An acre in Malanda, Atherton Tablelands, Tropical Far North Queensland

[Jonathan Haycock]

It’s been a long road to get to this point, but we’ve finally achieved it, we own acreage in Australia 🥳.

The acre parcel is located 3 km from the township of Malanda, 15 minutes to Atherton (main hub on the Atherton Tablelands), and just over an hour down the stunning Gillies Range highway to Cairns. 

740 metres above sea level and typically 6-7C cooler than Cairns in summer (29 Vs. 36C this Saturday), with minimums rarely dropping below 12C in winter. Also humidity tends to be lower. I’m hoping the climate is a suitable candidate for Juania australis, Ceroxylon, and Hedyscepe. The land is red volcanic soil, which is very fertile with good drainage and moisture retention. 

Ultimately I would like to build a house on it and retire up there over the next 10-15 years, but that all depends on if I can convince my wife to leave the Gold Coast. If not, we’ll use it as a holiday home and split our time between the two locations accordingly. For now, it’s my playground to plant sun loving palms that will provide future canopy. As each species goes in, I’ll update this thread.

The YouTube video shows the land as it is now. Over the next few months all the infrastructure will go in (town water, underground power, sealed roads, concrete access driveway etc).

 

[Jonathan Haycock]

Some stills of the land and view.

Land:

View:

[SeanK]

Congratulations on the acquisition. I hope you see your plans to fruition.

[Jonathan Haycock]

1 hour ago, SeanK said:

Congratulations on the acquisition. I hope you see your plans to fruition.

Thanks Sean. Looking forward to making a start. 

[Jonathan]

Malanda is beautiful!

We've been there a couple of times and daydreamed about buying some land...will be interesting to see if the species you mentioned can grow up there. Suspect it might still be a tad too warm for Hedyscepe, but would be very happy to be proved wrong.

Congrats!

[happypalms]

Good one, a cold climate grower, challenging his skills in the tropics, iam sure you will have some beauty’s lined up for that soil! 

[Jonathan Haycock]

1 hour ago, Jonathan said:

Malanda is beautiful!

We've been there a couple of times and daydreamed about buying some land...will be interesting to see if the species you mentioned can grow up there. Suspect it might still be a tad too warm for Hedyscepe, but would be very happy to be proved wrong.

Congrats!

Thanks Jonathan.

You could be right on it being a tad too warm, but I’m hoping the level of rainfall and cooler lows might make the difference. Worth a shot for sure. 

[realarch]

Stunning landscape Jonathan, good on you mate. Talk about a wide open canvas, your imagination must be running wild. Trust me, laying awake at night planning and scheming will be the norm while your vision comes into focus. 

Looking forward to seeing the garden progress. 

Tim

[Jonathan Haycock]

2 hours ago, realarch said:

Stunning landscape Jonathan, good on you mate. Talk about a wide open canvas, your imagination must be running wild. Trust me, laying awake at night planning and scheming will be the norm while your vision comes into focus. 

Looking forward to seeing the garden progress. 

Tim

Thanks Tim.

I’m already working on a landscape design in ChatGPT that separates 4 distinct geographic areas (Africa, Americas, Asia, and Oceania) 😂.

[Jonathan]

14 hours ago, Jonathan Haycock said:

Thanks Tim.

I’m already working on a landscape design in ChatGPT that separates 4 distinct geographic areas (Africa, Americas, Asia, and Oceania) 😂.

It's a slippery slope...I lie awake wondering whether Sabal bermudana should be in the South American, or North American section, lol.

OCD Gardening.com!

[Jonathan Haycock]

7 hours ago, Jonathan said:

It's a slippery slope...I lie awake wondering whether Sabal bermudana should be in the South American, or North American section, lol.

OCD Gardening.com!

I feel your pain Jonathan. I envy those that just pick a spot and run with it without giving it too much thought. 

[Tyrone]

You’ve got a great piece of ground up there with beautiful rich soil. You will have it turned back into rainforest (which it would have been originally) in no time.

Was the property part of an old dairy farm? 

Once you get some canopy you could try your Hedyscepe. However I know that Oraniopsis and Laccospadix will thrive there. Plus probably another 2000 species. I would say that you are right on the border of Cyrtostachys renda territory there too. 
It’s an amazing property. Keep us up to date with progress. 

[Jonathan Haycock]

6 hours ago, Tyrone said:

You’ve got a great piece of ground up there with beautiful rich soil. You will have it turned back into rainforest (which it would have been originally) in no time.

Was the property part of an old dairy farm? 

Once you get some canopy you could try your Hedyscepe. However I know that Oraniopsis and Laccospadix will thrive there. Plus probably another 2000 species. I would say that you are right on the border of Cyrtostachys renda territory there too. 
It’s an amazing property. Keep us up to date with progress. 

Thanks Tyrone. Everything about this lot just felt right. 

I believe the development was previously a dairy farm. My rear neighbour still runs one. 

I was thinking the same thing. Get the canopy established then try the cool climate species. Before I purchased the property, one of the first questions I asked a fellow palm nutter (who lives in Mena Creek) was "do you reckon a Lipstick would grow there" 🤣. Their response was "find the right microclimate and it is doable". I know there are some growing well in Mareeba, which apparently gets a little cooler than Malanda in winter. 

[tropicbreeze]

That's a great part of the world with many interesting parts to explore. 

The grass in the photo looks like the introduced Setaria sphacelate which can grow very tall. Good for grazing cattle and usually a sign of good soil. 

