Yungaburra

 12 -13 November 2025

We set off from Port Douglas to return to the Atherton Tablelands. As usual we made a stop at Abattoir Swamp for morning tea and some birding, before heading on to Yungaburra to set up for the night. We chose to stay at the caravan park at the lake so we would be close to our possible new temporary home. 

Families of curlews make the caravan park their home

We had arranged to meet to discuss renting a guest house on a semi-rural property at Lake Barrine while we waited for our new house to be finished. When we arrived we were gob-smacked by the view - and the very well set up guest house. Arrangements were made to move in the following day.

We went back to the caravan park and re-organised things in the camper trailer so that we would have everything we needed at hand. We would be able to unpack the trailer properly over the next few days and then it would be stored in one of the farm sheds.

We were a little bit excited and more than a bit relieved at the prospect of having a roof over our heads and headed over in the morning ready to move in.

Atherton

 7 - 14  October 2025

We left Oasis Roadhouse early and stopped in Mount Garnett for a cuppa, had lunch at Mt Hypippamee, then continued along the Kennedy Highway towards Atherton. Returning to the Atherton Tablelands really is starting to feel like coming home. We had booked to stay at our favourite caravan park but were a day early so we went in to check if they could accommodate us. It was very busy and we were given the choice of a night on one site, then a move to the one we had been allocated, or the whole week on the new one. We opted not to move and set up in the lower section near the dry creek bed.

Friday night by the creek

Although it was a little further to the amenities and camp kitchen it was a great spot, and not as crowded as the rest of the park. We had returned to Atherton so we could keep some appointments and also to check on our soon to be finished new home, so most of our time was spent on "housekeeping" tasks. We even managed to get to a couple of garage sales, even though we really didn't have room for any more "stuff".

We made some time for a walk along Peterson Creek in Yungaburra to look for birds and platypus, but we were not successful on either count. It's a really nice walk, even without the wildlife.

We decided to head down to make our next stop Cairns so we could do some furniture shopping. It's not a big drive so we left just before check-out time, which is 10:00am, and headed down the hill via Kuranda Range.

Yungaburra

 29 August - 4 September 2025

Once we left Artemis, our Cape York trip was over and it was time to return to the Tablelands - however it would only be a brief stay. We made the usual stops at Lakeland and Rifle Creek before arriving at Lakeside near Yungaburra. We had some credit from when we'd had to cancel last year, so checked in for 5 nights, and then extended it to 7. We were given a good site with views to the lake in two directions, and settled in.

We spent our time doing all the usual Tablelands things - visiting Petersen Creek, Hasties Swamp, Lake Eacham and Lake Barrine. I's always nice to be able to have easy access to a number of spots with good birding and great walks. We also had lots of housekeeping to do - including trying to get rid of the red dirt and dust that accumulates when you travel on unsealed roads. 

We woke up one morning to fog so thick
you couldn't see the lake

We drove over to Ravenshoe to visit our friends Rob and Cheryl and to pick up a couple of things we had left there before the Cape trip, and drop off a couple of things we wouldn't need again for a while. Of course, on the way home we stopped at Mount Hypipamee. We had been hearing about a resident cassowary but, despite visiting regularly, had never seen it - until this visit. We were returning from the walk to the crater when we spotted it near the bridge over the creek. It wandered around for a while, and we were able to get a very good look at it, and quite a few photos. 

While we were in Weipa we found out about the opportunity for Mick to get on a Pelagic birding trip out of Port Macquarie. He was able to secure a spot so we set about planning a southern trip. Port Macquarie is quite a favourite spot so we were happy to go there, and we managed to talk friends Anne and Stephen into joining us for a couple of nights. They live at Fingal Bay so it would be a short trip for them. We figured while we were heading south we should go up to O'Reillys too, so we included that in the plan.

On our final day we had arranged for some work to be done on the camper trailer while we were still onsite in the caravan park. Consequently, we didn't leave until after lunch. Again, we weren't sure where we would end up, but knew it would probably be a beach somewhere.

Yungaburra - Bonadio's RV Park

 28 - 30 April 2025

After our short stay in the Daintree we returned to the Atherton Tablelands. This time we decided to stay at a campground we had not been to before, but one which we had heard good things about. Bonadio's in on a working maize farm near Yungaburra, and has been continuously improved over the years. Initially it was for self-contained campers only, but they have added toilets, showers and laundry, a dump point and also now have powered sites. The campground in situated a short walk from the Barron River where playtpus may be seen. The campground itself is well maintained and each night there is possum feeding down at the camp shed. 

