After a fantastic drive through the Whitsunday Coast, we had one more stretch of coastline to cross before arriving in Cairns: Townsville and the Cassowary Coast.
Townsville
Our first stop before reaching the Cassowary Coast was the North Queensland capital of Townsville. Townsville has something for everyone, whether it’s ocean activities, bush walks, military history, great eateries, and more. We loved the drive up Castle Hill for amazing views over the city, and strolling along the Kissing Point Boardwalk.
Townsville is also the launching point for a couple amazing off-shore activities. The first is Magnetic Island, affectionately referred to as “Maggie”. It is a beautiful island only a short ferry ride away; it is also quite a large island so we recommend at least a couple days stay to enjoy it all. Our highlights included hiring a boat to explore all the little hidden beaches and horseback riding through the bush and the ocean.
Another famous off-shore destination is the SS Yongala wreck dive, which tragically sank in 1911. Today is it considered one of the best wreck dives in the world. Townsville and Ayr both offer drive trips to the wreck. Unfortunately for us, we never made it out as on the day we were booked to go, there was a concentrated storm over the wreck which would have ruined visibility and made the boat trip out and back much more unpleasant. Back on the bucket list for that one!
Paluma Range National Park
Located only 60km north of Townsville, Paluma Range National Park is chock full of lush rainforest, impressive waterfalls, and pristine swimming holes. In the southern section, the winding Mount Spec Road will take you past gems such as Little Crystal Creek, with its historic stony bridge and refreshing swimming holes.
In the northern section you’ll find Jourama Falls, one of our favourite Queensland waterfalls. This multi-tiered waterfall can have massive flows during the wet season. When it’s a bit tamer during the dry season, it can be further explored along its many levels.
While these are our favourite spots, there are plenty more bushwalks, camping and waterways to enjoy in this massive national park.
Cardwell
Driving north from Townsville, you’ll start to notice the change in vegetation from dry and arid to lush and tropical. Cardwell, a charming little coastal town, sits about midway between Cairns and Townsville along the Bruce Highway. It makes a great base for exploring some of the area’s highlights.
Just 10km out of Cardwell is Cardwell Spa Pool, an enchanting milky blue waterhole. The colour from the creek comes from the composition of the rock that the creek runs over, creating the unique colours of the water. Dry season is the best time to visit as the water will be clearer due to lack of runoff. Good news for dog owners: it is located in state forest so it is dog friendly! Nearby Attie Creek Falls is also worth a visit, but be aware it is seasonal so may run dry towards the end of the dry season.
Wallaman Falls, about 100km south from Cardwell, is Australia’s highest single drop waterfall which runs permanently all year. It is an impressive sight to see as the water dramatically falls 268 metres over a cliff into the lush rainforest below. You can enjoy the view of the falls from the easily accessible Wallaman lookout, but for the full experience you can take the 3.2km return Djyinda walk to the bottom of the falls. It is by no means an easy walk, but it is worth the effort!
About 40km north of Cardwell, you’ll find another waterfall worth a visit: Murray Falls. Located in Girramay National Park, this waterfall cascades over sculpted granite rocks into several rockpools. Driving to the falls, you’ll come to a pleasant riverside picnic area, popular with locals on a nice day. You can walk along the river boardwalk to get different vantage points of the cascades and falls, or take the 1.8km return Yalgay Ginja Bulumi walk to the end to see the falls up close.
Another spot that’s still on the bucket list for us is the Thorsborne Trail on Hitchinbrook Island, a challenging 32km hike that usually takes about 4 days to complete, with access by ferry from Cardwell. It offers challenging ascents and descents, beautiful tropical scenery, and refreshing waterholes. It is a popular hike so needs to be booked well in advance. For more information, check out this guide.
Tully Gorge
Tully Gorge National Park is spilt up into two sections: Tablelands Section and Tully Section. The Tablelands section is most known for the Tully Gorge Lookout, a dramatic view of where the Tully River plunges into the gorge below. The Tully Section, located just inland from Mission Beach, includes a scenic drive along the Tully River, with a few great stops along the way. There are so many options that it’s easy to find your own little private swimming hole. Our favourites are Champagne Falls and Ponytail Falls
For adrenaline junkies, the Tully River is often referred to as Australia’s best rafting river. Another one on our bucket list!
Mission Beach
Less than 2 hours south of Cairns lies Mission Beach, one of the most picturesque North Queensland beaches. A14km stretch of golden sandy beach lined by palm trees, Mission Beach offers the perfect tropical escape, with plenty of options from relaxing on the beach to sky diving. For a great overview of the town, head to Bicton Hill Lookout just north of town.
For a good introduction to the flora and fauna of the tropical rainforests of the area, check out Djiru National Park. Here you’ll find the rare Licuala Fan Palm, which makes a lovely green canopy over the walking trails.
If you’re lucky you may also have another rare encouter here. Considered the world’s most dangerous bird and a living ancestor of the dinosaurs, the cassowary is an impressive sight to see. These large flightless birds can grow up to 2 metres tall and have a long, dagger-like talon on each foot, so they are best viewed from a distance. It is said that cloudy and overcast days will often give you the best chance of spotting these elusive birds.
For a great day trip from Mission Beach, Dunk Island is a popular choice. If you don’t have your own boat, ferry services are available. You can often find your own stretch of beach to enjoy, or work up a sweat with some of the hikes on offer. Facilities here are limited, so make sure you bring everything you’ll need for the day, including food and water. If you want to stay overnight, there are several national park campgrounds on offer.
After our first breath-taking experience of tropical North Queensland travelling up this coastline, we couldn’t wait to get to Cairns to see what else this awe-inspiring region had to offer!
