Barron Falls in Flood

Summer lives on in Autumn

Average Cairns temperatures: 21.6ºC (min) / 29.2ºC (max)

Autumn looks great in green

After the summer rains have turned the landscape a vibrant green, the rejuvenating rains continue through this period, generally lessening as autumn goes along. The landscape is lush, the creeks and rivers are full of water and waterfall chasing is spectacular.

It’s a great time to stay in the rainforest or to get the adrenaline pumping on a white water rafting trip. Leaves don’t fall in tropical autumns, they grow.

Nandroya Falls wet season

Bask in nature’s power

Don’t think just because summer is over, waterfall chasing just goes away. In fact, you’ll often be able to experience the full force of Barron Falls through Autumn as the rains continue to replenish the land.

Chase waterfalls

Barron Falls

Babinda Boulders

Wild Swimming

Autumn swims are a daily ritual in the tropics. Float under emerald green rainforest canopies and delve into wild swimming holes that are clear, full and in their prime.

Jump into swimming holes

warm tropical rain tropical north queensland

Warm tropical rain

In tropical autumn we count raindrops instead of leaves. Splash through puddles, dance in the rain and see the rainforest come alive with glossy raindrops in all of its green glory.

Rainy day activities

Adrenaline rush

With gushing waterfalls, it should come as no surprise that this is a prime time to get the adrenaline pumping.

Take a white water rafting tour down the Barron or Tully Rivers, surrounded by World Heritage Rainforest. Or for something more relaxed but equally as fun, float down Mossman River on a River Drift Snorkel tour.

Adventure awaits

licuala fan palm boardwalk mission beach

Relax in the rainforest

When the rains are a pourin’, the rainforest starts calling. If you’re more of a relaxed traveller, perch up in a rainforest and enjoy the downtime and the soothing rain.

While you don’t have to wait until the rain pauses to get out and about – tropical rain is warm and refreshing – you won’t necessarily have rain the entire time and you can get out and about to explore the rainforest at its prime.

Rainforest boardwalks

kayak at lawn hill gorge

Green season

From around April, the outback “reopens” after summer and with it, an extraordinary experience like you’ve never seen. The rains have painted the landscape green, instead of its usual earthy warm tones making it an incredible time to explore.

Swimming holes have replenished, wetlands are full of wildlife and you’ll find a sense of calmness that only exists in rural and remote areas of Australia.

Gulf Savannah & Outback

Cardwell Spa Pool

Bringing back the blue

Towards the end of autumn, as rains become less frequent, the iconic Cardwell Spa Pools return to their more placid blue state.

Cardwell Spa Pool

Tips

  • Sweet tropical produce remains in abundance through this period. Stock up on local fruits at markets or roadside fruit stalls.

  • Always take care at swimming holes and waterfalls and heed the advice from National Parks. Only swim where it is safe to do so and never venture into flooded waters. Sometimes it’s safer to admire from afar.

  • Glide above the canopy with Skyrail Rainforest Cableway on a misty day. There’s nothing quite like venturing into the clouds watching the rainforest disappear into the undergrowth below.

  • Marine stingers may be present in coastal waters through autmn. It’s recommended you wear a protective suit to help shield you from the sun and to minimise the risk of jellyfish stings.

Your adventure starts here

Start planning your Tropical North Queensland itinerary.

rainy day activities in cairns
Cairns & Northern Beaches
Embrace summer with these 10 things to do in Cairns when it rains

When it rains, activities pour in Cairns. See why Cairns shines all summer long with this wet weather activity guide.

Read more
outdoor bath tub at silky oaks lodge
Uncategorised
10 relaxing ways to sleep in the rainforest

This summer, swap your inner city stresses for cool, rainforest rejuvenation, checking into one of these accommodation providers in the rainforest.

Read more
Barron Falls Wet Season
Kuranda
Guide to Barron Falls (Din Din)

Rocky, wild, and undeniably dramatic, Barron Falls has a regal presence that is suitably fitting to its moniker. Whether you witness it as a scenic trickle in winter or as a mist-filled force in summer, Barron Falls deserves a spot in your tropical travel itinerary. Get ready to chase the ultimate waterfall with this guide to Barron Falls near Cairns.

