Atherton Tablelands: Food & Wine Day Tour from Cairns

Summary

Breakfast by Lake Barrine, local flavors, wild platypus and tropical wine

You’ll start your day overlooking Lake Barrine with breakfast among rainforest sounds, then taste your way through local cheeses, tropical fruit wines, kangaroo lunch at Platypus Park, and homemade ice cream before heading back to Cairns. Expect honest flavors, warm locals, unexpected bites — and maybe a platypus sighting if you’re lucky.

What’s the experience like?

First thing I remember is the quiet — just this soft mist hanging over Lake Barrine and the clink of teacups in that old Victorian teahouse. Our guide, Steve, handed me coffee that tasted like earth after rain (I asked if it was local; he grinned, “Always”). The rainforest felt close enough to touch. I kept watching the water for ripples — someone said there’s an eel down there as long as your arm. Maybe a tall story, but it fit the mood.

We piled back into the minivan, windows fogged from our laughter and all that breakfast warmth. At Anna’s Queenslander house, she laid out cheeses and jams I’d never heard of — finger lime marmalade? She told us about every farm behind each bite. Her shop in Yungaburra smelled like wood polish and dried mangoes; I nearly bought too much but remembered my suitcase is tiny. There’s this sense that everyone knows everyone here — Anna waved at three people before we’d even left her driveway.

The Platypus Park was next. We wandered down to the pond (someone tripped on a root — not me, for once) and spotted two platypus playing in the reeds. Lunch was… surprising? Kangaroo, crocodile, smoked mackerel — I tried everything once. The dragon fruit cider was cold and sweet; I’m still not sure about crocodile but hey, when in Queensland. Afterward came stops for cheese (sharp enough to make you blink), macadamia nuts still warm from roasting at The Humpy, and then a round of tropical fruit wines at Mt Uncle Distillery. The lychee liqueur burned a little but in a good way.

By late afternoon my head was fuzzy with stories and flavors — we finished at Emerald Creek Ice Creamery with bowls of sorbet so bright they almost glowed in the sun. Someone said their favorite was passionfruit; mine was wattleseed, nutty and strange in the best way. On the drive back to Cairns I watched green hills roll past and thought about how full (and oddly content) I felt. Not just from food — it’s something else you carry home for a while.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Food and wine tasting in Atherton Tablelands

• Breakfast at Lake Barrine
• Taste local produce at Winter & Mann
• Visit Winter & Mann store in Yungaburra
• Lunch at Platypus Park watching platypus
• Drive through Atherton to dairy farm
• Sample cheeses and chocolates at dairy farm
• Taste seasonal fruits and macadamia nuts at The Humpy
• Spirit tasting at Mt Uncle distillery
• Ice cream and sorbet tasting at Emerald Creek

Top questions

How long is the Atherton Tablelands food & wine tour from Cairns?

The tour lasts a full day with morning pickup and evening drop-off included.

Is hotel pickup included for this Atherton Tablelands day trip?

Yes, hotel pickup and drop-off are included in Cairns.

What foods are tasted during the Atherton Tablelands food & wine tour?

You’ll try local cheeses, chocolates, tropical fruit wines and liqueurs, kangaroo, crocodile, smoked fish, macadamia nuts, seasonal fruits and homemade ice creams.

Are drinks included on this food & wine tour?

Yes—local coffee or tea at breakfast plus tastings of boutique beer or cider at lunch and spirits at Mt Uncle Distillery are included.

Is this Atherton Tablelands tour suitable for all fitness levels?

Yes—the tour involves very little walking and is suitable for most fitness levels.

Can dietary requirements be accommodated?

Please advise any food allergies or dietary needs to the operator before your tour so they can accommodate you where possible.

How many people are on each Atherton Tablelands food & wine tour?

The maximum group size is 20 participants per tour.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairns, breakfast overlooking Lake Barrine with local coffee or tea, guided tastings of regional produce at private homes and shops around Yungaburra village, a unique lunch featuring kangaroo and crocodile at Platypus Park with boutique drinks included, cheese and chocolate sampling on a working dairy farm, fresh seasonal fruits and nuts at The Humpy market stop, spirit tastings at Mt Uncle Distillery’s gardens—and finally homemade ice cream before heading home in an air-conditioned minivan with live commentary throughout.