Chillagoe Caves and Outback by Billy Tea Bush Safaris

Tour Itinerary

ITINERARY

Your naturalist guide will meet you at your accommodation and after introductions all round, we'll ascend the McAllister Ranges and head west through Mareeba embarking on a remarkable journey back to prehistoric times, when dinosaurs ruled the Earth. Our first stop is Mareeba Wetlands for morning tea and a twenty minute cruise in an environmentally friendly and quiet electric boat. Birdlife is plentiful on the wetlands. From here we travel through the back blocks of this wetland area viewing wallabies, emus and other wildlife and then along the irrigated agricultural paddocks of this fertile area, eventually crossing over the Great Divide and into the Western watershed. (We use a wet weather alternate when the Mareeba Wetlands access is flooded) Travel through historical towns and rolling hills rich in minerals eventually giving way to towering limestone karsts scattered around Chillagoe.

Here we delve into the history of the copper smelters, whose old chimneys dominate the western horizon. We visit the remains of the once mighty smelters to ponder what it was like working there….. Now it's time for a wonderful pub lunch before setting off for our National Parks cave tour. The fossilized remains of the ancient coral reefs with hidden limestone labyrinths give a portal to a lost world just like our own Great Barrier Reef. Millions of years in the making, the limestone formations are nothing short of spectacular.

After the cave tour, we head back towards the east coast, stopping at 'Skybury' - The Australian Coffee Centre for a choice of their delicious coffee and scones or possibly a wine or beer (own cost). This is a beautiful setting viewing Agile Wallabies off the great expanse of verandahs. The tour then returns back down the range to Cairns.

A reasonable level of fitness is required for this tour as there are steps into the caves.

The tour may be closed or itinerary changed due to the wet season where conditions may close roads and access to the caves.