Read more
atherton tablelands canopy treehouses
Atherton Tablelands
7 great reasons to head to the Atherton Tablelands

The Atherton Tablelands are the kind of place you want to take at your own pace. Jump in a car and head inland to tick off these must-do experiences.

Read more
undara lava tubes archway explorer tour
Gulf Savannah & Outback
Why the Undara Lava Tubes should be on your must-see list

Some adventures are off the beaten track and others, like the Undara Lava Tubes, are underneath it. You’ll need to dip below the earth’s surface, to explore these famous 190,000-year-old lava tunnels that point to an explosion when 23 cubic kilometres of lava flowed for 160 kilometres, carving a natural playground south-west of Cairns.

Read more
aerial babinda boulders
Cairns & Northern Beaches
10 Instagram locations near Cairns

With endless picturesque places on the doorstep, you’re spoilt for choice as soon as you touch down in the tropics. Send your holiday posts to the top of the feed with these Instagram locations near Cairns.

Read more
Cardwell Spa Pool
Mission Beach & Cassowary Coast
Everything you need to know about the Cardwell Spa Pool

Cardwell Spa Pool is a naturally-fed, seasonal creek that shot to stardom on social media in 2016. Ever since, people have been adding it to their holiday itinerary but there are a few things you might not know about this idyllic swimming spot.

Read more
Cape Tribulation National Park
Daintree & Cape Tribulation
Choose your own adventure: Discover the Daintree & Cape Tribulation

Choose your own adventure with these unique tour ideas in Cape Tribulation; a place where Australia’s oldest, largest and longest rainforest collides with the only living organism seen from space.

Read more
discovering the rainforest at mamu tropical skywalk
Uncategorised
10 Things you didn’t know about the Wet Tropics Rainforest

Get to know our famous forest, which spans 8940 square-kilometers and covers more ground than Samoa, Luxemburg and Puerto Rico, with this list of 10 things you didn’t know about the Wet Tropics.

Read more
zillie falls atherton tablelands
Atherton Tablelands
10 waterfalls to chase on the Atherton Tablelands

Hit the famous waterfall circuit, uncover those lesser known or stretch a little further and take a dip in Australia’s widest, single-drop waterfall on the Atherton Tablelands.

Read more
Cairns Botanic Gardens
Cairns & Northern Beaches
How to explore the rainforest near Cairns

Flying into Cairns, you can see the city’s close proximity to the rainforest so you know don’t have to go far to explore this wonder. In fact, you can even find it in an inner-city suburb.

Read more
Waterfalls in the Wet Tropics
Uncategorised
Jewel of the tropics

Tropical North Queensland’s Wet Tropics World Heritage Area is a landscape of astonishing beauty and biodiversity. Immerse yourself in this national treasure, the oldest tropical rainforest on earth.

Read more
ideas for rainy day activities in cairns
Cairns & Northern Beaches
Ideas for a rainy day in Cairns with kids

Kids restless and suffering cabin fever? Let them release that pent-up energy by ziplining over a crocodile, exploring underwater coral gardens or venturing through the Southern Hemisphere’s largest butterfly sanctuary.

Read more
Great Barrier Reef
10 Great Barrier Reef Experiences for Adventure Seekers

While most people come to the Great Barrier Reef for postcard-perfect swimming, snorkelling or scuba diving in the real-life World Heritage-listed aquarium, there’s plenty of ways to experience the reef and not all involve getting wet. Choose your own Tropical North Queensland reef adventure with this adrenaline scale ranging from sunset sails to vistas served at speeds of up to 200km per hour.

Read more
outdoor bath tub at silky oaks lodge
Uncategorised
10 relaxing ways to sleep in the rainforest

This summer, swap your inner city stresses for cool, rainforest rejuvenation, checking into one of these accommodation providers in the rainforest.

Read more
Southern Cairns
Day trip ideas for Southern Cairns

If you’re into adventure and nature, point your compass south and explore Cairns’ under-the-radar southern corridor – a region of breathtaking natural beauty with a whole lot of country charm.

Read more

What's on

Check out what’s on in autumn.

 

Book now and save $100 on tours

Are you visiting Tropical North Queensland soon? Take advantage of our Tropical Dollars and get $100 off tours and experiences* when you book through Experience Oz! Use code TNQ100

*Min spend $200. T&C’s apply. Travel by 21 June 2024.