We stopped for lunch at our favourite Platypus Park and arrived in the early afternoon. We had called ahead to check that an early arrival would be ok so found our check-in form, and drove down to the campground where we were able to select our own site. We headed in to Atherton where Mick had an appointment then returned to camp to explore the walking paths by the river.

No platypus but still a lovely walk

Mick was keen to go to the Curtain Fig after dark to look for an owl that lives there so we set off after dinner. It was a very dark night and we were the only ones there for most of the time. Unfortunately we didn't get any photos of the owl, but we did hear it, and we saw it fly overhead. As we were leaving a small tour group arrived - maybe they were more successful.

On Tuesday we went shopping and re-organised things again ready for the next leg of our adventure. That evening we joined other guests at the shed to see the possums being fed. They were the cause of great delight - especially for a few international visitors who video called family "back home" to share the experience.

Possum feeding is always fun

We certainly enjoyed our brief stay at Bonadio's before heading on to Ravenshoe for our next house sit.

Atherton

 23 March - 2 April 2025

Before we left Cairns to return "home" to the Atherton Tablelands, we made one last visit to the Esplanade in search of birds, then packed up and were on our way. We made the usual stop in Kuranda for a walk around and a coffee, before continuing on to Atherton.

We checked in to the caravan park close to town, where we have stayed a few times. It is one of the best kept caravan parks we have visited and the bonus is that there is lots of birdlife around. The down side was that the rain we had been experiencing for more than two weeks, was forecast to continue. With that in mind we chose a site with a slab, close to the amenities.

We had originally planned to stay for three nights but decided we might as well stay for the ten days we had left before our house sitting commitment in Lake Eacham. We were glad we did as the rain continued on and off for the whole time, including a couple of nasty thunderstorms. There was significant rain across most of the state so we couldn't have escaped it anyway.

Lake Eacham has long been a favourite spot

We did all the usual things while we were in Atherton - Hasties Swamp, Petersen Creek, Mount Hypipamee Crater, a walk around Lake Eacham, and this time we went on the cruise around Lake Barrine. The Lake Barrine Tea House had a special on the cruise - free for over 65s in April so we took advantage and were very pleased we did. We've been on this tour a number of times and each time the guide had told us about the resident python that is "usually over there", but not when we've been there. This time there were four pythons spotted! Success at last!

Dinner Falls in Mt Hypipamee NP

Lake Barrine Teahouse seen from the cruise

We were lucky that on our final morning in Atherton the sun was shining after a very loud and heavy thunderstorm overnight. We were able to get the canvas mostly dry before packing up, knowing that we would be able to open the camper trailer once we were settled in at the house sit.

Yungaburra - Lake Tinaroo

27 – 30 September 2023

We had never stayed at the caravan park on the lake at Yungaburra and were pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome, even though it was well before usual check-in time. We were also allocated a site just as requested – not too far from the amenities. To top it off the site had a view of the lake in two directions.

We went for a couple of walks down by the lake and enjoyed some lovely weather while we were there. It was busy with families but we had a site on the end of a row, the amenities and camp kitchen, so didn’t feel hemmed in. There was a long weekend coming up and the park started to fill up on Friday afternoon.

While we were on the Tablelands we took the opportunity to catch up with friends who live in Mareeba. Bill and Kerry drove over to have lunch with us at a very nice restaurant in Yungaburra. We hadn’t seen them since we left North Queensland two years ago, so had lots of stories to share. Bill took Mick out for a paddle on the lake early one morning – a new experience for Mick. We also visited our favourite Lakes – Eacham and Barrine and went for a short walk at each. It was late in the day when we went to Lake Barrine this time and there was plenty of parking.

We still had at least a week before we had to be back in Townsville so we decided on a few days in Cairns before heading south again.

Malanda

22 – 25 September 2023

We stopped for a late lunch at the rest area at Forty Mile Scrub and then continued on to Mount Garnet. We pulled into the caravan park, but despite the glowing reviews, we found it underwhelming, so continued on to Ravenshoe.

