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Crater Lakes Rainforest Cottages
cottage - cabin - chalet
- Number of bedrooms
4 - Number of bathrooms
4 - Number of floors
1 - Sleeps
16
| Pets - No | Smoking - Yes | Wheelchair - No |
Property description
Discover the luxury of your own self-contained cottage, uniquely and tastefully decorated, and hidden in a tranquil rainforest setting. Ideally positioned to experience the beautiful Tablelands and just 1hr from Cairns.
A romantic getaway, a perfect honeymoon destination and a nature lover's paradise. Curl up in front of the fire with a Port and chocolates, stretch out on the king-sized bed, relax in the spa bath, and prepare your yummy breakfast hamper in the self-contained kitchen or on the BBQ on the deck.
We are hidden away on the border of the World Heritage listed Lake Eacham National Park (you might like to hire our canoe to paddle around the lake) and less than 10 minutes from the historical town of Yungaburra, which has award winning restaurants and a small supermarket.
Encounter cute Wallabies, marauding Brush Turkeys, shy Musky Rat Kangaroos, long nosed bandicoots, Victoria's Rifle birds, Cat Birds and much more wildlife from your own private balcony. Of the 760 bird species in Australia, more than 300 can be found on the Tablelands, and many endemic species are seen from the cottages.
Your friendly hosts, John & Jenny, offer free guided platypus spotting, and transfers
to and from the wonderful restaurants in nearby Historical Yungaburra Village.
All the cottages are individually and tastefully decorated in the themes of Pioneer, Tuscany, Bali and Nautical. Complete with all the comforts of home TV, video, stereo, and full kitchen. Plus lots of little extras to spoil you; wood fire heater (it is a little cooler here than on the coast), big spa bath to luxuriate in, huge king bed, candles, bubble bath, flowers and complimentary Port and Chocolates. Also provided are bird and wildlife books and board games.
The volcanic origins of the Tablelands has resulted in a rich fertile plain of rolling hills interspersed with World Heritage Rainforest, spectacular waterfalls and crater lakes. Ideal for sightseeing, picnics and bushwalks. It took millions of years to create such awe inspiring natural wonders, so give yourselves a couple of days to explore.
Rates
150 - 190 AUD/day
Additional information
An hours drive from Cairns, up the Gillies Range, you will find a plateau known as the Atherton Tablelands. We are situated in the Southern part of the Tablelands, an area of rolling green pastures, hills and lakes formed by volcanic activity, interspersed with pockets of World Heritage Rainforest, waterfalls and small townships.
Take a short walk from our cottages, this will bring you to the start of the 500m walking track through rainforest to Lake Eacham. From there you can do the 4km circuit track through the rainforest on the edge of Lake Eacham.
This is a very pleasant and well-maintained walk and will take about one hour.
Lake Eacham offers safe all year swimming in its pristine waters, and an ideal picnic venue.
About 300m from Lake Eacham, is a short walk that takes in Vision Falls and a few small waterfalls. It is not signed or maintained, but is very pretty, and takes about 20 mins.
A guided nocturnal animals tour can be arranged with Wait-a While Tours. They will pick you up from Lake Barrine about 4 pm, then on to a platypus spotting site. Dinner is provided at either Nicks Restaurant in Yungaburra or the Millbarn in Atherton. Then it is further up the mountain for a night spotlight tour. Drop off is about 10.30pm. The price is about $154 per person, but includes dinner and both platypus and night spotting. Tour is subject to availability.
Or if you would prefer a personal tour guide, Jonathan Munro is a naturalist guide, specializing in both nocturnal and daytime wildlife and birding tours, available by booking only. Tours are tailored to your requirements. See http://www.wildwatch.com.au
Another highly recommended guide is Alan Gillanders, a Naturalist who offers 1.5 hr nocturnal tours at $60 per couple and also bird guiding. His web is www.alanswildlifetours.com.au.
Or, Glenn Holmes is a consulting ecologist for various government bodies etc. He has extensive knowledge of rainforest ecology and is very experienced in birdwatching and guiding. He will guide you from your own vehicle at probably the best rates locally. Tours tailored to suit you, booking essential. Email Glenn on dasyornis@ledanet.com.au
Visit Lake Barrine (10minutes away by car). They have a rainforest cruise, a tea-house, and a well maintained 6km circuit track.
