Top Cairns & the Tropical North Attractions & Museums

Discover the only place on earth with 2 natural World Heritage listed sites side by side. Explore the Daintree River and Rainforest, Cape Tribulation Region, Mossman Gorge, all in one adventure-filled day.

See snapping crocs in action on this half-day tour to Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures. Departing from Cairns or Palm Cove, explore the five different zones of this eco-park and working crocodile farm, including a narrated boat tour through a coastal lagoon. Stroll along elevated boardwalks to observe cassowaries, turtles, lizards, and koalas, and admire the mighty stars of the attraction at the thrilling Crocodile Attack Show.

Discover the natural wonders of the Great Barrier Reef from all angles on this action-packed tour. Cruise out to the Great Barrier Reef on board a high-speed catamaran and enjoy up to three introductory or certified scuba dives at two different dive sites. After marveling over the colorful corals and marine life from underwater, hop aboard for a 10-minute helicopter flight and see the islands and reefs from above.

Get a rounder perspective of the Great Barrier Reef by viewing it from the air on this scenic flight from Cairns. Soaring over the UNESCO-listed reef allows you to take in its colors and appreciate its vastness. Enjoy unobstructed photo opportunities from your window seat as you take in such sights as Green Island, Upolu Cay, Vlassof Cay, and Michaelmas Reef.

Enjoy a day at the Kuranda Koala Gardens by pre-booking your admission ticket. Discover this unique wildlife experience that is home to an array of Australian species including koalas, quokkas, wallabies, and wombats. Learn about the gardens' efforts to rehabilitate sick and injured wildlife and restore habitats, and experience the only nocturnal exhibit in the Tableland region, home to night-loving marsupials such as the greater bilby, northern bettong, and rare mahogany glider.

Visit two of the most popular wildlife venues in the Cairns area with this combo admission to the Kuranda Koala Gardens and Birdworld. Aussie animals are renowned for various reasons—from adorable (koalas) to elusive (wombats). You’ll have the chance to see an array of wildlife. Some activities are an additional fee.

As the sun goes down on the Great Barrier Reef, a whole new world awakens. Corals glow, colourful reef fish seek shelter and predators begin their night hunt. At the same time, coastal forests stir with life, as reptiles, amphibians and insects emerge from their burrows to seek out food in the safety of the shadows. Night at the Aquarium gives you a glimpse into the unique world of the region’s nocturnal creatures and their behaviours as they move about in the darkness.

Explore Kuranda's Rainforestation Nature Park, a 100-acre (40-hectare) tropical rainforest and World Heritage site located within five minutes of Kuranda village, accessible from Cairns. Your admission ticket to this family-friendly attraction includes three eco-experiences: see Australia's native animals at the Koala and Wildlife Park; ride the amphibious Army Duck on a unique rainforest tour; watch an Aboriginal Dance Show at the Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience and take a Dreamtime Walk.

Gain exclusive after hours entry to Cairns Aquarium and embark on a Ecologist guided tour. Learn how animals behaviours adapt from day to night and come face to face with over 16,000 animals.

When in Queensland, stop in Kuranda for a wildlife experience where you can see endangered Australian animals, and even pet koalas. This delux multi attraction pass gets you access to three parks, Kuranda Koala Gardens, Birdworld, and Butterfly Sanctuary Kuranda. You’ll also receive a phono with you petting a koala, with the supervisor present. This group experience lasts 90-120 minutes.

Meet our rescued turtles, and learn all about the threats and dangers Australia’s six species of sea turtles face in a guided Turtle Hospital Tour. The Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, located at Cairns Aquarium, is a Not-for-Profit, volunteer run, charitable entity, caring for rescued sea turtles. Guests are taken on an exclusive tour of the onsite Turtle Hospital to meet the sea turtles in our care. This educational experience lasts approximately 30 minutes. Single day admission entry is also included in this experience.

Learn more about Cairns' unique culture and history at the interesting Cairns Museum. This ticket saves you time, so you can straight into the museum and check out its interactive exhibits. There are family friendly displays that all members of the family can enjoy, plus refreshing air conditioning when the heat of tropical North Queensland gets too much.

Avoid waiting around outside in the tropical heat with priority access to the Cairns Museum. Save money with a family ticket, and head right on inside to enjoy interactive exhibits on the history, culture, and geography of Cairns and Northern Queensland. Conveniently located in the central city, you can enjoy great views from the upstairs veranda.

A visit to the Historic Village Herberton is like stepping back in time. Showcasing Australia’s rich and diverse history this outdoor pioneer museum is testament to an era that is long gone. This incredible museum collects, preserves and displays fascinating historical exhibits from across Australia. The history of this museum is also closely tied with the township of Herberton and features many priceless antiques as well as buildings that have come from the town’s ancestors. The Village currently features over 60 original buildings that date from Herberton’s foundation years and are as they were originally constructed. Walking through the Village, visitors are given a sense of being in a real township complete with apothecary, bottle shop, school, bank, grocer’s store, frock salon, toy shop, mechanic, jail and more. There is just so much to see and do in this amazing village that it needs to be experienced to understand the full depth of history it offers.

The ultimate experience! Imagine hand-feeding gentle Cownose Rays on a privately escorted behind-the-scenes tour including viewing of our food preparation, research and quarantine areas.

Discover the secrets and stories of 19th-century Queensland with a visit to the Historic Village Herberton. Just over 90-minutes inland from Cairns, this huge outdoor pioneer museum gives visitors a chance to peek back to a long-ago era. Walk through the streets and you’ll discover the original buildings from the town, including the school, jail, bank, grocery, bottle shop, apothecary, and mechanic—complete with antique cars. You can also enjoy the natural surroundings and go wildlife-spotting on purpose-built trails.

This is the world’s first conservation program to protect all 415 known species of Great Barrier Reef Hard Corals. You will take a 30 minute guided tour where you will go behind the scenes to learn about the importance of coral on the Great Barrier Reef and what we are doing to protect and preserve it. This is the only place on earth where you will bear witness to the largest collection of hard corals; situated in a state-of-the-ark living coral biobank designed to keep these corals alive forever. General Admission entry is also included in this experience.