Australia’s rainforests are ancient, vibrant and full of life. Estimated to be around 100 million years old, they are considered the oldest rainforests on Earth. By comparison, the Amazon is a youngster at roughly 10 million years. These forests are living museums, holding stories of evolution that stretch back to Gondwana.

A small footprint with enormous richness

Rainforests cover only about two million hectares in Australia, a tiny 0.3% of the continent. Yet within that small area lives around 5% of the world’s rainforest species. Even more remarkable, less than half a percent of the continent shelters about half of Australia’s native flora and fauna.

There are roughly 20,000 plant species found in these forests, with around 15,000 drawn from tropical, subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate rainforest types. This diversity is obvious the moment you step beneath the canopy.

Lushness born from lean soils

Wandering through a rainforest feels like stepping into a world overflowing with life. What surprises many visitors is that this abundance grows from soils that are often no richer than those found in the outback. Rainforest plants have adapted to almost every soil type in Australia, except for high alkaline soils. Deep organic loam might be the image most people imagine, yet deep sands and stubborn clays can support towering trees and dense understorey growth.

Queensland’s rainforest treasures

Queensland is home to some of the most inspiring rainforests and waterfalls in the country. In places the forest is so thick that stepping a metre off the track can leave you disoriented. The colours are extraordinary, and the biodiversity is still used by First Nations people as a natural kitchen and pharmacy.

Visitors can explore the culture and ecology of the rainforest through guided walks, cultural tours or scenic flights that skim close to the canopy. Seeing the treetops from above is unforgettable.

Experiences that stay with you

Rainforests are best explored along boardwalks or with a ranger or local guide. Night walks are particularly memorable. On one walk we saw a Boyd’s forest dragon changing colour to match its surroundings, a long-nosed bandicoot scurrying through leaf litter, wild pigs moving through the undergrowth and dozens of cane toads.

The Wet Tropics

Northern Queensland’s rainforest, known as the Wet Tropics, has the highest diversity of endemic species anywhere in the world. This region receives Australia’s highest rainfall and supports the continent’s main tropical rainforest. It is a place where ancient landscapes, rich biodiversity and cultural heritage come together in a way found nowhere else.