Granite Gorge Nature Park
Granite Gorge Nature Park
4.5
About
At Granite Gorge visitors have a fantastic opportunity to get close with the wild rock wallabies in their natural habitat. You can hand feed them macropod pellets which we have available. The Mareeba unadorned rock wallabies (Petrogale inornata, Mareeba race) are rare and endangered and only seen up close here.The wallabies are unique to this area of Mareeba. They are known to be on the top of a couple of mountain ranges but this is the only place they can be seen up close and fed in the wild. Possums, 5 types of gliders, Frilled necked and other lizards, 2 types of quolls, turtles and echidnas inhabit the gorge and park area. On winter nights dingo howls can be heard way down the gorge.
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4.5
467 reviews
Excellent
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Very good
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Average
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Poor
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Terrible
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Kangaroo_Tom
Munich, Germany959 contributions
Mar 2023
The way to the park is very well signed and so the park is really easy to find. The last few kms are on gravel road but in good condition and good to go also with a 2WD. I stayed there overnight in a cabin, so i can not tell about camping / facilities. Parking was just beside the cabin. The cabin is not equipped with the latest furnitures or appliances, but expedient for a short stay. No aircon, but fans and a large fridge. The porch has seats and a table, even a BBQ, perfect to sit there, relax and enjoy the breathtaking views. There is a good chance that wildlife visits you on the porch 😎. The landscape is difficult to describe - much dryer than the rainforests, but not yet in the outback. The nature is why people come here: it is just beautiful, the gorge and its adjacent areas are both picturesque. You will experience scenic views you most probably haven´t seen before. And you will not forget. You can do many different walks with different grades of experience required. If you want to spend some more personal time with the furry inhabitants of the gorge, i recommend staying overnight and visit them early morning or sunset, when there are not so many people around. In the park you can spot heaps of other wildlife such as Aegile Wallabies, Pademelons, Possums, Bandicoots, flying foxes and even Quolls if you are lucky. I can highly recommend this place.
Written June 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brian
13 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
We started walking down the trail and immediately saw wallabies. At the front you pay for a pack of pellets to feed to the wallabies. You are able to feed wild wallabies out of the palm of your hand and it really is a once in a lifetime experience. While the wallabies are tame they are still wild and it does not feel like a zoo. You can also feed turtles a little farther down with the same pellets. The trails are a bit difficult but overall a great family activity.
Written July 7, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WorldTravla7
Cairns, Australia8,617 contributions
Jun 2021 • Friends
This was our second camping trip out to Granite Gorge in as many years & the rock wallabies are always a winner. This time it was a large group of 8 of us and we threw in activities such as Mt Uncle Distillery, a trip to see the wallabies and had a campfire. It was busy when we camped in June & there was a wedding not far from our site near the water. It’s an easy overnight getaway from Cairns and only an hour drive. There’s facilities nearby and I usually stop at Kuranda on the way for coffee & brunch (Sprout Cafe in this occasion).
Written December 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
skybluesmurf
Warragul, Australia227 contributions
Jun 2024 • Family
Stopped here as part of our day trip around the area.
$15 per adult to feed the rock wallabies, who had zero interest in any of us tourists that were there(extra fee to buy food for them)
The gorge walk is pretty, but I wouldn't recommend it for elderly people. I'm not elderly but I struggled in parts of it.
You have to sign a waiver before you do the walk, so the business is not liable if you injure yourself.
They have wild birds and pythons in cages. I do not like this.
It's too expensive for what you get. Would not recommend.
$15 per adult to feed the rock wallabies, who had zero interest in any of us tourists that were there(extra fee to buy food for them)
The gorge walk is pretty, but I wouldn't recommend it for elderly people. I'm not elderly but I struggled in parts of it.
You have to sign a waiver before you do the walk, so the business is not liable if you injure yourself.
They have wild birds and pythons in cages. I do not like this.
It's too expensive for what you get. Would not recommend.
Written June 26, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tammy A
1 contribution
Dec 2021
We very much enjoyed the low-key atmosphere of the park and the not so touristy feel. Our time with the wallabies, bush walking and swimming around the property was memorable. However, there were a number of things regarding the accommodation that we would like to bring to your attention. We have emailed the company and received no reply to date (3 weeks ago). This company is not a member of the local tourism peak body, the office is only open for a few hours a day morning and night, so it made it difficult for us to speak to anyone about our problems as the office staff were busy with campers and day trippers when they were open. We left also feeling a little concerned for the health and wellbeing of some of the animals in cages scattered around the property.
1. The leak in the roof directly over the BBQ meant we could not cook our food on Christmas day due to the water running directly onto the BBQ.
2. The double bed was so rickety and squeaky we did not get a good night’s rest on any of the three nights we stayed. (air conditioning would be appropriate considering the climate in Mareeba & the accommodation price). When we stayed it was 33-36 in the day and about 24-25 over night
3. We were unable to lock the screen door or the glass sliding door on the deck which meant our room could not be secured whilst we were out.
4. The washing detergent was so watered down we could not clean our dishes properly and the plug in the kitchen sink did not seal which made it difficult to wash the dishes.
5. The outdoor dining table was squeaky and even some of the cutlery had wobbley handles.
6. The cleanliness of the room was disappointing, there were cobwebs over the ceiling and thick dust over some surfaces.
1. The leak in the roof directly over the BBQ meant we could not cook our food on Christmas day due to the water running directly onto the BBQ.
