Tablelands Info.com
Skybury's roaster is smoking
Posted: Wednesday, 27 Jan 2010
Skybury's Australian Coffee Centre at Mareeba has an impressively large, cast iron drum roaster now roasting the daily grind of Skybury coffee in the foyer, sending the aroma of freshly toasted coff...

The small town of Yungaburra has a warm country charm that will draw you back time and time again. The village has remained the same for almost 100 years, and many of the original buildings are still being used. It has a relaxed and slow-paced atmosphere. Everything about Yungaburra is warm & fuzzy: the locals are friendly, the accommodation is homey, the animals are plentiful and approachable and the restaurants are romantically atmospheric.

Yungaburra is a major meeting point for Atherton Tablelands artists and musicians, and as such it has several art and craft galleries and displays. There are also restaurants and a variety of accommodation such as the historic Lake Eacham Hotel, which is the centre of the town.

Yungaburra is centrally located between Lake Eacham, the Curtain Fig Tree, Lake Tinaroo and the town of Atherton. It is 720 metres above sea level and located 70kms inland from Cairns.

On the 4th Saturday morning of every month, the Yungaburra Market is held in the main park opposite the Lake Eacham Hotel, from 07:30 AM to 12:30 PM. The Yungaburra markets are this regions largest and boasts some 320 regular stallholders. They have showcased the regions produce, culture and crafts for over twenty-six years, selling everything you could imagine from jams to homemade outdoor furniture. If you're booking accommodation for near the time when the market is on, ensure you book well ahead.

Yungaburra boasts outstanding restaurants, all have magnificent dishes which capitalise on Yungaburra's idyllic position in the farming community of the Atherton Tablelands. All restaurants use local produce, and have friendly local staff.

Accommodation available in Yungaburra

Yungaburra is privvy to an abundance of unique accommodation. Many of the Yungaburra accommodation properties have a focus on romance and cosiness, many are also a bed & breakfast. You will find very little 'generic' motel style accommodation in this area, which makes the accommodation in Yungaburra interesting and different. You can expect open fires, king sized beds, port & chocolates and other such decadent additions in your rooms in Yungaburra.

Things to see in & near Yungaburra

Yungaburra, besides being a historic village and interesting in itself, is central and close to a number of popular Atherton Tablelands attractions. Many are within a 15m driving radius of Yungaburra, and are well worth seeing.

* Curtain Fig Tree - Perhaps one of the world's, and certainly the Atherton Tableland's most famous fig tree. A strangler fig species, the curtain effect results from one tree leaning against another tree on a 45-degree angle. The strangler vine grows along the oblique angle of the leaning tree, dangling 15 metres to the ground to create the curtain affect. Bring your camera, as the tree is very photgenic. A boardwalk surrounds the Curtain Fig Tree, allowing visitors to view the tree from all angles.

* Lake Tinaroo - An awesome fishing spot, Lake Tinaroo is about 5 minutes drive from Yungaburra, and is accessible from a number of points. A boat ramp in the Tinaburra Waters area will allow you to take your vessel deep into the lake, there are plenty of swimming spots and water sport locations.

* Danbulla State Forest - An abundance of attractions exist within the Danbulla Forest only 5 minutes drive from Yungaburra. The Chimneys (see picture above), Platypus Rock, Mobo Creek Crater and the Cathedral Fig Tree are all in this immediate area.

* Giant Red Cedar Tree - A prized tree, but alas, missed by those pesky loggers all those years ago. More than 100 years old, many people join hands and circle the tree to see how many of them it takes.

* The Crater Lakes: Eacham & Barrine - Between 10m to 15m from Yungaburra, these lakes are a sight to behold. Suitable and safe for swimming, both lakes are popular for barbeques, picnics and family get togethers. Both are surrounded by rainforest and are the home of a myriad of interesting wildlife species. Lake Barrine also has a tea house and daily cruises.