Visiting Cairns and have a drone? Make sure you bring it, Cairns has some truly photogenic locations that only look better from the air.
Here are my top Cairns drone spots:
Walsh’s Pyramid
Walsh’s Pyramid, 30 minutes south of Cairns, is one of the most Instagrammable places in Tropical North Queensland. The view from Behana Gorge Road up to Walsh’s Pyramid is very picturesque and an easy spot in Cairns to get a great drone shot. Find this exact spot here: How to find that Walshs Pyramid Road in Cairns.
Tully Gorge
Tully Gorge near Ravenshoe is about 2 hours out of Cairns City (read: How to Get to Tully Gorge). With large smooth rocks, it is really easy to put your drone up and bring it down. Plus, the drone will give the perspective of Tully Gorge that normal cameras cannot achieve.
Windin Falls
Windin Falls is an hour and a half out of Cairns (read: How to get to Windin Falls). Perched upon the top of a waterfall, overlooking the scenic valley below, this view is only improved from the air.
Behana Gorge
30 minutes south of Cairns, you’ll find the deep green pools of Behana Gorge, one of the best Cairns waterfalls.
Millaa Millaa Falls
Another one of the best Cairns waterfalls is Millaa Millaa Falls on the Atherton Tablelands, about 101km out of Cairns City. By shooting through a drone you can get a unique shot of this famous waterfall.
Frankland Islands
A drone is a must bring for any tropical island adventure, and Frankland Islands is no exception. Located just off the south of Cairns you can get here with Frankland Islands Reef Cruises.
Atherton Tablelands Roads
The rolling hills of the Atherton Tablelands are a perfect spot to launch your drone. Take advantage of the long windy photogenic roads, and capture the beautiful scenes from above. This above photo was taken somewhere near the top of Palmerston Highway.
Balancing Rock, Chillagoe
Head to Outback Queensland to get some drone shots of a different kind. This one above is of Balancing Rock, located just over 200km out of Cairns (and worth the drive).
Second Beach, Yarrabah
A jetty always makes a good drone shot and Second Beach at Yarrabah has one of the most simple yet photogenic jetties in Cairns.
Gordonvale Cane Farms
Cairns is famous for cane fields and there is nothing quite as scenic as capturing a cane train etching slowly through the fields at the base of Walsh’s Pyramid at sunset. Find this location near Gordonvale.
Cape Tribulation
Cape Tribulation, where the rainforest meets the reef, is a bucket list destination for many people around the world and one of the must see places in the Daintree. North of Cairns, the best way to capture this famous spot is via the air with your drone.
Drones in Cairns
Flying drones in Cairns are subject to all official drone regulations and rules, including not flying within 5.5km of an airport with a control tower. You can find out if your chosen location is within Cairns Airport here.
Happy droning!
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