Atherton Tablelands Food & Wine Tour: 9 Hours Tastings

Nine hours eating and tasting your way through farmland, rainforest and small-town producers

A nine-hour food and wine tour from Cairns into the Atherton Tablelands with a live English-speaking guide, hotel pickup and drop-off, and tastings at six stops across the region. Breakfast at Lake Barrine overlooks a volcanic crater lake; lunch is at Shaylee Strawberry Farm; stops include a local produce store, a dairy farm with chocolate and cheese, a fruit and nut market, a distillery, and an ice creamery. Tastings are optional and the tour suits all fitness levels with minimal walking.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Atherton Tablelands food and nature

• Overlook Lake Barrine and have breakfast
• Taste local produce at Winter & Mann
• Stop to see 800 year old tree
• Enjoy farm lunch at Shaylee Strawberry Farm
• Drive through Atherton to dairy farm
• Visit The Humpy for fresh produce tasting
• Taste award winning spirits and see gardens
• Try tropical fruit ice creams at Emerald Creek

The experience

The day starts before nine when the driver picks you up from your Cairns hotel and heads inland toward the Atherton Tablelands. The landscape shifts as you climb: rainforest thickens, then opens into volcanic farmland and rolling green hills. Your guide narrates the region's history, environment and agriculture as the scenery changes, explaining how ancient volcanic soils and the land itself shape what grows here and how people live. The commentary is live and conversational, not a recording.

Breakfast happens at Lake Barrine, where you overlook an 800-year-old volcanic crater lake ringed by rainforest. The Victorian Tea House serves local produce, coffee and tea. From there the stops unfold as a working map of the region: Winter & Mann's Queenslander home and store, where the owner Anna walks you through locally made and sourced goods from over 140 North Queensland producers; a quick detour to see an 800-year-old tree hidden in the rainforest; lunch at Shaylee Strawberry Farm with fresh local produce and strawberry dishes; The Humpy, a grower's market where you taste seasonal fruits and roasted local peanuts and macadamia nuts; a working dairy farm spread across 1000 acres with award-winning chocolate and a gourmet cheese factory; a distillery with award-winning spirits and gardens; and Emerald Creek Ice Creamery for a tasting bowl of tropical fruit ice creams and sorbets. Tastings are optional and relaxed throughout.

Transport is by air-conditioned minivan with a driver who knows the region and the producers. The walking is easy. This tour is built for people who want a full day of food and stories without long hikes or strenuous activity. Bring a water bottle and wear cool, casual, comfortable clothes. If you have food allergies, tell the operator before the tour so they can plan around them. The minimum age is 18.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from your Cairns hotel.
• breakfast at Lake Barrine with local produce, coffee and tea.
• lunch at Shaylee Strawberry Farm.
• tastings at six stops including a local produce store, dairy farm with chocolate and cheese, fruit and nut market, distillery and ice creamery.
• air-conditioned minivan transport.
• live English-speaking guide and driver.
• live commentary on the region's history, environment and agriculture.

Before you book

Days and timesWednesday to SaturdayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Under 18: can't be booked

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcome

Operated by Brett's Kuranda & Outback Tasting Tours

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English and delivers live commentary as you travel, so you follow the region's stories and the producers' explanations without needing to read subtitles or listen to a recording. This suits anyone who wants to hear directly from the people who grow and make the food, and who prefers conversation over a scripted tour.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the drive time from Cairns to the first stop at Lake Barrine?

The tour leaves Cairns in the morning and heads inland to the Atherton Tablelands, where Lake Barrine is the first stop for breakfast. The exact drive time depends on your hotel location and traffic, but the full tour runs nine hours from pickup to drop-off.

Can I skip the tastings if I don't drink alcohol or eat certain foods?

Tastings are optional and relaxed throughout the tour, so you can participate as much or as little as you want. If you have food allergies or dietary restrictions, let the operator know before the tour so they can advise you on what to expect at each stop.

What kind of walking is involved in this tour?

The tour is designed for all fitness levels with very little walking. You move between stops by minivan, and at each location the walking is easy and short. A fold-up wheeled walker may be allowed with the operator's approval. A walking stick is preferred if you need support.

Who are the local producers we meet along the way?

You visit Winter & Mann's home and store, which partners with over 140 North Queensland businesses; Shaylee Strawberry Farm; The Humpy, a grower's market; a working dairy farm with a chocolate and cheese factory; a distillery; and an ice creamery. At each stop, the owners or staff explain where their products come from and how they're made.

Is hotel pickup included in the price?

Yes, hotel pickup and drop-off from your Cairns accommodation are included. The driver will collect you in the morning and return you at the end of the day.

What language is the guide commentary in?

The guide provides live commentary in English throughout the tour, explaining the region's history, environment, agriculture and the stories of the producers you visit.