking an introduction to the birds and habitats of the region, as well as more focused, faster-paced birding and mammal-watching chasing after the spectacular specialties of the Wet Tropics. Cairns is well-suited for dedicated birding, birding with a camera, or bird and nature photographers, and is popular among both beginner and more-experienced field naturalists. These tours can be tailored for all of these varied birding/wildlife/photography needs. Aside from our focussed tours, we are world-leaders at trips that are  the best of both worlds with the Birding with a Camera tours (BwC) trips, which allow you to focus on birding, but change gears rapidly when there is a bird or animal that  would make a great photo subject; this allows you to still see most of the species, but bag a load of keeper shots by spending some extra time with a photo subject when needed.

Custom Tours:  While TB AUS offers these as set-departure day tours, we can also accommodate custom tours in order to chase specific targets, or focus on certain aspects of photography or natural history you are particularly interested in. Call us for a consultation on your interests at any time, even just for a chat.

Savanna Tour -   Birding, Photography, and BwC

These tours focus on a visit to the open eucalypt savannas and remnant patches of monsoon forest that occur west of Cairns, with a visit to nearby tropical wetlands.

This gives us a chance to see birds as varied as Australian Bustard, Green Pygmy Goose and White-browed Robin.

Lowland Rainforest Tour -   Birding, Photography, and BwC

These tours focus on the tropical lowland rainforests in Cairns and south of there, and combines this with visits to nearby tropical wetlands.

This gives us a chance to see the enormous Southern Cassowary, as well as the gorgeous Lovely Fairywren and diminutive Double-eyed Fig-Parrot.

Upland Rainforest Tour - Birding, Photography, and BwC

These tours focus on the upland rainforests of the Atherton Tableland, which are combined with visits to nearby tropical wetlands.

This gives us a chance to look for birds like Golden and Tooth-billed Bowerbirds, and other Atherton specialties, like Pied Monarch and Grey-headed Robin. 

Cairns BIG-day Tour - Birding and BwC

These tours cram in as many habitats and birds as possible, covering coastal habitats, upland rainforest and tropical savanna in one crazy day full of birds!

• 1800-BIRDING freecall

Tropical & Far North Queensland Birding Tour

Tour Spot Available

North Queensland Birding

Tropical & Far North Queensland (the area around Cairns and all the way up the Cape York Peninsula) is without doubt one of Australia’s top birding destinations. A variety of tropical habitats including rainforests, palm-fringed beaches, mangrove-lined mudflats, tropical savannahs and cool mountain ranges result in a bird diversity unparalleled elsewhere in the country. During this tour we start and finish in Cairns, where we aim to find all local specialties including the 13 endemic birds of the Cairns region, plus many other great rainforest, woodland, wetland and grasslands inhabitants.

Birdwatching in North Queensland

We’ll look for birds such as the sought-after Cassowary , the beautiful Golden Bowerbird and the rare Blue-faced Parrot-finch, Double-eyed Fig-parrot, Lovely Fairy-wren, Tooth-billed Bowerbird, Bridled Honeyeater, Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Spectacled and Black-faced Monarch, Spotted Catbird, Victoria’s Riflebird, Mountain Thornbill, Pale Yellow and Grey-headed Robin, Papuan Frogmouth, Sooty Owl and many more. We’ll also look for mammals such as Bandicoot, Sugar Glider, Northern Striped Possum, Red-necked Wallaby and Tree Kangaroo. The tour traverses the unique Cape York Peninsula where we aim to find all Far North Queensland specialties. Expect up to 200 species including all the important birds this area is well-known for such as Magnificent Riflebird, Frill-necked Monarch, White-streaked Honeyeater, nesting Red Goshawk , Palm Cockatoo , Eclectus Parrot , Yellow-bellied Kingfisher and more. We’ll stay a couple of nights at a well-known birding lodge; we’ll visit the Cairns coastal area; the Daintree Rainforest and Daintree River; we’ll have rare access to Golden-shouldered Parrot nesting sites; explore Rinyirru – Lakefield National Park; we’ll go night spotting for owls and mammals; and we’ll spend three days in Kutini Payamu – Iron Range National Park, one of Australia’s most important ecosystems. At the end of the trip, you can expect well over 200 species including all the important birds this area is well-known for!

Featured Birds

• Southern Cassowary
• Golden, Tooth-billed Bowerbird
• Grey-headed Robin, Noisy Pitta
• Squatter Pigeon, Great-billed Heron
• Double-eyed Fig-parrot
• Blue-faced Parrot-finch
• Lesser Sooty Owl, Papuan Frogmouth
• White-eared, Pied Monarch
• Spectacled, Black-faced Monarch
• MacLeay’s, Yellow Honeyeater
• Black Noddy, Black-naped Tern
• Red Goshawk, Eclectus Parrot
• Golden-shouldered Parrot
• Mangrove Robin, Frill-necked Monarch
• Fawn-breasted Bowerbird, Palm Cockatoo
• Northern Scrubrobin, Marbled Frogmouth
• Trumpet Manucode, White-faced Robin
• Little & Yellow-billed Kingfisher
• and many more.

