Australia's Hidden Gem - Atherton Tablelands, Far North Queensland, Australia

Digg this page | Save This Page | Stumble It!

Atherton Tablelands, Far North Queensland, Australia

Far North Queensland, Australia - a truly amazing destination. Along the coastline you have your metropolis of Cairns. A busy, but laidback city that hugs the very shoreline of the wet tropics. Then, it leads to the Daintree Rainforest, a National Park that stretches for miles and encloses habitat for many and varied species of animals and birds, as well as rare and exotic flora. It is a naturalist's haven of richness beyond expectation. The Great Barrier Reef adjoins this splendor of virtually untouched beauty with its supreme array of corals and marine life. It is an outrageous smorgasbord of fun and absorption of the wonder of nature at its best.

Further west lies the more unchartered areas. First, the town of Mareeba - noted for its abundance of birdlife existing in harmony throughout the wetlands. Another 25 minute drive finds you in Atherton - "The Gem" of the Tablelands. The town is bordered by plentiful bounty - crops of all distinction and value - agriculture is the heartbeat of the Atherton Tablelands. Waterfalls are the lifeblood, feeding the appetite of the glorious river systems that meander and nourish the towns and hamlets that have germinated within this nucleus of life.

There is another form of "life" existing in Atherton that will stun and inspire. It is an actual museum that has been built with the idea of projecting you into the world that it is displaying. More than a museum, it is an experience. The Crystal Caves is a man-made cavern exhibiting semi-precious stones, fossils and crystals from all over the world. Not only are you taken into an environment that induces reality, but you get to stimulate your senses by feeling the amazing relics of time and conception of our planet! Interaction from visitors is welcomed and even encouraged.

I found my visits to The Atherton Tablelands to be most rewarding in so many ways. It is one of my favourite destinations in Australia. If it is a quest for personal enlightenment or appreciation of nature - this is the place to mark a big red cross...a must see and believe!

Digg this page | Save This Page | Stumble It!