Get to know the residents of the rainforest
The rainforests and grasslands of Tropical North Queensland are incredibly diverse ecosystems, home to 3000 different plant species, 400-plus birds and 100-plus mammals, many of which are found nowhere else on earth.
Meeting the local wildlife can be as easy as taking a stroll down Cairns Esplanade, where a rich range of waterbirds make their home. Hoping to spot something more exotic? Try one of the Daintree’s many walking trails, where you may see colourful birds such as the golden bowerbird or the Australian king parrot. Look to the treetops during a wander around the rainforest of Malanda Falls and you might spy the elusive Lumholtz Tree Kangaroo, that calls the Wet Tropics Rainforest home.
If you want to get close to a kangaroo or koala, head straight for one of the many wildlife parks: they include Kuranda Koala Gardens, Rainforestation Nature Park, Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures and Port Douglas’ Wildlife Habitat. You’ll also find plenty of other Aussie animals to say hello to, from Tasmanian devils and dingoes to wallabies and reptiles.
The most famous North Queensland locals are two remarkably ancient species: the saltwater crocodile and the cassowary, both direct descendant of dinosaurs. To spot the latter in the wild, try Etty Bay (just south of Innisfail), where cassowaries are known to wander the beach, and in pockets of rainforest around Mission Beach, Kuranda and Cape Tribulation. They’re best spotted in the early morning and late afternoon.
Marvel at the strength and size of the saltwater crocodile at one of the TNQ’s wildlife parks or admire them in their natural habitat on an informative boat tour in the Daintree, Cairns or Mission Beach.

Wander around the boardwalk at the Curtain Fig Tree on the Atherton Tablelands
Wander around the boardwalk at the Curtain Fig Tree on the Atherton Tablelands

The iridescent blues of the Ulysses Butterfly can be seen in the lush rainforest of the Wet Tropics
The iridescent blues of the Ulysses Butterfly can be seen in the lush rainforest of the Wet Tropics

Be Cass-O-Wary when driving in areas where Cassowary spotted
Be Cass-O-Wary when driving in areas where Cassowary spotted
Go wild in the big green
These animal & rainforest encounters will be unforgettable
A wildlife warrior’s 3 day guide to the tropics
Love animals? Love nature? Love khaki? If you answered yes, this guide has your name written all over it, and we’re calling you a wildlife warrior from now on. Trek to the tropics for three days of nature in the north with this itinerary.
Everything you need to know about cassowaries
There’s plenty of reasons to visit Cairns & Great Barrier Reef in summer – balmy weather, crystal clear reef visibility and pumping waterfalls – but what you might not know is it’s also the best time of year to spot Australia’s living dinosaurs and their chicks, cassowaries.
Endemic species of the Wet Tropics to tick off your list
The Wet Tropics is a living museum, home to a myriad of animals; furry, feathery and scaly, some of which can be found no where else on the planet. Here's the endemic species that you can only see in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Rainforest.
5 places to spot animals in Kuranda
Kuranda, the picturesque village on the Atherton Tablelands, is home to many of our tropical wild friends, so where better to go animal-spotting than at one of Kuranda’s many wildlife gardens and sanctuaries.
10 relaxing ways to sleep in the rainforest
This summer, swap your inner city stresses for cool, rainforest rejuvenation, checking into one of these accommodation providers in the rainforest.
5 things you didn’t know about crocodiles
They may have a reputation as one of the planet’s most powerful creatures, but crocodiles are equally as fascinating as they are fearsome.
10 Things you didn’t know about the Wet Tropics Rainforest
Get to know our famous forest, which spans 8940 square-kilometers and covers more ground than Samoa, Luxemburg and Puerto Rico, with this list of 10 things you didn’t know about the Wet Tropics.
Six animals who practise social distancing
Meet six solitary inhabitants of the Great Barrier Reef & Wet Tropics Rainforest who were practising social distancing before toilet paper was a commodity & TikTok challenges overtook your newsfeed.
Things to do with little travellers at Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures
When you want to see Australian natives up close, it pays to visit an animal sanctuary who have perfected up close and personal experiences for more than eight decades, Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures.
20 waterfalls near Cairns
Mighty mountain ranges and Wet Tropics Rainforest create the optimum environment for a myriad of extraordinary waterfalls. Fall in love with these 20 waterfall wonderlands only a short drive from Cairns.
The Wet Tropics’ Famous Five Precincts and a guide to exploring them
If you’re looking to connect with nature and discover a rainforest that’s the oldest, longest and largest in Australia, go behind the foliage with this guide to the five precincts of the Wet Tropics.
6 reasons to see the rainforest with Skyrail Rainforest Cableway
Welcome to Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, an aerial experience through Australia’s most famous rainforest, the Wet Tropics.
Jewel of the tropics
Tropical North Queensland's Wet Tropics World Heritage Area is a landscape of astonishing beauty and biodiversity. Immerse yourself in this national treasure, the oldest tropical rainforest on earth.
Guide to Cairns & Port Douglas
A getaway is looming and you’re longing for a tropical escape – Cairns and Port Douglas are both popular holiday havens boasting a wealth of experiences. Read this guide to help plan your trip to these two seaside locales.
9 waterfalls to chase on the Atherton Tablelands
Hit the famous waterfall circuit, uncover those lesser known or stretch a little further and take a dip in Australia’s widest, single-drop waterfall on the Atherton Tablelands.
Explore attractions
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rainforest wildlifeCairns Koalas and Creatures
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accessibleWildlife Habitat
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accessibleHartley’s Crocodile Adventures
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accessibleTropic Wings Cairns Tours and Charters
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accessibleSkyrail Rainforest Cableway
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accessibleCairns Botanic Gardens
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camping holiday parksParonella Park
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accessibleMamu Tropical Skywalk
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accessibleKuranda Koala Gardens
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accessibleAustralian Butterfly Sanctuary
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accessibleRainforestation Nature Park
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accessibleBirdworld Kuranda
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accessibleDown Under Tours Australia
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accessibleSkypark Cairns by AJ Hackett
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croc spottingCobbold Gorge Tours
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accessibleDaintree Discovery Centre
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bird watchingDiscovery Tours Australia – Far North Queensland
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accessibleCairns Aquarium
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atherton tablelandsSmall World Journeys
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atherton tablelandsBilly Tea Safaris
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eco certifiedBarefoot Tours by Cairns Waterfalls
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croc spottingMarineland Melanesia Crocodile Habitat
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daintree & cape tribulationDaintree Discovery Tours
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atherton tablelandsFNQ Nature Tours
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accessibleAussie Macro Photos
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bird watchingDaintree Boatman Wildlife Cruises
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atherton tablelandsMungalli Falls
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atherton tablelandsDinner Falls
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beachesEtty Bay
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bird watchingBack Country Bliss Adventures
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bird watchingEubenangee Swamp National Park
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daintree & cape tribulationCape Tribulation, Daintree National Park (CYPAL)
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atherton tablelandsMount Lewis National Park
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eat & drinkCharley’s Chocolate Tour
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atherton tablelandsWait-a-While Rainforest Tours
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eat & drinkKuranda Day Tours
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bird watchingSolar Whisper Wildlife Cruises
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bird watchingTony’s Tropical Tours
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atherton tablelandsBat Hospital Visitor Centre
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