Departs Cairns and Cairns Beaches
Full day Outback and Chillagoe Caves Tour
Explore the Chillagoe Caves, Granite Gorge and other highlights of Tropical North Queensland on this full-day tour from Cairns.
Overview
Your day begins with a pick-up by your friendly accredited guide in a custom-built air-conditioned 4WD vehicle. After introductions and getting to know your fellow passengers for the day, we’ll ascend the McAllister Ranges looking for many different species of bush birds, including emus, wedge-tail eagles, squatter pigeons, kangaroos and frilled neck lizards along the way to your first stop at Skybury Coffee Plantation in Mareeba for morning tea.
Travel out to Chillagoe while listening to the informative commentary by your guide who will share information about the region's wildlife, history, and aboriginal culture. Explore the Chillagoe-Mungaga Caves National Park with an expert local guide, travel through historic mining towns and small outback communities, see the Chillagoe Smelter Ruins, visit Balancing Rock for an amazing photo opportunity, see and learn about aboriginal rock art and visit Granite Gorge to see the wallabies. You'll also be treated to lunch at an Aussie Outback pub.
What's included
- Small-group day tour in a luxury 4WD
- Travel off the beaten track down exclusive 4WD backroads
- Morning tea Skybury Coffee Plantation with local coffee or tea, and a snack
- Spot kangaroos, emus, wallabies, wedge-tail eagles (wildlife galore!)
- Visit the Balancing Rock for a photo opportunity
- See some Aboriginal Rock Art and learn about local Dreamtime stories
- Visit the Chillagoe Smelter Ruins
- Explore the famous Chillagoe Caves with a local expert guide who will share stories and local history of the area
- Find fossils in ancient limestone casts at Chillagoe
- Enjoy an Aussie Outback pub lunch in Chillagoe
- Visit the wallabies at Granite Gorge and see local wildlife
- Pass through historic mining ghost towns & small outback communities
- Transfers from Cairns included (Port Douglas and Northern Beaches additional costs apply)
Itinerary
Your 4WD experience through the Aussie Outback from Cairns!
Courtesy pick up and drop off (note Port Douglas is an additional cost)
Board the custom-built 4WD vehicle and travel spotting wallabies, emus, and other wildlife and then along the agricultural paddocks of this fertile area.
Skybury Coffee Plantation for Morning Tea
Enjoy a coffee or tea and a morning snack (such as scones, jam and cream, and tropical fruit) while enjoying the balcony views
Private local ranger-guided Chillagoe-Mungana Caves National Park Tour
Take a step back in time and be inspired by the knowledge of your guide as he explains about the fossilized remains of the ancient coral reefs some 400 - 420 million years old, with hidden limestone labyrinths give a portal to a lost world.
Chillagoe Smelter Ruins
Here we delve into the history of the Chillagoe copper smelters, whose old chimneys dominate the western horizon. We visit the remains of the once-mighty smelters to ponder what it was like working there.
Aussie lunch at Chillagoe Hotel pub
A true Australian Outback Pub! Refuel and enjoy lunch with your fellow travellers, cool down with a refreshing drink and mingle with the locals. There is time to visit the unique gift shop in Chillagoe specialising in Chillagoe marble and local Aboriginal art.
Visit Balancing Rock
A quick stop for an iconic photo opportunity!
See Aboriginal Rock Art
Learn about some Dreamtime stories and local history.
Visit Granite Gorge to see the wallabies
Get up close and personal with these local rock wallabies at Granite Gorge National Park and have time to explore this National Park before making your way home.