Spend time exploring Cairns before heading north. It is recommended to stop at the local Information Centre (Gateway Discovery Centre, 51 The Esplanade), to gather more details before heading off on your Cultural Heritage drive around North Queensland. You can learn more about the unique Rainforest Aboriginal lifestyle and culture at the website: http://www.wettropics.gov.au/rah/rah_resource.html

First stops to discover some of the local Indigenous experiences are in the Smithfield and Kuranda areas. Stop at Smithfield to visit an Aboriginal Cultural Park and learn about their traditions first hand from local Indigenous people – the Djabugay people. Further up the Range at Kuranda you will also discover other Indigenous experiences and attractions, including Aboriginal dance, how to throw a Boomerang, and purchase hand-made Aboriginal artifacts.

Heading north again from Cairns along the Cook Highway, stop at Rex Lookout – the perfect point to view the Coral Sea and beaches. This is one of the most beautiful ocean drives in the world, with its backdrop of steep mountain ranges, coastal beaches and headlands. Just keep your eyes on the road as well!

On arriving at Port Douglas, enjoy one of many dining places in town or take a relaxing walk along the long white sands of Four Mile beach. Stay overnight in Port Douglas.

Head off early for the drive north. Or, if time allows, spend an extra day in Port Douglas and head out for a full-day Great Barrier Reef cruise.

The route between Port Douglas and Cooktown follows The Bama Way - an Aboriginal Journey along story-lines, through coastal mangroves, rich rainforest and hilltop Savannah. The word 'Bama' is a Kuku Yalanji and Guugu Yimithirr word, widely used throughout Cape York to mean an Aboriginal person. The Bama Way map tells you about the area's Aboriginal history and the significance of some of the landmarks you'll see. But for an unforgettable experience, take the Aboriginal tours along the way; you'll make new friends and gain a fascinating insight into Aboriginal history, culture and spirituality.

Just north of Port Douglas are Mossman and the stunning Mossman Gorge, the traditional home of the Kuku Yalanji Aboriginal people. Located a short drive out of town, the Gorge community offers excellent Indigenous tours and an art gallery.

Heading north to the village of Daintree, the Daintree Coast area is also the traditional country of the Yalanji people. Gain insights into their ancient culture through personal guided tours, galleries and dancers from Daintree and Wujal Wujal. The Daintree River is teeming with birdlife, and the area’s famous crocodiles. Allow time to enjoy a cruise on the river and spot a croc or two.
Use the vehicle ferry (operates daily; a fee applies) to cross the river. Enjoy the pleasant drive to Cape Tribulation and if you have time, stay a night to explore the reef and rainforest World Heritage Areas.

Continue north along the 4WD Bloomfield Track which crosses the Bloomfield River and enters Australia’s last great frontier – Cape York Peninsula. Stop at the historic Lion’s Den Hotel to view the unusual memorabilia and Keating’s Lagoon for some late afternoon birdwatching before arriving in Cooktown for the night.

The Cooktown area is rich in Aboriginal culture, with a range of Aboriginal experiences on offer. You can accompany a Nugal-warra Elder to the rock art sites on his traditional lands to hear the stories behind the art; learn the secrets of the rainforest and share a bush lunch with a Bulgunwarra and Angamuthi woman; or camp at Elim Beach in idyllic surroundings, yarn with the Elders and try your hand at spear fishing.

WARNING - CROCODILES
Estuarine crocodiles are present in creeks, rivers and waterholes in this area. Estuarine crocodiles can be dangerous to people.

Explore the sites of historic Cooktown. Indigenous tribes lived here for many thousands of years before our most famous tourist, James Cook arrived. His logbook records several meetings with Aborigines during his enforced seven-week stay in 1770. It was here that the crew saw their first kangaroo, a word they learnt from the local Aboriginal people. These days Aboriginal people live a very different life from the days before colonisaton, but they have maintained their close ties to the natural environment. Don’t miss the opportunity to share in their incredibly rich knowledge their lands, and catch a glimpse of a vastly different world view. Take a tour with Indigenous guides based in the Cooktown area.

Heading south-west from Cooktown, a dirt road links Cooktown to Lakefield National Park, past the Endeavour Falls and on through Battle Camp Road. Camping permits and information about the park can be obtained from QPWS rangers at Cooktown, New Laura, Lakefield or Bizant Ranger Stations. You can bush camp in Lakefield National Park (permit required) or continue onto the township of Laura, where hotel and camping facilities are available. Carry plenty of drinking water and fuel as there are no service stations in the park.

Laura is famous as home to the Indigenous Dance and Cultural Festival held every two years.

The area surrounding Laura is known as ‘Quinkan country’ and is renowned for its ancient Aboriginal rock art galleries, considered among the world’s finest. The ‘Split Rock’ site about 10km south of Laura is open to the public. To learn more about the region’s history and culture, visit the Quinkan Regional and Cultural Centre to organise a site tour, or stay at the Jowalbinna Bush Camp

Follow the Peninsula Development Road south to the tiny township of Lakeland Downs, in the heart of the Laura River Valley. This is now a major coffee and banana growing region.

