Australian Butterfly Sanctuary

The aviary, and the garden within it, took three years to design, build and landscape. At the time of opening in 1987, the sanctuary gained a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest butterfly aviary in the world. To date it still holds the record as the largest aviary in the southern hemisphere.

Situated just 27 Km west of Cairns, Kuranda offered the advantages of being readily accessible to people, as well as easy living for the butterflies, it already being their natural habitat. The sanctuary was designed with the concept of it being a self sustaining operation, hence allowance was made for all food plants to feed the caterpillars to be grown on the premises.

Much care has been taken to create a natural rainforest environment, with special attention to the needs of the Ulysses butterfly. Hence there is both a rainforest under-storey and canopy, as well as a running stream, complete with waterfalls, creating a natural looking and feeling rainforest setting.