Today’s drive will change your perspective: from a bird’s eye view of the Highlands in a hot air balloon over Mareeba, to exploring underground in Chillagoe’s limestone caverns.

The Burke Development Road which heads west from Mareeba is also known as the Wheelbarrow Way.  Each year residents take part in the Great Wheelbarrow Race and run along pushing a wheelbarrow in memory of the early miners.

Take an extra day or two on a sidetrip to leave the main road and explore the old mining towns of Mt Mulligan, Tyrconnell, Kingsborough and Thornborough.  The now deserted goldfields are a ghostly reminder of the sacrifices made by men and women seeking their fortune in formidable conditions at the turn of the 20th century. 

You’ll need a whole day to explore Chillagoe’s attractions and soak up the atmosphere of this former mining boomtown. Founded in the late 1880s, Chillagoe became a beacon for copper, silver and gold miners for over 60 years. The mining site has been uniquely preserved as a drive-around museum. Chillagoe’s clear nights and star-filled skies will take your breath away.  

The search for valuable metals uncovered spectacular limestone caves. Cave tours are available seven days a week, tickets are available from the Chillagoe Hub & Visitor Information Centre.

Leaving Chillagoe you will head back to Almaden (look out for the cows!) before turning onto the Ootann Road. This narrow bush road offers a fascinating drive through the Savannah grasslands. It is suitable for 4WD vehicles only.

Turn east off the Ootann Road onto the Savannah Way and follow the signs to Undara Volcanic National Park, one of Australia's greatest geological wonders. Savannah Guides offer a variety of tour options for accessing the largest lava tubes system on earth.

The Undara Lava Tubes are the largest lava tube systems on earth and require at least one day and two nights to take advantage of the tour options offered by the Savannah Guide Station. Take an early morning walk when wildlife are most active, and don’t miss the sunset tours, when thousands of insectivorous bats stream from the caves. Take a short drive to the Kalkani Crater, another feature of the volcanic activity which created the lava tubes 190,000 years ago.

From Undara follow the Savannah Way through Forty Mile Scrub National Park to the historic mining town of Mount Garnet and onto the Innot Hot Springs, where hot mineral springs are the perfect tonic to revive travel weary bones.

Next stop is Millstream Falls National Park, on the western edge of the World Heritage Area.  Nearby Archer Creek bush camping site is a good location if you plan to spend a few days exploring the area’s World Heritage rainforests.

Just a few kilometres up the Kennedy Highway is Ravenshoe, the highest town in Queensland. The township is also home to the Nganyaji Interpretive Centre which showcases the culture and lifestyle of the region’s Jirrbal people.

From Ravenshoe it’s a 30-minute drive, along the Kennedy Highway, to Herberton - take your time and visit the massive crater lake in Mount Hypipamee National Park along the way.  

From the old tin mining village of Herberton take a side trip (46km return) to Irvinebank, full of heritage buildings and rustic charm, including the fascinating Loudon House museum. From Herberton, a short 20-minute drive will take you to Hasties Swamp and on to Atherton, home to a mineral museum, antique shops and even a Chinese temple.

The final leg of your journey back to Mareeba passes the turn off to Bones Knob Lookout, an old volcano which offers expansive views over the western mountains of the Great Dividing Range. 

For further detailed information visit one of the local Information Centres on the way, or one of the following.

Cairns:
Gateway Discovery Centre
51 The Esplanade, Cairns
Tel: (07) 4051 3588
www.tropicalaustralia.com

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