Rainforest Night Tour
To experience the sights and sounds of the rainforest at night is truly something special. The Rainforest Night Tour takes you on a journey through the Atherton Tablelands rainforest as it comes alive at night. With a small group in addition to an excellent guide. Above all, you will experience this unique wildlife environment that few others get the chance to see.
About 80% of Australia’s wildlife is more active from dusk through to nighttime. As a result, the Rainforest Night Tour starts in the early afternoon. We use spotlights in the dark to capture our unique animals up in the rainforest canopy.
Meet Some Aussie Wildlife
Your informative guide will show you some of the world’s most unusual animals. For example the mysterious platypus, tree kangaroos, possums, gliders, bats, bandicoots, echidnas, snakes, frogs and many others.
On the Rainforest Night Tour, you will learn all about the tropical rainforest. We want to educate our guests about the Wet Tropics and the importance of preserving this incredible ecosystem. Secondly, how local Aboriginal tribes use the vegetation to make tools and to heal and make remedies.
Some interesting facts that you will get to learn in more detail on The Rainforest Night Tour:
- The Wet Tropics cover an area of 894,420 hectares between Townsville and Cooktown.
- Some plant and animal species have existed here for over 100 million years.
- This is the oldest continually surviving rainforest on earth.
- Twelve of the world’s nineteen families of primitive flowering plants occur in the wet tropics.
- Over 2,800 different plant species are found here with over 700 unique to this area.
- The Wet Tropics World Heritage Area covers less than 0.01% of Australia but is home to 30% of its marsupial species, 60% of its butterflies, 50% of its bats, 30% of its frogs, 23% of its reptiles, and over 40% of its birds. Many of these species are endemic to this region.
- There are more than 20 Aboriginal tribal groups with ongoing traditional connections to the land in this area.
Don’t forget your camera!
- Rainforest Night Tour pickups commence in Cairns at 2.00 pm
- We head to the southern suburbs of cairns to check out a large mob of Agile Wallabies.
- Enjoy a scenic drive up the Gillies Range. You are climbing up to 800 metres along one of the country’s windiest roads.
- Stopping at the Danbulla State Forest, we observe the large Cathedral Fig Tree. An 800-year-old giant of the rainforest.
- Enjoy afternoon tea at Lake Barrine. A volcanic crater lake surrounded by lush rainforest. Take a walk to view the towering Bull Kauri Pines along with some wildlife spotting. Here, we have spotted Boyde’s Forest Dragons, the Musky Rat Kangaroo, and many rainforest birds. Depending on the season, we may sample some rainforest fruits.
- We head to Lake Eacham to look for Saw Shelled Turtles, Archerfish and Eastern Water Dragons.
- We then visit our private access viewing area to witness an active breeding pair of Platypus.
- Enjoy dinner at a lovely country restaurant in Yungaburra. Coffee, tea provided any other drinks at your own expense.
- After dark and armed with spotlights, we venture back into the forest. The Curtain Fig Tree park is a hive of activity with many species calling it home.
- On clear nights you can enjoy stargazing at the Southern Cross and Milky Way.
- The Rainforest Night Tour comes to an end at your accommodation at around 10 pm.
- Comfortable air-conditioned vehicles
- Small groups
- Pick up from accommodation
- National Park Fees
- Afternoon tea, dinner and refreshments
- Binoculars, rain ponchos, torches and reference materials.
- Hat and sunglasses
- Good walking shoes
- Camera and water bottle
- Day pack for personal items
- The Rainforest Night Tour departs from Cairns. If you are staying in the Tablelands, pickups are also available from Lake Barrine.
- Port Douglas pickups are also available with an extra charge.
- Please advise any special dietary requirements.
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