Butterfly Sanctuary & Aussie Wildlife

OVERVIEW

Enter an aviary fluttering with butterflies, mingle with free-roaming wallabies and koalas, and tour a colorful township nestled in the very heart of Tropical North Queensland. Just about a half-hour inland from Cairns is the mountain village of Kuranda, surrounded by World Heritage rainforest and sporting a frontier history dating back to the logging and mining heydays of the 1800s. Your brief orientation drive through town will reveal much charm and also a distinctly artsy modern character. At the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, the art has wings – of every imaginable color. This walk-in aviary is a naturally recreated habitat with a running stream and over 1,500 iridescent residents, including the electric blue Ulysses butterfly and yellow-green Cairns Birdwings. All are local rainforest species, and a few have surprisingly elaborate behaviors, including courtship dances and battles over territory. Shifting to another branch of the animal kingdom, you’ll visit the Koala and Wildlife Sanctuary, where you can wander among kangaroos and wallabies, visit a curious nocturnal environment, and encounter that most adorable of Down Under icons, the koala.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Travel by coach to rainforest-surrounded Kuranda and enjoy an introductory drive through this charming mountain township.
• Step inside the natural aviary at Australian Butterfly Sanctuary to meet its colorful residents; wear something bright and they might land on you.
• Encounter kangaroos, wallabies and irresistibly cuddly koalas at the Koala and Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Catch great Coral Sea and Green Island views on the way down the mountain and back to Cairns.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear casual, weather-appropriate clothing.
• Flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as needed.