Whether you travel in luxury or backpack around the globe, Cairns and Tropical Northern Queensland is a must-see region in Australia! Cairns has many things to do, boasting two UNESCO World Heritage sites (the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef). But did you know that you can also visit the famed Australian Outback on a day trip from Cairns? The Cairns Outback journey will take you to the Chillagoe Caves, historic mines, Granite Gorge, and more as you experience the unique landscape of Australia’s interior. This makes an excellent day trip on a 5 day itinerary.
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When you plan your trip to Cairns, you are most likely heading there to experience the Barrier Reef’s hot waters or have fun in the tropical rainforest. Both protected sites are unique and offer many opportunities as vacation destinations.
However, lying a few hours northwest of Cairns lies the edge of the great Australian Outback. This unique landscape exists only in the center of Australia, where Ayer’s Rock is located. But on a day trip from Cairns, you can experience the isolation, dust, and unforgiving features of this iconic region.
How to Get There
The best way to explore this region is on a Cairns Outback tour. Several companies offer these tours, including Viator and Get Your Guide. However, I would recommend booking directly with Billy Tea Safaris. They will pick you up at your hotel in town and provide transportation in an air-conditioned 4WD vehicle that you will be glad to have once you get over the McAllister Mountain Range. This vehicle can also cope with rough terrain with very little road at times. This is also a small-group tour, perfect for those who do not like crowds.
Along the way, your guide will tell a few stories of the local area and identify any of the birds and wildlife. You may be lucky to view species such as emus, wedge-tail eagles, squatter pigeons, kangaroos, and frilled neck lizards. The first stop will be the Skybury Coffee Plantation for morning coffee and a “bio-break.”
Highlights of a Cairns Outback Tour
- Skybury Coffee Plantation
Located just outside the town of Mareeba, Skybury Plantation is one of the top tourism venues in the Atherton Tablelands. When you arrive in the parking lot of the plantation, your guide will identify some of the unusual vegetation surrounding this area. In addition, there is a unique tree frog that has taken up residence inside the washroom. Of course, everyone must go a look.
The coffee shop of the plantation offers you very knowledgeable staff who will tell you about the history of the plantation on display in the lobby. They are happy to answer any questions. The smell inside the shop is a mix of wonderful coffee aromas and warm baked goods.
As part of the Cairns outback tour, you are led to the back room, where coffee and warm scones will be served. The views of the valley surrounding this plantation are stunning. After you finish your coffee, you are welcome to browse the bakeshop and roastery to purchase your coffee beans to bring home. In addition to coffee, the plantation also grows papaya available for purchase.
- Chillagoe-Mungaga Caves National Park
As you travel further into the Outback along dirt roads, your guide will continue to provide informative commentary of the region’s history and Aboriginal culture. When you arrive at the Chillagoe-Mungaga Caves National Park, an experienced guide will hand you a flashlight and outline what to expect within the caves. As you approach the caves’ entrance, you are reminded that proper footwear is a must as the rocks provide uneven surfaces and can be dangerous if they are damp.
There are several different cave tours available. The Royal Arch Tour takes you through one of the largest cave systems and is about 90 minutes long. It is best to check the park’s website for closures as the wet season can affect local access.
It is said that these caves were part of ancient coral reefs some 400-420 million years ago. Over time, they became fossilized and transformed into limestone labyrinths winding their way under the mountains. Inside, the tunnels and rooms showcase an interesting array of stalagmite and stalactite formations that are intriguing to behold. You will also discover some unexpected beams of daylight, fig tree roots climbing the walls of the caverns, and the constant flitting of bats. (Don’t worry, most will remain well above your heads)
- Chillagoe Smelter Ruins
The next stop on the Cairns outback tour is the Chillagoe Smelter Ruins. The Chillagoe smelters were the center of the thriving mining industry in the early 1900s. Ore, copper, lead, silver, and gold were processed through these smelters until 1943 when other smelters were built closer to larger mines. In the 1950’s most of the buildings were sold, but the smelter stacks remained.
