Quick Answers
Which animals live only on the Tablelands?
Lumholtz’s tree kangaroo, which is found nowhere else in the world.
Where can I see a platypus?
Peterson Creek at Yungaburra, at dusk.
What might I see on a night walk?
Sugar gliders, ringtail possums and sometimes an echidna.
“The Atherton Tablelands is one of the great wildlife destinations in Australia — not because the animals come to you, but because, if you move slowly and pay attention, they’re everywhere.”
Wildlife on the Atherton Tablelands: The Heart of the Wet Tropics
The Atherton Tablelands sits within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area — one of the oldest continuously surviving rainforest ecosystems on Earth and a globally significant centre of biodiversity. The wildlife here is extraordinary in its diversity, its endemism, and its accessibility to visitors who are prepared to look carefully and move quietly.
Mammals
The Tablelands’ mammal list is remarkable. Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo, found nowhere else in the world, moves through the forest canopy on still mornings. The Musky Rat-Kangaroo, the world’s smallest and most ancient kangaroo, forages along rainforest walking tracks. Platypuses inhabit the highland streams and are reliably viewable at Peterson Creek in Yungaburra at dusk. Agile wallabies graze the paddock edges. Flying foxes fill the evening sky. And on a good night walk, sugar gliders, ringtail possums, and the occasional echidna reward the torch-carrier.
Birds
The Tablelands is one of the finest birdwatching destinations in Australia — a fact well-known to the national and international birding community. Southern Cassowary, Victoria’s Riflebird, Tooth-Billed Bowerbird, Ulysses Butterfly, azure kingfisher, Lewin’s honeyeater, and dozens of Wet Tropics endemics are all present for those who look.
Atherton Tablelands Tours
Atherton Tablelands Waterfalls
Walking Trails
DestinationsReptiles and Insects
Boyd’s Forest Dragon inhabits the rainforest trunk layer, essentially invisible until you learn to see them. The Ulysses Butterfly is impossible to miss when it’s flying. The green tree frog graces toilets and downpipes with its cheerful presence. And the water dragons that bask on the lakesides at Lake Eacham make their territory very obvious to anyone who walks the circuit.
A Hot Getaways destination. Where Care is Our Compass.
Travel Kindly
At Hot Getaways, care is our compass — and a little kindness makes every journey better. When you visit the Atherton Tablelands, we gently ask you to:
- Tread lightly — stay on tracks and lookouts, and take special care around waterfalls, which can be slippery and swift.
- Respect the wildlife — never feed the platypus, tree-kangaroos or birds, and observe them quietly from a distance.
- Support local — choosing local operators, cafés and guides helps this beautiful place thrive.
- Honour Country — we travel on the traditional lands and sea Country of Australia’s First Peoples, with gratitude and respect to the Traditional Custodians past and present.
- Be kind to each other — a smile, a little patience and a helping hand make the day lovelier for everyone.
Small acts of care add up to something wonderful. Thank you for travelling kindly.
