We ABSOLUTELY LOVED our time exploring the Atherton Tablelands AND our stay at BIG4 NRMA Atherton Tablelands…
If you are visiting Atherton, BIG4 NRMA Atherton Tablelands is a great place to stay, managed by a fantastic team! Be sure to pick up the 7 day itinerary from Janine or one of her friendly staff members at reception. It contains a wealth of information about what to see and do during your stay. Be sure to allow ample time to stay and explore this stunning area!
The park has great facilities. A favourite spot, great for relaxing with friends, is the large cabana with lounge and bbq facilities situated near the pool. It has a beautiful open grass recreation area beside it, complete with lawn games and a childrens playground. The heated pool is a real bonus and is open until 9pm!
The new deck off the camp kitchen is an awesome spot for listening to live music (check with office when playing) and enjoy an evening drink and catch up with friends. There is even a cappuccino machine in the kitchen to make a great cuppa (for a minimal charge). On various evenings, a food vans sets up in the park for those looking for a night off from cooking. The staff are sure to keep everyone in the loop when events are on via SMS.
If you own a pushbike be sure you take it with you to explore Atherton…. There is a mountain bike park as well as a rail trail that passing through Atherton. All really easily accessible from the BIG4 NRMA Atherton Tabelands. The Holiday park even has an awesome bike cleaning and repair station for guests to use!
Janine, manager of the Holiday Park, told us about a unique shop in town that we should visist. WOW! What an amazing place!
Have you EVER been anywhere where you are allowed to touch, feel and interact with prehistoric fossils, mammoth jaw bone, spectacular crystals and ancient petrified wood!
That’s right! Everything in The Crystal Caves in Atherton is touchable! Entry to the shop with a huge array of jewellery, fossils and crystals is free and yes you can touch ALL the items that are not in cabinets!
You can even crack your own geode (volcanic bubble) that formed 44 million years ago, in a prehistoric lucky dip (purchase of geode required).
See and touch over 600 genuine specimens on the self guided tour through the man made tunnels that were built specifically to display these ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE pieces collected from all over the world, by one man - Rene. The 'caves' cover an area of 300 sq metres. (Fee applies). All the lighting in the caves you see in the photos is natural. Only white light is used to light the displays.
This is all thanks to the passion of one man Rene who spent his life travelling the world sourcing and collecting everything in the ‘crystal caves’. Thanks Sammi and the other really knowledgeable, friendly staff at the Crystal Caves fo a very interesting, hands on and informative visit.
Such a great experience. Thank you to Janine and the team from BIG4 NRMA Atherton Tablelands Holiday Park for telling us about this place.
If you’re a foodie then Atherton has some pretty awesome cafes - we loved the coffee, cake and the decor of the cafe - 'Village KAHAWA'.
We also took a drive to the Gallo Dairy where you can wander around part of the dairy where the kids will enjoy the animal nursery and watching the cows being milked. The on-site cafe has a range of the finest hand-crafted chocolates made at the dairy as well as a wide range of cheeses.
On one of our day trips we came across this gorgeous tree kangaroo way up high in a tree. How absolutely amazing to see these magnificent creatures in the wild - our first ever sighting of one in its natural environment.
Atherton Tablelands......This place just keeps giving !
The Cathedral and the Curtain fig trees….
(below left photo) This is the MAGNIFICENT 500 year old Cathedral fig tree in Danbulla National Park, a Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. Located just a 150m walk into the rainforest from the car park. It is almost 50m tall and unbelievably has a crown the size of two Olympic swimming pools!!!
(below right photo) is yet another incredible tree known as the Curtain Fig Tree. Located in The Curtain Fig National Park. With aerial roots extending 15 metres to the forest floor it’s easy to see how it acquired its name. Wildlife such as the Lumholtz’s tree kangaroo, green ringtail possums and other nocturnal animals can be seen at this tree.
Both trees are a MUST SEE when visiting the Atherton Tablelands in far north QLD.
The rainforest area and abundant hiking tracks around the Atherton Tablelands are truly stunning and a huge drawcard for travelers to visit the region. A photographers dream with everything from waterfalls, to crater lakes, stunning swimming holes, magical fungi, ancient rainforest full of huge trees and beautiful ferns, crystal clear streams.....
Then there is Tinaroo Dam. Lake Tinaroo is a man-made reservoir and is a popular spot for camping, water sports and fishing. A drive around the lake will reward you with many of the points of interest we have mentioned above.
We could NOT believe how close you can get to this powerful water outlet at Tinaroo Dam wall. Amazing! Take a listen to the roar of the water in the video below.
Atherton Tablelands is a definite on our list of must return to destinations! It's simply awesome.
https://www.big4.com.au/caravan-parks/qld/tropical-north/atherton-tablelands-holiday-park