2. The double bed was so rickety and squeaky we did not get a good night’s rest on any of the three nights we stayed. (air conditioning would be appropriate considering the climate in Mareeba & the accommodation price). When we stayed it was 33-36 in the day and about 24-25 over night
3. We were unable to lock the screen door or the glass sliding door on the deck which meant our room could not be secured whilst we were out.
4. The washing detergent was so watered down we could not clean our dishes properly and the plug in the kitchen sink did not seal which made it difficult to wash the dishes.
5. The outdoor dining table was squeaky and even some of the cutlery had wobbley handles.
6. The cleanliness of the room was disappointing, there were cobwebs over the ceiling and thick dust over some surfaces.
Written January 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Laura W
3 contributions
Oct 2024 • Family
Cabin was very small, dated and dusty. Private fire pit outside cabin was nice. Cabins positioned in nice secluded location over looking gorge. The main letdown was the unnecessary stress we had to deal with on arrival. We booked well in advance and upon arrival was told by reception they did not have a record of our booking and had booked out all 3 cabins to someone else. Luckily I had the confirmation email as they were pretty insistent the mistake was on our part. They still seemed to have no issue with sending us away after hours of driving with small children, even though the other guests were not yet there, luckily the other group that booked cancelled one cabin. Despite this the Gorge had absolutely beautiful surrounds, with the most amazing wildlife. Next time we would just plan a day visit.
Written December 29, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
roamas
Sydney, Australia820 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
An interesting place, not hugely signposted and once there (near a camp ground), you are instructed to go to the reception to pay to enter the granite grounds (I think it was $13 per adult and $6.50 per school aged child). Around the reception shed are various caged animals. $2 buys you a bag of feed for the rock wallabies. In hindsight, supporting this is like training the rock wallabies to rely on human intervention which is sad. I’m sure many tourists also want their up front and personal photo with unique Australian wildlife and the perfectly trained rock wallabies will do just that … give you that Insta worthy photo to send home. Aside from that, I did like Granite Gorge better than Mossman Gorge for scenic beauty. The track is easy to navigate with sturdy shoes. The dinosaur foot prints were interesting and there was much discussion amongst our teenagers as to how they came to be there.
Written July 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert S
6 contributions
Jul 2022
Granite Gorge is a bit off the beaten path but easy to get to from Mareeba. The cost is $13AUD per adult to go into the gorge. There is a small swimming area which we did not use. You can walk around in the gorge for about an hour through the boulders. The highlight is feeding the rock wallabies in the gorge. You can buy a bag of feed at the entrance. The wallabies are free to roam as there is no fencing, but they tend to congregate near the entrance to the gorge. They are very tame and will eat out of your hand. The reception area of the park has many birds and reptiles on display. The park also has a comping area. The facilities were clean.
Written July 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Darren P
1 contribution
Mar 2024 • Couples
Avoid at all costs, woman working at front desk incredibly rude and more concerned with being on Facebook than speaking to customers. All the bridges had been washed away which is obviously out of their control but they made no attempts to tell us this knowing that 90% of the trail was un walkable but were more than happy to take our money, only telling us that the bridges had been washed away after we made our way back to reception and asked about the bridges. AVOID AT ALL COSTS
Written March 27, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lynne P
Ballina, Australia13,604 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
We only went to this park to see rock wallabies. Unfortunately we arrived in a heatwave. It was 38 degrees in a cabin with no aircon.
It was obvious that no maintenance had been done on the cabins in a very long time. We were told they were going to be renovated during the wet season, which probably accounts for the lack of keeping them up to an acceptable standard.
It was too hot to go looking for rock wallabies during the day but they came to the cabins around 7.30pm. Beautiful creatures and so friendly. Woke up next morning to a lovely peacock on the veranda.
We were surprised to see caged wildlife as it advertises as a nature park. Would have preferred not to see animals in cages.
All the staff were lovely and helpful.
Getting up close and personal with the rock wallabies was something special, but would we go back again – probably not unless they put in aircon and did away with the caged animals.
It was obvious that no maintenance had been done on the cabins in a very long time. We were told they were going to be renovated during the wet season, which probably accounts for the lack of keeping them up to an acceptable standard.
It was too hot to go looking for rock wallabies during the day but they came to the cabins around 7.30pm. Beautiful creatures and so friendly. Woke up next morning to a lovely peacock on the veranda.
We were surprised to see caged wildlife as it advertises as a nature park. Would have preferred not to see animals in cages.
All the staff were lovely and helpful.
Getting up close and personal with the rock wallabies was something special, but would we go back again – probably not unless they put in aircon and did away with the caged animals.
Written December 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Are there other places similar to Granite Gorge Nature Park in Queensland or the rest of Australia? What I found particularly exciting about Granite Gorge is that one can encounter the Wallabies in what feels like a semi-natural environment. Obviously these animals aren't "wild", but at the same time the place does not at all feel like a Zoo. So I was wondering whether there are similar parks in Australia where you can observe and engage with animals in this kind of setting.
Written August 23, 2019
babinda boulders south of cairns, mattaranka NT, plenty of places similar in Victoria highlands, Douglas Daily NT,
Written December 25, 2019
You would need to check with them directly
Written March 5, 2018
What time does the park close in the summer?
Written September 14, 2017
missie2017
Perth, Australia
HI I just wanted to know if there was mobile phone coverage in the Park at all? Thanks! ( yes I know lol... )
Written April 28, 2017
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