A vibrant town with 300 days of sunshine each year, breathtaking landscapes, rugged gorges, savannah grasslands, a plethora of bird life, plantations, wineries, bull wrangling, dancing and just a little bit of wild!
“The name Mareeba is derived from an Aboriginal word meaning “meeting of the waters” or “place to meet.”
Located up the range just an hour’s drive north of Cairns, this lively town is filled with sights, tastes, sounds and experiences! Mareeba is the best place in Australia to get carried away. It has the most stable air conditions in the country for getting airborne with hot air ballooning at sunrise or taking to the air in a microlight.
Mareeba’s multicultural heritage has given the region its distinctive flavour. The fertile district has a reputation as a food lovers’ paradise which can be discovered by visits to tropical fruit farms, coffee plantations, wineries and you can experience local goodness first-hand at the Mareeba Markets.
Mareeba is acknowledged as the richest region for birdlife in Australia, with nearly half of Australia’s 750 bird species found here and is a regionally significant Brolga and Saris Crane roost. Look up and you might see golden bowerbirds, king parrots, honeyeaters, crimson rosellas and masked owls. Or just listen!
Climb to the soothing spa pools beneath Emerald Creek Falls and picnic downstream. Or put your boots on to hike Turtle Rock Circuit in the higher levels of Davies Creek to be rewarded with 360° views from the 936 metre-high Turtle Rock. Close by there are two rock art galleries depicting figures in red and yellow ochre and sense the ancient connections the Traditional Owners have with the landscape.
Pedal your way around gently flowing, purpose built single trails through granite outcrops, clear streams, and open forests of bloodwoods, stringy barks, she-oaks, cycads and grass trees. Hidden in the rain-shadowed slopes of the Lamb Range, this park has trails suitable for riders of all abilities. Afterwards take a refreshing dip in Davies Creek where you will find a stunning natural infinity pool with shimmering deep blue water surrounded by granite rocks and dramatic mountains.
An opportunity arises to connect with Mareeba’s history and heritage at the Mareeba Heritage Museum with 6000 artefacts and 45 exhibits the Museum is also home to Australia’s largest nationally significant Tobacco exhibit. Catch a flick at the Mareeba Drive-in (its weekend movie sessions are a steal!) or join a dinner tour and delve into the hidden mysteries of the southern sky.
If you time your visit right, you might catch Mareeba’s wild side when cowboys and girls arrive to wrangle bulls and broncos in the annual Mareeba Rodeo. Or dance with the locals at our newest event with a huge crop of Aussie legends and rising stars at Savannah in the Round – one almighty long weekend of live music!
At Mareeba you can slow down, get high, take in the big picture and get carried away all from the one meeting place!
© Mareeba Heritage Museum and Visitor Information Centre 2024
