Quick FactsOverview
About Innot Hot Springs Caravan and Leisure Park
Innot Hot Springs Caravan and Leisure Park, Australia is a paid privately operated caravan park and hot springs complex on the Kennedy Highway at Innot Hot Springs in the Atherton Tablelands, Queensland, approximately 149 kilometres south-west of Cairns. The facility sits alongside Nettle Creek, a geothermal waterway where hot spring water surfaces on the edge of the village. The park has six managed thermal pools fed by water filtered from the Nettle Creek spring, each at a different temperature. Adult-only zones are included in the complex, alongside pools open to families. Three pools are indoors and three are outdoors.
Day visitors are welcome from 9 am to 4 pm at $12 per adult. Overnight campers have pool access included in their site fee. The Nettle Creek natural hot spring is also freely accessible to anyone who walks down to the creek from the car park, providing a no-cost natural alternative. The park closes from 1 November each year and reopens in mid-March. For visitors seeking thermal pools in Australia in the Atherton Tablelands, Innot is a distinctive stop with both a managed complex and a free natural creek soak side by side.
Location & Access
Getting to Innot Hot Springs Caravan and Leisure Park
Innot Hot Springs Caravan and Leisure Park is on the Kennedy Highway at Innot Hot Springs, a small village between Ravenshoe and Mount Garnet in the Atherton Tablelands. From Cairns the drive is approximately 149 kilometres south-west, taking a little over two hours on sealed roads. The route heads south-west from Cairns via the Gillies Highway through the Tablelands and continues on the Kennedy Highway through Ravenshoe to the caravan park.
The park is on the left side of the Kennedy Highway just before the bridge into the village. Day visitors park here and can either enter the managed pools at reception or walk down to the Nettle Creek natural hot spring at no charge. No four-wheel drive is required; the approach roads are sealed throughout. The nearest fuel, meals, and supplies are available in Ravenshoe to the east and Mount Garnet to the west. For visitors travelling between Cairns and the western Tablelands or heading toward Mount Garnet, Innot is a natural stopping point on the Kennedy Highway circuit. The park is seasonal and closes from November to mid-March; confirming operating status before visiting is essential, as arriving out of season will find the managed pools closed.
Suitability & Accessibility
Who Innot Hot Springs Caravan and Leisure Park Suits
Innot Hot Springs Caravan and Leisure Park suits road travellers, touring caravanners, and visitors to the Atherton Tablelands who want a managed hot spring experience in a rainforest setting without the formality of a resort. The combination of a paid managed pool complex and a free natural creek soak side by side gives visitors two distinct experiences at the same stop, and many choose to use both.
The facility is family friendly with children permitted in the general pool areas under close supervision. Children aged 8 and under must have an adult in the pool with them at all times; this is stated as non-negotiable. Children up to 15 must always be supervised by an adult. Adult-only zones are available for those seeking a quieter soak. The park does not explicitly document wheelchair access infrastructure for the pool areas; visitors with mobility requirements should contact the park directly before visiting to confirm what can be accommodated.
The park is pet-friendly for overnight campers and day visitors, but pets are not permitted in the pool enclosure or communal areas. Overnight stays include pool access in the site fee, making it good value for those spending a night in the Tablelands. The park closes from 1 November to mid-March due to the wet season and high ambient temperatures in far north Queensland. For visitors seeking thermal pools in Australia in a lush tropical Tablelands setting, Innot is one of the more distinctive stops in far north Queensland with a genuine natural hot spring as its water source.
Safety & Etiquette
Innot Hot Springs Caravan and Leisure Park Safety Tips
Innot Hot Springs Caravan and Leisure Park is generally safe for visitors in good health. The managed pools vary in temperature and some can be significantly hotter than others. Entering gradually and testing the water temperature before full immersion is advisable, particularly in the hotter pools. Extended soaking in mineral-rich hot spring water can cause dehydration; bringing a water bottle and taking regular breaks outside the pool is recommended.
Bathing during pregnancy is not recommended by the park. Visitors with medical conditions should seek advice from a medical practitioner before entering the pools. Children aged 8 and under must have an adult physically in the pool with them at all times; adults may not supervise from the poolside for this age group. Food and alcohol are not permitted inside the pool enclosure. Soaps, shampoos, and personal care products should not be used in the spring-fed pools.
The natural Nettle Creek hot spring adjacent to the park is freely accessible but unmanaged. Some shallow pools in the creek can reach temperatures of 85 degrees Celsius or higher in places, and the surrounding sand can also be very hot. Testing water temperature before entering and staying away from pools near the source where temperatures are at their highest is important. A local guide noted that an hour in the creek is generally enough given the high mineral content of the water. The park closes from 1 November each year and reopens in mid-March; visiting outside this window will find the managed pools closed and the park shut.