Further south will take you past the Palmer River Roadhouse. In the 1870s tens of thousands of miners flocked to this area searching for gold, one of the last great goldrushes in Australia; they included over 7,000 Chinese miners. Today all that is left of the goldfields are legends of the hardships endured and mining memorabilia at the roadhouse and caravan park.

The small township of Mt Molloy has an important connection to Palmer Goldfields and the development of North Queensland. It is here that James Venture Mulligan, the founding father of the Palmer Goldfields, rests in the local cemetery. It is worth visiting the cemetery to read the inscription on his tombstone.

Continue south to the Highlands – the Atherton Tablelands - for the night.

In and around Mareeba, savour freshly picked coffee at one of the local plantations before arriving at the Mareeba Wetlands, a community wildlife reserve with over 2000 hectares of wetlands and grassland savannah. Take time to enjoy the local produce as you drive south through rich farming and grazing country known as the ‘food bowl of the tropics’ – famous for the variety of tropical fruits and crops grown in the area.

Visit Malanda – the Traditional home of the Nadjon people, the Malanda Visitor Centre has Indigenous displays and guided walks are available.

The nearby town of Atherton is built on the side of an extinct volcano – Hallorans Hill. The township is also home to Hou Wang Temple, which offers a fascinating insight into the cultural heritage of Chinese migrants in north Queensland.

Along the Kennedy Highway, visit the historic mining town of Herberton and the Mount Hypipamee crater on the way to Ravenshoe for the night.

Ravenshoe is the Traditional home of the Jiddabul people, and the birthplace of the rainforest World Heritage listing. A range of shows and tours, as well as displays are available at the Ravenshoe Visitor Centre.

Ravenshoe is Queensland’s highest town, at 920 metres above sea level, and has the ‘highest pub in Queensland’.

Just 3km from Ravenshoe is Australia’s widest waterfall. A 400 metre walk from the car park will take you to the perennially flowing Millstream Falls which spill over an old basalt lava flow.

Along the Kennedy Highway, stop at Innot Hot Springs. The spring is based around Nettle Creek, the source of natural mineral springs that were once bottled and sent to Europe. The springs come highly recommended for their rejuvenating qualities.

Follow the Savannah Way to the historic mining town of Mount Garnet, and down to Forty Mile Scrub National Park for a bush walk through an unusual vine forest thicket, before arriving at the ancient lava tubes of Undara Volcanic National Park. The Savannah Guide Station at Undara Experience offers a variety of tour options.

Overnight camping or lodge facilities are available in the park. Bookings are recommended.

Continue on to The Lynd Junction to the Oasis Roadhouse – reputably the smallest bar in Queensland! Next stop, Greenvale and the nearby Greenvale Corridor and Heritage Tea Rooms . The Heritage Tea Rooms offer tours to the old Greenvale Corridor where you can see indigenous rock art and be with nature in the surrounding hills.

Further south visit Great Basalt Wall (no public access to this national park) and Dalrymple National Park and observe the natural wonders of the volcanic times many years ago. Visit Fletchers Creek which encompasses native Australian flora and fauna.

Travel further to Charters Towers for the night. This city encompasses many different dining venues including historical pubs and restaurants that any visitor can enjoy.

Charters Towers has many interesting stories – learn about the story of how a young Aboriginal boy was the first to find gold in Charters Towers See the artists at work at the Gudjul Art Gallery on every second Thursday and Friday. Charters Towers has magnificent heritage streetscapes that are largely unchanged since the gold rush days of the 1800’s. Head to the Visitor Information Centre to obtain a navigational map to explore the Ghosts of Gold Heritage Trail.

Head east on the Flinders Highway towards Ayr. On the way, stop for a walk through the Mingela Wetlands, and view the ‘itinerant waders’ and other water birds found here.

Closer to Townsville, stop at Bowling Green Bay National Park. Bowling Green Bay National Park is the largest park between Bowen and Townsville. Look for brushtail possums, sugar gliders, northern brown bandicoots, wallabies, and rufous bettongs feeding early morning and late afternoon.

Overnight in Ayr.

Get up early and explore Ayr in the morning. Make your way to Plantation Park to climb Gubullamunda, the giant carpet snake, the totem of the Juru people. While you are there take a look through the Gudjuda Cultural Centre, complete the Juru Walk in the natural park surroundings and take a look at the bush tucker garden.

Head north to Townsville in the afternoon, arriving in time to head over to Magnetic Island on the ferry. Keep an eye out for the island’s most famous residents – the colony of koalas. This is the largest colony of koalas in Australia. Explore interpretative tours of the Wulgurukaba People on Magnetic Island to find out the traditional methods of fire making, indigenous bush tucker and medicinal uses of the native flora. Travel around the island in a luxury vehicle.