The community run caravan Park in Ravenshoe looked really nice, but it was full and there were only spots in an unshaded paddock. Because it was still quite early we decided to go to Malanda. We’d stayed there a number of times before and knew it would be a good spot. Being a Friday, and school holidays, we called ahead and were told there was a spot available.

When we arrived we were actually given a choice of several spots and we chose the one in the corner of the park near the falls, backing on to the rainforest. As we sat having a Friday drink we caught sight of something moving at the back of our camp. To our delight we realised it was a couple of Lumholtz Tree Kangaroos! Mother and baby skirted the edge of the trees, then climbed one where we could watch them for a few minutes. This was a truly special experience.

On Saturday morning we drove over to Yungaburra – as luck would have it we had arrived on markets weekend. First we went for a walk along Petersen’s Creek and down to Frawley’s Pool. This tranquil spot is named for a local school teacher who taught children to swim there in the 1950’s. We then walked back along the creek and across the suspension bridge – looking for birds the whole time.

From there we went to the famous Yungaburra Markets. Always busy, and with lots of local produce, food and handicrafts, we enjoyed wandering around. We bought a few things then went back to Malanda for lunch. There was some rain in the afternoon and more forecast for the coming days, but nothing too drastic – so we thought.

On Sunday we drove over to one of Mick’s favourite spots – Hastie’s Swamp, near Atherton. The two level bird hide allows good views of the swamp where there were many different varieties including heaps of Magpie Geese. Once again we headed home for lunch and then a drive to Lake Eacham in the afternoon. It was a beautiful day so we also had a walk to the Malanda Falls – adjacent to the caravan park.

Unfortunately the rain started in earnest during the night and by morning we had a significant amount of muddy puddles to contend with. The original forecast that had indicated “0 – 6mm” of rain, had been revised twice and was now showing “0 – 15mm” so we had to decide whether to stay and wait it out, or move to a drier location. More rain was forecast for the next 5 days so we chose to move on. Packing up in the wet is never fun, and we had the added complication of the sticky red mud. Thankfully the rain had stopped briefly so at least we weren’t wet. We managed to get everything done and reluctantly left Malanda bound for Mareeba, on the dry end of the Tablelands.

We visited Platypus Park near Atherton looking for birds, and hoping for a coffee, but the café was closed. Devonshire Tea at Lake Barrine was our next choice, but with no designated long vehicle parking, and the parking area full we drove back in to Yungaburra where we enjoyed a very late morning tea at one of the cafes there.

Back on the road and we stopped at “The Humpy” at Tolga for some fresh fruit and veggies, as well as some treats, then continued on to Mareeba.

Yungaburra - Atherton Tablelands

29 January to 1 February 2015

We arrived in Malanda at about lunch time and the heat was oppressive - mid thirties and certainly not what you expect up here. Usually the temperature on the Atherton Tablelands, even at the height of summer, is markedly cooler than on the coast. We spent a few minutes in each of the two op-shops then into the supermarket for supplies and over to Yungaburra. We had opted to return to another favourite spot - Bushland Cottages. We have stayed there quite a few times before and always enjoy the surroundings. There are two cottages - we had Birdwing (2 bedroom) situated just on the edge of Yungaburra village, with a large deck looking out onto the bushland that slopes down to Petersen Creek. The cottage is well appointed with just about everything you could need.

The deck

Not a great angle. On each visit, Yellow-eyed Cuckoo-shrikes were seen in a fig tree at Lake Eacham.

Because of the heat we decided to head over to Lake Eacham after lunch and a rest. A swim in the lake was the perfect way to spend the afternoon. There were lots of people there, but it didn't feel crowded - there was plenty of space for everyone. On the way home we took a detour down to Lake Tinaroo (Tinaroo Dam) to look for a Ruff that has been reported there - without any luck.

The beautiful Lake Eacham.

Little Pied Cormorant at Platypus Park

On Friday morning we headed off early - before 8.00am and called into Lake Eacham for a quick photo opportunity with some Yellow-eyed Cuckoo-shrikes that Mick had spotted the day before, then over to Atherton and a stop at Platypus Park, then some serious bird spotting at Hasties Swamp. While we were there Mick met a fellow birder who told him exactly where to find the Ruff at Lake Tinaroo. We also spotted the platypus, but didn't get a photo this time. It's unusual to see one during the day - they are supposed to be nocturnal, but we have actually seen quite a few in the day time.