At this site, which can be very hot in the sun, you can view the display boards of the mining history and see the remains of the smelter stacks. In other parts of the site, your tour guide may take you to a waste pile where you are free to try your luck at finding a gold or silver nugget.
- Aussie Outback Lunch
After spending the morning crawling through narrow passageways in the caves and wiping the dust off from the smelters, you are undoubtedly ready for an authentic Aussie lunch. The town of Chillagoe is home to a 100+-year-old Post-Office Hotel and pub that provides just the right blend of Aussie hospitality. Grab a burger and have a cold beer while taking a break from the dust and heat. Take a walk around town and experience life a century ago.
- Balancing Rock Formation
The balancing rock formation is a sizeable bean-shaped boulder perched on a hill outside Chillagoe. It can be reached by a 450m hiking loop that traverses the sides of the rocky outcrop. It is pretty steep in places, so be prepared. Your guide may also point out some “nasty-nasty” berries given their name by the local Aboriginal people. In short, please do not eat them as they are poisonous.
At the base of this rocky outcrop, you will also find some Aboriginal artwork painted on the rocks to remind the area’s history. Your guide may also provide some Dreamtime stories, as shown by the art.
It is also interesting to note that one of the features expected in the Australian Outback is the presence of anthills or termite mounds in this area. These mounds are home to grass-eating termites and can grow several meters high. Larger mounds are oriented north-south as a built-in temperature mechanism to reduce the least surface area pointing toward the hot sun.
- Granite Gorge
The final stop on the Cairns outback tour is probably one of the most rewarding. Although Granite Gorge is designed for camping, hiking, and rock climbing, the favorite activity is the opportunity to cuddle some native animals.
The Mareeba Rock wallabies are available to pet, feed, and cuddle as they are pretty tame. Like a small kangaroo, the rock wallabies keep their young in the mother’s pouch until they are weaned. If you are lucky, you may see and interact with animal families. As a safety note, their claws are sharp!
Final Thoughts
As you head back to Cairns and the moist tropical air of the coast, you will travel back through the Atherton Tablelands and see the tropical rainforests rising in front of you. It is hard to believe that such diverse natural features exist such a short drive outside Cairns.
RELATED: Get your copy of the Cairns & Northern Travel Guide available on Etsy.
If Cairns is your vacation destination, be sure to include an Outback tour as part of your experience.
RELATED POST: For a different day trip from Cairns, go and explore the charming village of Port Douglas.
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It is fascinating that this is only a day trip from the tropical Cairns. What a unique excursion! And those small kangaroo & wallaby are so cute!
Yes, it is an great experience. Most people would not have considered that such a place is such a short distance from Cairns. And yes, the wallabies are really cute but their nails are sharp!
Your last sentence summarized exactly what I was thinking: It’s so wild to think that you can have such different landscapes so close to each other. The balanced rock formation is so neat. There’s a similar formation with the same name in one of America’s NP’s. It’s pretty fascinating how these rocks don’t tumble over!
Yes, nature truly is amazing sometimes!
You cuddled with wallabies! How fun! Thank you so much for sharing this delightful Outback Tour with caves, nasty berries, and cuddly creatures! Putting it on the list!
Yes, they are quite friendly. Not enough enough to pick up but we were able to have them very close. Claws are sharp so pants are preferred if you go.
Great trip to take wish I had known about this when I was in Cairns, would loved to of seen the Caves and the plantation.
I would not have thought about going to the outback either but my friend suggested it.
Great post. Those caves are amazing. I have learned to never eat berries on a hike especially in Australia where it seems a lot of things are looking to kill you.
This looks like a fantastic area to explore. We would love to visit the Chillagoe-Mungaga caves and meet the rock wallabies on the Granite Gorge. The balancing rock really seems to defy the laws of Physics! We didn’t realise that it was possible to visit the outback as a day trip from Cairns but it would definitely be something we would like to do.
Definitely worth taking the trip.