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• Things to do
• Bird Watching

Calling all Twitchers

Nearly half of all Australian bird species call Tropical North Queensland home, making it something of a birders’ paradise. You don’t have to look too hard to find them, either. Even a walk down Cairns Esplanade will bring you face to face with waterbirds such as pelicans and spoonbills, black swans and black-necked storks.

Venture just a little further afield and you’ll be rewarded with more spectacular specimens. Take a stroll through Mossman Gorge or hike the wetlands and grasslands of the Atherton Tablelands and you may spot birds found nowhere else in Australia, including the golden bowerbird, the bridled honeyeater, the Australian king parrot and the boobook owl.

Some of the most exotic birds are found in our Wet Tropics Rainforest, including the Victoria’s Riflebird. One of just four species of birds of paradise found in Australia, the male Victoria’s Riflebird engages in spectacular mating displays, arching his wings high over his head. Other birds to keep an eye out for include vibrantly coloured kingfishers and the imposing southern cassowary, which grows up to 2m in size.

Cape York is considered one of the country’s best birding locales, home to exotic species like the black-throat finch, golden-shouldered parrot, black-backed butcherbird, palm cockatoo, red goshawk and eclectus parrot.

The Southern Cassowary is endemic to Tropical North Queensland

Close encounters of the bird kind

From kingfishers to cassowaries, meet our eye-catching feathered friends.

Retreat Hopping on the Atherton Tablelands

Pack the mini-break bag and head for the hills for a long weekend of retreat hopping on the Atherton Tablelands.

Endemic species of the Wet Tropics to tick off your list

The Wet Tropics is a living museum, home to a myriad of animals; furry, feathery and scaly, some of which can be found no where else on the planet. Here’s the endemic species that you can only see in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Rainforest.

A wildlife warrior’s 3 day guide to the tropics

Love animals? Love nature? Love khaki? If you answered yes, this guide has your name written all over it, and we’re calling you a wildlife warrior from now on. Trek to the tropics for three days of nature in the north with this itinerary.

Cape York’s big three national parks

If you’re looking for the ultimate national park experience, there’s no better place in the world than the tip of Australia. With ten national or regional parks to choose from, here’s a closer look at three of the most popular.

7 great reasons to head to the Atherton Tablelands

The Atherton Tablelands are the kind of place you want to take at your own pace. Jump in a car and head inland to tick off these must-do experiences.

5 places to spot animals in Kuranda

Kuranda, the picturesque village on the Atherton Tablelands, is home to many of our tropical wild friends, so where better to go animal-spotting than at one of Kuranda’s many wildlife gardens and sanctuaries.

Jewel of the tropics

Tropical North Queensland’s Wet Tropics World Heritage Area is a landscape of astonishing beauty and biodiversity. Immerse yourself in this national treasure, the oldest tropical rainforest on earth.

Explore Bird Watching

Jungle Tours and Trekking

Tropic Wings Cairns Tours and Charters

Skyrail Rainforest Cableway

Cairns Botanic Gardens

Wildlife Habitat

Birdworld Kuranda

Rainforestation Nature Park

Mamu Tropical Skywalk

Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures

Down Under Tours Australia

Billy Tea Safaris

Yagurli Tours

Daintree Discovery Centre

Discovery Tours Australia

Snapping Tours

Princess Hills, Girringun National Park

Wairuna, Girringun National Park

Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park (CYPAL)

Eubenangee Swamp National Park

Back Country Bliss Adventures

FNQ Nature Tours

Daintree Boatman Wildlife Cruises

Wait-a-While Rainforest Tours

Tonys Tropical Tours

Solar Whisper Wildlife Cruises

Daintree Wonder Tours

Tropical Sportfisher

Privacy overview, accessibility, accessibility modes, online dictionary, readable experience, visually pleasing experience, easy orientation.

Cairns & Great Barrier Reef Accessibility Statement

Accessibility Statement

• tropicalnorthqueensland.org.au
• May 4, 2024

Compliance status

We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of circumstance and ability.

To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level. These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.

This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.

Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML, adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.

If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email

Screen-reader and keyboard navigation

Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements, alongside console screenshots of code examples:

Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website. In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels; descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups), and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology. To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on as soon as they enter the website.

These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.

Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.

Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.

Disability profiles supported in our website

• Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
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Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments

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• Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
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We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).

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Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to

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Cairns Botanic Gardens Visitor Guide

If you're looking for the best things to do in Cairns , put the stunning Cairns Botanic Gardens at the top of the list!  Located just outside the city centre, this attraction can entertain any traveller for a few hours.

From the diverse plants and birdlife, to the meticulously landscaped gardens and walking trails, to the local events and opportunities for learning, the Cairns Botanic Gardens are a highlight of this tropical city. You'll feel like you have stepped into a lush paradise as you explore the rich greenery of this gorgeous location. The Cairns Botanic Gardens are even known as one of the best displays of tropical plants in Australia. 