We stopped in Atherton to have a coffee, buy beer and fill up with petrol, then back over to Tinaroo for another - unsuccessful - look for the bird. Lunch at home, an afternoon nap and then back over to Lake Eacham for another swim. A few clouds were starting to build, and even though it was still hot, there was the promise of rain.




We opted for dinner at The Lake Eacham Hotel (otherwise known as the Yungaburra Pub). Good pub meals at reasonable prices, in a beautiful old building with lots of interesting photos and old world charm. There are several pubs like this one on the tablelands that still reflect their former glory.

Australasian Pipit Lake Tinaroo.

A welcome afternoon storm cooled things down but our planned walk along Petersen Creek had to wait until morning. The walking track and surrounds are well maintained and constantly improved thanks to an active, hard working local land care group. The occasional song of a Shrike-thrush cut through the all pervasive, pulsating buzz of countless cicadas singing from the gums above us. We strolled down the track to a swimming hole below some little rapids and watched dragonflies patrol and then rest on rocks in the stream bed.

There are supposed to be Tree Kangaroos along this walk but we have never been lucky enough to see one. There is always plenty of other wildlife to see if you are quiet and patient. We saw Eastern Yellow Robin, Pied Monarch, Dusky Honeyeater and Varied Triller along with Water Dragons and a snake that slithered away into the creek well ahead of us.

Red-rumped Swallow, one of the targets of the trip, better than nothing!

Juvenile Olive-backed Oriole.

Grey Teal at Hasties Swamp.

There are plenty of places to stop and take in the serenity.

Stuck in a spider web.

Cicada shell on one of the many picnic tables along the walk.

This Goanna eyed us suspiciously as we passed.

This is probably the well disguised nest of a Monarch.

An unusual fungi growing from the base of a tree along the track.

What a racket these make! The sound of summer in the bush.

On Saturday morning, after our walk along Petersen Creek, we drove over to Malanda to the Nerada Tea Visitor Centre. Despite being regular visitors to the Tablelands (Mick for over 50 years) we had never visited Nerada, so we had it on the must do list. The brochure we had indicated the centre was open every day of the week. Wrong! A sign at the turn-off announced that the centre would be closed for the month of February - no problem it was only 31 January, so off we went. A pleasant drive of about 10km through rolling hills and we arrived - only to find another sign about the February closure, and another stating "closed Saturday and Sunday". Bugger! I checked their website later and it does show the new trading hours - but no mention of the February closure. We picked up more supplies and headed back to the cottage. A rainy afternoon cooled the temperature slightly and also restricted the birdwatching somewhat.

Before we headed for home on Sunday morning we had one last look for the elusive Ruff and spotted a platypus instead.  Back down the Palmerston Highway with a stop in Cardwell and lunch in Ingham, then home.

The last morning and still no Ruff. Pacific Black Duck.

Buff-banded Rail by the road on the way to the lake.

Golden-headed Cisticola

Atherton Tablelands

25 - 28 October 2014

Our next stop would be the beautiful Atherton Tablelands. From Cairns you can travel north and go via Kuranda and Mareeba, or go south via Gordonvale and straight to Yungaburra. We opted for the longer journey via Kuranda. Both the Gillies Highway and Kuranda Range Road are steep and windy, and both can be dangerous, but Kuranda Range itself is much shorter. Besides we had all day to get to The Canopy in Tarzali.

Once we reached Kuranda, just on 9.00 am, we stopped for coffee only to discover that Kuranda doesn't really get going until later in the morning - we suspected once the tourists start arriving via Skyrail and the Kuranda Rail. We did find one coffee shop open and enjoyed our coffee - complete with milk art - before checking out the local op shop. We also did a spot of Christmas shopping in one of the few shops that were open.

Great work by the barista, worth a photo!

As luck would have it we had booked this visit on the weekend of the famed Yungaburra Markets, so this was to be a definite stop. Yungaburra Markets started as a fundraiser for the local primary school, and have grown into the biggest and best markets in the north. They are held on the fourth Saturday of each month, except December when they are held before Christmas. We wandered through the numerous stalls selling local produce, clothing, natural remedies, soaps, gift ware and numerous foods. We bought nitrate free bacon and fresh local vegies, as well as some more Christmas gifts. Traditional Swiss bratwurst hot dogs and a deep fried, battered potato twist was not the healthiest lunch - but it sure tasted good! 

