Best parks and natural spaces in Cairns

Cairns is uniquely positioned between two UNESCO World Heritage areas — the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforest — creating a natural environment accessible from the city that has no equivalent anywhere else on earth.

Wet Tropics World Heritage Area — the ancient rainforest that begins in the hills above Cairns extends north to Cape Tribulation in one of the world's most biodiverse terrestrial ecosystems. The Barron Gorge National Park, accessible by the Kuranda Scenic Railway, is the most convenient entry point. The Tablelands behind the range provide the waterfalls, the crater lakes, and the elevated agricultural landscape that give the tropics their breadth.

Daintree National Park — two hours north of Cairns, the Mossman Gorge and the Cape Tribulation sections of Daintree National Park contain the oldest continuously surviving rainforest on earth. The Mossman Gorge Centre provides the guided entry into the gorge for visitors who want cultural context for the country they're walking through.

Cairns Esplanade and Lagoon — the free public lagoon on the Cairns waterfront is the community gathering point that the esplanade's design was built around. The mudflat birdlife visible from the boardwalk, the exercise paths, and the weekend market activity create a community outdoor space that Cairns residents use with a frequency that reflects its quality.

Atherton Tablelands — the volcanic plateau 90 minutes from Cairns produces the crater lakes (Lake Eacham, Lake Barrine), the Millaa Millaa Falls waterfall circuit, and the coffee and macadamia farms that create the agricultural tourism dimension that complements the coastal reef experience.

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