Visiting the Curtain Fig Tree in Yungaburra, Tablelands

A quick guide to the popular Curtain Fig Tree, Yungaburra, in the Far North Queensland Tablelands Region. Explore this incredible natural wonder on a short pit stop near the Crater Lakes.

The incredible, 500-year-old Curtain Fig Tree in Yungaburra is one of the most underrated pitstops on any trip to the Tablelands. Located just a few kilometres from Yungaburra, the very small Curtain Fig National Park is truly a hidden gem unbeknownst to most visitors but a proud icon for Tablelands locals.

This is a stop that I usually make when driving around the Tablelands chasing waterfalls. In fact, I’ve been here over a dozen times. In this guide, I’ll give you a thorough rundown of everything you need to know about this awesome attraction and ancient tree in Far North Queensland, based on my visits.

Where is the Curtain Fig Tree?

You'll find this unique fig tree in the Curtain Fig National Park, just 2 km west from Yungaburra on the Gillies Highway. Look for signs to a turn-off to Fig Tree Road, where you'll find a roadside car park near the boardwalk.

Driving Directions to the Curtain Fig Tree

Heading out from the heart of Cairns, I take usually take Sheridan Street, before making my way towards the Bruce Highway/A1. It's a quick transition through Comport Street and onto Ray Jones Drive, which connects to the highway.

• Join Bruce Hwy/A1: This is where the journey truly begins, and I'm on this for the next 60.9 kilometers.

Once on the Bruce Highway, the scenery shifts to a more rural landscape.

• Take Gillies Range Road: After the stretch on the highway, turn onto State Route 52, known as Gillies Range Road. This climbs all the way up the mountain to the Atherton Tablelands.

• Continue past Lake Barine: Following straight, pass the township of Yungaburra and then take a left turn onto Curtain Fig Tree Road. It's a narrow road, canopied by trees, which makes the final 1.4 kilometers feel like driving through a green tunnel.

The destination is on the left: the majestic Curtain Fig Tree. You won't see it form the car park (a cleared area) but there is a sign. Parking is free and the road is accessible for any vehicle.

What to Expect When Visiting the Curtain Fig Tree

From the car park, there is a short 180 m looping and elevated wooden boardwalk track that leads to the incredible Curtain Fig Tree. The boardwalk wraps around the tree, which means that you can get a good vantage point at nearly every angle.

Although this national park is very small, it seems as if you're transported into a prehistoric, Jurassic landscape nearly as soon as you enter. The sounds of tropical birds echo within a wide amphitheater of jungle vines and twisted roots

This truly is a magical spot worthy of a visit on a trip to the Tablelands.

This particular Fig Tree has been named the Curtain Fig due to the 15-metre heigh aerial roots that drop from the canopy to the rainforest floor. The tree is nearly 50 metres tall, with a circumference of 39 metres.

How Old is the Curtain Fig?

Although it's difficult to tell, most sources point to the Curtain Fig tree being around 500 years old.

How did it Form?

There is a very informative plaque just below the tree which does a better job of explaining the process than I can. But, basically, the Yungaburra Curtain Fig Tree was formed by germinating inside the bark of an existing tree and growing roots to the ground. Once rooted, the strangler fig grows rapidly, killing the host tree in the process.

Did you know? The Curtain Fig tree reserve safeguards a precious tract of mabi forest, a rare and threatened ecosystem. "Mabi" is the term used by the Ngadjon people, the local Indigenous custodians, to describe the habitat of the Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo.

FAQ About Visiting the Tableland's Curtain Fig Tree

More Queensland Travel Guides and Blogs

Hopefully, this quick guide to visiting the famous Yungaburra Curtain Fig tree in the incredible Tablelands has been helpful for you.

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