If you want an eco-tourism experience and you’re not afraid of heights, then the Mamu Tropical Skywalk will kick-start your heart. The welcoming entrance with its sculptures, greenery, rainforest and extensive carpark has been made to cater for bus loads of nature enthusiasts.

After viewing their website and later visiting, I understood why I could almost touch the clouds. Their advertisement boasted 15m high x 350m long elevated steel-and-concrete walkways, which felt more like 150m high above the rainforest floor.

SkyWalk

Once I had acclimatised to the cooler conditions and after walking some of the 350m long Skywalk walkway, I was then faced with the suspended 10m long cantilever. And suspended it was — not sure how well they measured the 10m drop, but I’d quadruple that. It’s not for the faint-hearted. And it’s a no bounce zone. You can attempt to scare your parents — not sure how far you’d get — but spare the visitors.

Suspended Cantilever Walkway

Shelter Sheds

Nature’s gifts were bountiful along the sandy walkways and in the shelter sheds nestled in amongst the rainforest. This cicada was hanging on for dear life, trying to look inconspicuous. Its delicate gossamer wings and structured body resembled an architectural work of art — such detail.

Nature’s Gifts

The tones and shade on this textured tree trunk looked like it had been strategically painted. The long drop down gave a good perspective as to how far up I was.

This mushroom stood tall and proud with its curved designs as the kids headed down the rainforest path.

These co-joined red berries had two sleepy eyes peeping sideways.

After a successful cantilever experience, the 37m high Observation Tower was looming and that really had my heart ‘more than’ think about palpitating. Yes, the views are spectacular. Yes, it’s panoramic. Yes, the World Heritage rainforest is to die for. And yes, we’re fortunate to have access to this protected rainforest, with the North Johnson River meandering through it. It was far more spectacular than I anticipated, so much so I took far too many photos. I stayed up on the two viewing platforms longer than expected. It was truly breathtaking. I’m glad my brother urged me up the 100+ steps, while the kids energetically hopped, skipped and jumped. After a few stops on the way up, I was very glad I reached the top to take in the view.

Observation Tower

It’s located about 20-25 minutes from the Atherton Tablelands, 15 minutes from Innisfail and about an hour South of Cairns in the Wooroonooran National Park. It’s definitely worth a couple hours of your time, if you want something incredibly stunning, untouched, pristine and for a chance to be at-one with nature.

Here are some of Nature’s other treasures.

Nature’s Treasures

This lizard was feasting on these white-winged flying ants. Perching itself on the edge of the log, it flicked its little tongue sucking up these small ants at its leisure.