Christie is serenaded by a barber shop quartet as she chooses a dip.

Not only was it markets day, it was also Tablelands Folk Festival weekend, so like Green Island, Yungaburra was packed with tourists, but unlike Green Island, these were a different breed altogether. Everyone was relaxed and friendly, polite and courteous. Despite the crowds, it was a nice place to be.

Green-eyed Tree Frog found in the bath room.

From Yungaburra we drove on to Malanda to pick up more supplies and then on to The Canopy. We had stayed here before and chose to return as it is a beautiful spot in the rainforest, with abundant birdlife. Bird seed and over-ripe bananas are provided so you can attract the locals and it didn't take long for Mick to get the camera set up on the tripod on the balcony of our pole house. Brush turkeys were the noisiest visitors and catbirds the greediest. King parrots, Macleays honeyeaters, Victoria's riflebirds and many others visited throughout the afternoon. 

This is the boss turkey. There were at least six others in his entourage constantly hanging around, totally obsessed with getting a share of whatever food was on offer.

Light levels were always very low in the rainforest, making photography very difficult. I found myself pushing the ISO up to numbers I'd not attempted before and still not even getting 1/160 s. As a result, close up detail has suffered and lots of shots were blurred and unusable. Luckily, modern cameras can handle high ISOs very well and in in conjunction with noise reduction and editing software, a decent image is possible. 

I set up my camera with a flash attached on a tripod at the other end of the deck from where birds came in to feed. Whenever birds came in I clicked away like crazy. Unfortunately the feeder is at the darkest part of the deck. This was a great learning experience as I worked through different combinations of ISOs and fill flash values. Because of the lack of light the aperture was always wide open. Mick.

Spotted Catbird

Wompoo Fruit-Dove

I could never tire of this view.

Sunday was a relaxing day spent at the cabin, with Mick alternating between taking and processing photos. Some of the birds eat out of your hands and one of the king parrots was quite demanding – sitting on the table and making eye contact and noises until a handful of seed was made available.

Australian King-Parrot Female

Macleays honeyeater

Victoria's riflebird Male

Victoria's riflebird Female flicks banana into its mouth.

We were awoken by noises inside the cabin to discover a midnight possum raiding party. I had forgotten to close the louvres in the kitchen before retiring for the night! The Special K cereal was overlooked in favour of bananas, and date and walnut loaf as the food of choice for these very cheeky creatures. As Mick held the door open to shoo one out, another came strolling in. The trail of possum pee revealed that they had even been into the bedroom – perhaps checking that we were asleep. 

They are a pest but an irresistible one.

The local currency is banana.

We headed out - having cleaned up after the possum party - and made our way to Malanda and then Atherton for the op-shops. Then it was on to "Platypus Park" and Hastie Swamp for some bird watching. There is a great hide at the swamp, but not many birds on this occasion. Back to Malanda for lunch at the bakery - tasty pies and good service (they even provide hand sanitiser on the tables!) Back over to Yungaburra for a browse in the shops and you would never know the place had been crawling with thousands of tourists and visitors two days before - it was back to its sleepy and peaceful self.

Eastern Water-dragon.

Bridled Honeyeater sun-baking.

Gerygone feeding young in nest.

These three shots were all taken at another favourite birding place of mine, Platypus Park in Atherton. I make a point of visiting each time we are on the Atherton Tableland and am never disappointed. 

Because of the diverse habitat available in a relatively small area, there is always plenty of wildlife. Because this is a suburban park the wildlife is more accustomed to humans, so you are generally able to get a little closer. A large Evodia tree in the park blooms around Christmas each year and becomes the focus of a multitude of nectar-loving creatures. Several species of honeyeater, butterflies, lorikeets, beetles and other insects all flock to the abundant nectar supply. More pics to come. Mick.

On arriving home, we went for a short walk on the property to visit the turtle hangouts. These creatures know to expect to be fed when you arrive, and come to the bank in expectation. I held a handful of the turtle food provided and was bitten on the fingers for my trouble. I didn't expect that.

We spent our last morning just enjoying the surroundings - and taking more photos, so we didn't leave until almost ten o'clock. A good run home, with a stop in Cardwell for lunch.

Time to start planning the next trip....