Australian Butterfly Sanctuary

Less than 30 kilometres by car northwest of Cairns, surrounded by tropical rainforest, lies the tranquil town of Kuranda. Next to the Kuranda Koala Gardens is the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, originally established as a private facility in 1987 and opened to the public in 2005. The zoo has the largest butterfly aviary and exhibition in Australia and is an all-weather experience for visitors, being home to over 1500 magnificent tropical butterflies. Be enchanted by their beauty as you watch them fly through the aviary's rainforest gardens. The butterflies include local rainforest species, including the majestic green and yellow Cairns Birdwing. Also of note is the Ulysses Butterfly, also known as the Mountain Blue Butterfly (a large swallowtail butterfly) with a wingspan of between 100 and 130 mm.