Atherton Tablelands: Food & Wine Tour with 7 Gourmet Stops

Summary

Tropical flavors, local stories and a slow day tasting through the Atherton Tablelands

You’ll start with tropical fruits for breakfast near Port Douglas before tasting your way across seven gourmet stops in the Atherton Tablelands. Expect ice cream straight from the farm, macadamias still warm from roasting, lunch with kangaroo skewers by a platypus lake, and cheese plus chocolates at a working dairy. End the day sipping wine by a creek as dusk settles—a slow adventure for your senses.

What’s the experience like?

Ever wondered what macadamia nuts taste like fresh from the farm? I didn’t either, until our guide—Dave, who’s lived in Port Douglas forever—handed me a warm handful at The Humpy. We’d barely started the Atherton Tablelands food and wine tour that morning, but already my hands smelled faintly of mango and coffee from breakfast on the RainForeStation balcony. The air was sticky-sweet and someone at our table tried to pronounce “wattle seed damper” (Li laughed when I butchered it). The coffee was strong enough to wake up even the most jetlagged among us, honestly.

The drive itself felt like a patchwork—red volcanic soil flashing by, then sudden green rainforest. At Emerald Creek Ice Creamery, you could actually hear cows in the distance while we tried ice cream that tasted like lychee and soursop (I picked passionfruit sorbet; it melted too fast but I didn’t care). Dave chatted about how every stop is family-run or local—he seems to know everyone along these winding roads. Lunch at Platypus Park was…unexpected? Kangaroo skewers and crocodile chorizo are not my usual Tuesday, but somehow with dragon fruit cider in hand and platypus splashing in the lake below, it just made sense. The air smelled grassy and clean.

Later on at Gallo Dairyland, there were chocolates so pretty I almost felt bad eating them (almost), plus cheeses that tasted sharp and creamy at once. Mt Uncle Distillery had these odd little spirits lined up—some herbal, some fiery—and a goat wandering around outside eyeing us suspiciously. By late afternoon we ended up lounging by a creek on a private property, wine in hand, feet dangling off daybeds while someone pointed out a platypus gliding by. That’s the bit I keep thinking about—the quiet after all that tasting and talking, just watching water move under Queensland sun.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Atherton Tablelands food and wine tour

• Travel scenic roads to Atherton Tablelands
• Enjoy tropical breakfast at Treehouse Restaurant
• Taste liqueurs at Mountain Groves Distillery
• Taste tropical ice cream at Emerald Creek
• Taste seasonal fruits and macadamia nuts at The Humpy
• Have lunch with local delicacies at Platypus Park
• Visit Gallo Dairyland for cheese and chocolates
• Taste spirits at Mt Uncle Distillery
• Relax and sip wine by creek at Platypus Hut

Top questions

How long is the Atherton Tablelands food & wine tour?

The full-day tour lasts approximately 9–10 hours including all stops and transfers.

Is hotel pickup included from Port Douglas?

Yes, hotel pickup and drop-off in Port Douglas are included in the tour price.

What meals are provided during the tour?

The tour includes breakfast with tropical fruits, lunch featuring local specialties like kangaroo skewers, plus tastings of cheese, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, wines and spirits.

Are there vegetarian options available?

Vegetarian options can be arranged; travelers should advise any dietary needs directly to the operator before the tour.

What is the group size for this Atherton Tablelands food & wine tour?

The maximum group size is 20 participants per tour.

Are drinks included during tastings?

Yes—small tastings of wines, liqueurs, beer and spirits are included throughout the day.

Can people with limited mobility join this tour?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels; fold-up wheelie walkers are allowed if guests can board/disembark the bus independently.

Is there an age restriction for this food & wine tour?

The minimum age for participants is 18 years due to alcohol tastings.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off from Port Douglas, tropical breakfast on a treehouse balcony with coffee or tea, gourmet lunch with local specialties (including kangaroo skewers), tastings of fresh fruits and nuts straight from Atherton Tablelands producers, artisan cheese and chocolate samples at a working dairy farm, small pours of regional wines and spirits at boutique distilleries—all wrapped up with time to relax by a creek before heading home in the evening.