Here are some handy things to know about visiting the Cairns Botanic Gardens!

Here is everything you need to know about the Cairns Botanic Gardens!  This sprawling complex has so much to offer travellers, and you can get lots of info at the Cairns Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre. But before you travel there, we'll answer some common FAQs so you know what to expect. 

Quick facts:

• Address: 64 Collins Avenue, Edge Hill QLD 4870
• Phone: 4032 6650 
• Visitor Centre Hours: 8.30am to 4pm weekdays, 9.30am to 2pm weekends and public holidays (closed Christmas Day)
• Flecker Gardens and Watkins Munro Martin Conservatory Hours: 7.30am to 5.30pm daily
• All other garden areas are open 24/7

How to get to Cairns Botanic Gardens?

The Cairns Botanic Gardens are located about 5km northwest of the city centre. Visitors can drive, bike, take the bus, take an Uber , join a guided tour , or walk there from downtown. If you're driving your own car or a rental car , there is plenty of parking at the Cairns Botanic Gardens as well as street parking along Collins Avenue and Greenslopes Street. A drive from Cairns to the Botanic Gardens should only take about 10 minutes. 

The Sunbus is a public bus in Cairns that stops right in front of the Cairns Botanic Gardens, making it super easy to get here via public transport. The bus ride is around 20 minutes. Or join a guided day tour of the city that includes all transport and a visit to the gardens. 

Alternatively, you could embark on a one-hour walk to the Cairns Botanic Gardens if you're hoping to sightsee or get some exercise. You could also hire a bike and cycle to the gardens in about 15 minutes. So there are lots of ways to get to the Cairns Botanic Gardens !

How much does it cost to go to the Cairns Botanic Gardens?

It is free to visit the Cairns Botanic Gardens! That makes this attraction one of the best free things to do in Cairns . It's also a great attraction for travellers on a budget since there is no entrance fee. You can even join a free walking tour to learn about the flora and fauna from a knowledgeable staff member. The gardens also host bird-watching tours, heritage tours, and private tours. No bookings are required unless you are in a large group or you want to organise a private tour. 

What is there to see and do at the Cairns Botanic Gardens?

There is so much to do at the Cairns Botanic Gardens, whether you're looking to just stroll around and admire the greenery or take part in a local event.  You can join guided walking tours, shop for souvenirs and art in the visitor centre, hang out in the library and cafe, or bring your kids to an interactive school event. 

As for the gardens themselves, there are several different themed gardens with their own array of sights and walks. Each garden space has a unique design and showcases a huge variety of tropical, native, and international plants. There are also a few lakes and boardwalks where you can walk through the tranquil scenery. 

Here is a list of the different sections at the Cairns Botanic Gardens:

• Flecker Gardens
• Aboriginal Plant Use Garden
• Bamboo collection
• Fitzalan Gardens
• Gondwanan Heritage Garden
• Watkins Munro Martin Conservatory
• Zhanjiang Friendship Garden
• Nature Playground
• Rainforest Boardwalk
• Saltwater Lake
• Freshwater Lake

Find other fun things to do around Cairns!

How long does it take to walk around cairns botanic gardens.

Most people can walk around the Cairns Botanic Gardens in about 1-2 hours. But the exact time depends on your preferences! You could easily spend 3 hours or more here if you really want to take your time, bird watch, and browse through every garden. It's actually a great place to relax with a book or a journal, so you could spend hours here soaking in the serenity. 

But if you're just doing a standard walk-through, aim to spend at least an hour at the Cairns Botanic Gardens. The complex covers around 38 hectares of gardens though, so don't be surprised if you spend longer than expected exploring. 

Can you take dogs to the Cairns Botanic Gardens?

No, dogs and other animals are not allowed into any part of the Cairns Botanic Gardens, with the exception of registered assistance animals.  This is to ensure the flora and fauna stay as clean, pure, and protected as possible. The animal restriction extends to the Centenary Lakes areas as well. 

Are the Cairns Botanic Gardens wheelchair accessible?

Yes, most of the Cairns Botanic Gardens are wheelchair and pram accessible !  This helps make the gardens an inclusive attraction for people with all different levels of mobility. There are, however, a few paths in the Flecker Gardens that are not suitable for wheelchairs. There are also a few sections that may require the assistance of a carer. You can find a full map of the wheelchair-accessible locations on the Cairns Regional Council website . 

What facilities are at the Cairns Botanic Gardens?

Facilities you can find at the Cairns Botanic Gardens include toilets, picnic areas, parking areas, a cafe, and a library.  The Visitor Centre is where you can find maps and ask questions to the friendly staff if you need help getting around the complex. You can also store bags and luggage at the Visitor Centre while you explore the gardens, which is a handy perk!

Visit the Cairns Botanic Gardens on a Cairns City Sights Day Tour !

Explore more of the best things to do in cairns , or contact our travel experts if you have more questions about your trip to cairns, related articles....

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