I know people who used to live about 3 kms north of Malanda, bought it a good 40 years ago. Their main interest was Amorphophallus and they flowered A. titanium many times. Frosts were common on clear nights during the dry season so the plants had to be protected in a greenhouse. A. titanium is the C. renda of the aroid world, but with more shade than sun.  

Another couple I know bought 5 acres closer to Yungaburra, near Lakes Eacham and Barrine. Their block is a bit over 900m asl. They regularly get frosts during the dry season and also a lot of fogs. 

Cyrtostachys renda would have to be protected dry season. My understanding is that Mareeba is colder than Malanda so I doubt Cyrtostachys renda would survive there (Mareeba) unprotected. I knew people who lived near/in Mareeba but never heard any weather comparisons, other than that it was much colder than Cairns. But then, anything  up on the Tablelands is much colder than Cairns.

If you haven't already seen it the following link is to a chart of weather statistics for Atherton. The weather station closed down there about 2008 (Govt. funding cuts) but it should help with planning:
https://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_031193_All.shtml

All in all it's a good choice and even though there will be some palms you can't grow, there's so many which will thrive that you'll be flat out trying to find them all. And you only have to look around you to see all the diversity that's already there.

[Jonathan Haycock]

On 1/22/2026 at 1:16 PM, tropicbreeze said:

That's a great part of the world with many interesting parts to explore. 

The grass in the photo looks like the introduced Setaria sphacelate which can grow very tall. Good for grazing cattle and usually a sign of good soil. 

I know people who used to live about 3 kms north of Malanda, bought it a good 40 years ago. Their main interest was Amorphophallus and they flowered A. titanium many times. Frosts were common on clear nights during the dry season so the plants had to be protected in a greenhouse. A. titanium is the C. renda of the aroid world, but with more shade than sun.  

Another couple I know bought 5 acres closer to Yungaburra, near Lakes Eacham and Barrine. Their block is a bit over 900m asl. They regularly get frosts during the dry season and also a lot of fogs. 

Cyrtostachys renda would have to be protected dry season. My understanding is that Mareeba is colder than Malanda so I doubt Cyrtostachys renda would survive there (Mareeba) unprotected. I knew people who lived near/in Mareeba but never heard any weather comparisons, other than that it was much colder than Cairns. But then, anything  up on the Tablelands is much colder than Cairns.

If you haven't already seen it the following link is to a chart of weather statistics for Atherton. The weather station closed down there about 2008 (Govt. funding cuts) but it should help with planning:
https://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_031193_All.shtml

All in all it's a good choice and even though there will be some palms you can't grow, there's so many which will thrive that you'll be flat out trying to find them all. And you only have to look around you to see all the diversity that's already there.

Thanks Zig. 

I'm hoping the elevated position of the lot facilitates cold air drainage, mitigating the occasional winter lows below 10C, but I appreciate it may still be too cold for a Lipstick (won't stop me trying though 🤣). I'm told there was a grower in Mareeba with Lipsticks, but the details are a bit unclear unfortunately. 

[tim_brissy_13]

Congrats Jonathan that seems like a great spot to grow probably the majority of palms on earth! I’d imagine it’s probably ideal for the mid elevation South American beauties like Dictyocaryum, Socratea, Iriartea, Welfia, Wettinia and heaps of the unusual Geonoma so I’m a bit jealous as I head into another 40C+ day down here. 

[Jonathan Haycock]

15 hours ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

Congrats Jonathan that seems like a great spot to grow probably the majority of palms on earth! I’d imagine it’s probably ideal for the mid elevation South American beauties like Dictyocaryum, Socratea, Iriartea, Welfia, Wettinia and heaps of the unusual Geonoma so I’m a bit jealous as I head into another 40C+ day down here. 

Thanks Tim.

With lower humidity and cooler nights, I might have to try a Jubaea up there 🤣. I was recently gifted some Dictyocaryum sprouts so hoping I can keep them alive long enough to plant up there. It's pretty hot and sticky in SE Queensland at the moment, made all the worse as the aircon is out of action until the 29th January. Cool showers, cold drinks, and ice packs are my life right now. 😩

[Mazat]

On 1/18/2026 at 3:38 AM, Jonathan Haycock said:

Some stills of the land and view.

Land:

View:

Wonderful, congratulations, and best wishes!

[Jonathan Haycock]

4 hours ago, Mazat said:

Wonderful, congratulations, and best wishes!

Thanks Tom. 

[Jonathan Haycock]

Having a bit of fun on Chat GPT designing a Palmetum. My intention is to start planting sun loving palms as soon as possible to create some canopy, so I’ll use this as a guide to what needs to go where.

Driveway will have an avenue of Bismarckia nobilis and all garden beds in front of the house shall be dedicated to the African continent (including nearby islands such as Madagascar, Seychelles etc). Large lawn either side of the driveway.

Americas, Asia, and Oceania sections to be densely planted for privacy and create a lush tropical feel. Paths aren’t represented yet, but will be used to meander through these sections (starting and finishing at the house in a loose loop). Central lawn above house to include a path connecting pool to fire pit.

[TomJ]

How deep do you need to go for well water?

[Jonathan Haycock]

3 hours ago, TomJ said:

How deep do you need to go for well water?

It can vary greatly. There will be town water available to the property so installing a bore isn’t something I’m considering, for now at least. 

[tarnado]

Beauty!