At Malanda Falls (10 minutes away by car) you can take a walk extremely informative one hour walk through the rainforest with an Aboriginal Guide. Bookings essential. Thursday – Sunday, 10.30 am and 2 pm, only $5 per adult.
While at Malanda visit the Wait-a-while Craft Studio and Malanda Antiques Store.
The Waterfall Circuit, is a nice drive just out of Millaa Millaa. The first falls you visit is the beautiful Millaa Millaa falls, which has been used a lot in advertising around the world. You drive on to visit another 2 waterfalls. At Millaa Millaa, visit the small local museum.
Further on towards Mungalli Falls, visit the Mungalli Dairy, which has a teahouse open for morning tea, Lunch or afternoon tea, and view Cheese making on most days. (The Cheese platters are great). Open 10am to 4pm.
If you are interested in fishing you can catch a North Qld Jade Perch at Tarzali Lakes Fish Farm. At $25 per half day for an adult, and $5 to take a fish home, this is great value as everything you need is supplied, and you are guaranteed a fish. Bookings essential, phone 40972713, web www.ledanet.com.au/~tarzalilakes.
The Mt Hypipamee Crater National Park is very interesting and has a very good 300m rainforest walk to the crater, and to Dinner Falls. During our last visit there, we had a very good sighting of a platypus sunning itself in a rock pool near the falls.
At nearby Yungaburra, browse though The Chalet Rainforest Gallery, Quincan Gallery, Ludji Peden Studio Gallery and Yungaburra Antiques (a few kms outside the Yungaburra township). Just outside of the little village of Yungaburra, there is a short walk through the rainforest to the Curtain Fig tree. This tree has been formed when seeds were deposited high in a host tree by birds. The fig tree has sent down aerial roots to the ground, and in time the host tree has died, leaving a huge curtain of aerial roots.
Check out all the great walks in the area at the Wet Tropics site www.wettropics.gov.au/ttd/ttd_list.asp?precinct=Tablelands
There is plenty more to see on the Tablelands:
If you want to venture in a more westerly direction, the country turns drier. This is the home of the outback mining town of Herberton. You can also reach Herberton via a steam train journey from Atherton, (Wednesday and Sunday 10.30am – 3.00pm– maintenance permitting).
Accessible from Kairi, near Atherton, Lake Tinaroo is a man made lake, popular for its year round barramundi fishing. You can drive its length along the Danbulla Forest Drive, with numerous picnic areas and walks along the way. You can hire a small boat if you want to fish (Rick at Lake Tinaroo Boat Hire 4095 8537) or hire an experienced fishing guide for a half day or full day fishing tour, Jack Leighton is highly recommended (ph. 4095 8425 or www.tinaroowaters.com.au).
At Atherton you can visit the historical Hou Wang Chinese Temple, or do some shopping at Atherton Antiques. Off the Herberton Road, you will find Hastie Swamp and bird Viewing Hide (best at sunrise & sunset). At Tolga near Atherton, visit the Tolga Woodworks, for some locally made timber crafts and furniture.
Heading North is Mareeba. From there you can visit NQ Gold Coffee Plantation, or Golden Drop Mango Winery, or take an early morning balloon flight. The Mareeba Wetlands ($8 entry) is a must for bird enthusiasts. It has an interpretive centre, tours & walks, canoe hire and 2 hour twilight cruises, open April - December, Wednesday - Sunday.
Kuranda is situated on the North Eastern part of the Tablelands. An alternate lifestyle village boasting a popular market, bird and butterfly sanctuaries, and the terminus for a hugely successful Skyrail and train journey, that make their way up and down the range from Smithfield south of Cairns.
There is lots to do. Please let me know if you have any particular interests that I may be able to suggest activities for you.
I think the most enjoyable part of your stay here will be awaking to the bird song, and the dappled light through the trees, and sharing your breakfast with the cute wallabies and the brush turkeys.
Owner Information
Name: John Wright
Telephone: 0740952322
Fax number: 0740952233
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