Spend the night at one of the island’s numerous resorts, backpackers or camping and caravan parks. Or return to Townsville with the ferry. In Townsville you can enjoy the history and performances of the Townsville Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander people. Take a look at the magnificent art, created by the local indigenous people.

After exploring Townsville, head north along the Great Green Way section of the Great Tropical Drive, and take a detour to Paluma. Enjoy the spectacular view from McClellands Lookout that offers views of the islands and coastline. Near Paluma stop at Big or Little Crystal Creek for a BBQ picnic, and swim or to view the historic stone art bridge (Little Crystal Creek).

Heading to Ingham, stop for an exotic fruit ice-cream and turn-off to Jourama Falls for great views and walking tracks. Upon arrival in Ingham visit Tyto Wetlands. The unique Tyto Wetlands, close to the centre of town, is home to over 100 species of birds, tropical plants and Australian wildlife including wallabies and crocodiles. Access to Hinchinbrook Island can be obtained from Dungeness.

In the afternoon, continue to Cardwell where you can catch a ferry across to Australia’s largest island National Park, Hinchinbrook Island. Spend an extra day to enjoy a night or trek the famous Thorsborne Trail if time allows.

In Cardwell, visit the Indigenous Cultural Centre at Cardwell to learn more about the culture of the local Indigenous people and the different languages from the area. Take a look at the historic Cardwell Post Office and Bush Telegraph Centre.

Overnight in Cardwell or on Hinchinbrook Island.

After seeing the sights of Cardwell, continue north along the Great Green Way section of the Great Tropical Drive, passing through Kennedy.

On the way, don’t miss a detour to Edmund Kennedy National Park, or to Murray Falls (slightly to the west off the highway). Murray Falls is one of the prettiest falls in North Queensland.

The Coastal tribes in this region from Cardwell to Innisfail offer a diverse range of tours, dances and displays that reflect the diversity of Indigenous language groups.

Continue north from the falls via the scenic unsealed road to Tully Gorge National Park. On the way, a ‘must do’, is Echo Creek Indigenous Tours and guided bushwalks, where local traditional owners conduct informative guided walks through Wet Tropics rainforest and along the banks of the Echo Creek. The next stop is Kooroomool Eco and Adventure Camp. Here you can enjoy waterfalls, crystal clear swimming holes, bushwalking trails and adventure activities, as well as camping (optional).

Head to the Tully River and Tully Gorge for whitewater rafting, a picnic or camping (optional). Make sure you take the 20-minute Rainforest Butterfly Walk at the gorge. Trek the Misty Mountains Trails and continue onto Tully or nearby Mission Beach for the night.

Spend more time this morning exploring the natural and local attractions around Tully and Mission Beach. Start the day with a visit to the Tully Visitor and Heritage Centre, browse through the interpretive area, gain more local information about what to see and do, and enjoy a free tea or coffee. The local attraction not to miss is the Giant Golden Gumboot – at 7.9m high you can’t miss it! Climb to the top of the viewing platform to get a great view over Tully and the Tully Sugar Mill.

Stretch your legs at the Lacey Creek Walking Trails just before arriving at Mission Beach. The trails offer a 45-minute circuit-walk with an excellent pathway crossing the creek in several places. In Mission Beach, walk along the 1.5 km Ulysses Link Walking Track that winds its way along the breathtaking Mission Beach foreshore or spend an extra night on Dunk Island if time permits.

In the afternoon, head north to El Arish to take the scenic route north to Innisfail. El Arish is an historic soldier settlement where you can browse through old memorabilia and photographs in the local pub. Take a detour to Mena Creek to visit the intriguing Paronella Park, a crumbling Spanish castle based around the remains of a Spanish grandiose home that encompasses indigenous performances and bush tucker walks.

Continue to Innisfail for the night. Visit the Australian Sugar Museum in Mourilyan, just south of Innisfail. Experience Innisfail’s high concentration of Art Deco buildings and visit the Lit Sing Gung-Chinese Temple (1940). There is a range of accommodation options in town.

North of Innisfail , visit Eubenangee Swamp National Park, an important wetland area that contains a number of rare plant species and assists in the conservation of the region's wildlife. Also not to be missed are Ella Bay National Park and Wooroonooran National Park. If you’re a climber, don’t miss Mt Bartle Frere, Queensland’s highest mountain (1622m). If you have time, don’t forget to visit Josephine Falls!

Spend the day exploring these natural and scenic wonders, before heading further north via Aloomba, Gordonvale and Edmonton onto Cairns for the night. Stay a few days in Cairns and explore. A wide range of accommodation is available in and around Cairns.

Cairns:
Gateway Discovery Centre
51 The Esplanade, Cairns
Tel: (07) 4051 3588
www.tropicalaustralia.com

Townsville:
Flinders Mall Information Centre
Tel: (07) 4721 3660 or freecall: 1800 801 902
www.townsvilleonline.com.au

For an Aboriginal map of the area, with Aboriginal names, history, stories and tours, visit www.bamaway.com.au

	Complete Information Centre list
	Print Trail (PDF)