TIME TO HIT THE ROAD
THERE are few better feelings than loading up the car and hitting the highway, and North Queensland’s drawcards are too inviting to ignore.
With highways among rainforests, countless turn- offs to the coast and weaving mountain drives, the Bulletin has done the rounds and found eight excuses for you to get behind the wheel and get out of town.
Family day tripper ( 1- 3 hours)
1. Wallaman Falls, via Ingham If you haven’t already travelled 162km to see Australia’s highest permanent single- drop waterfall, there’s no reason to wait as the region’s recent rainfall guarantees a stunning view. Situated in Girringun National Park, surrounded by World Heritage rainforest, Wallaman Falls plunges 268m in a clear single- drop, often through a rainbow- fringed cloud of mist. The drive up the Bruce Highway allows an Ingham stop, with the small town’s main street offering local goods and friendly residents. Visit for a day to view the falls and relax over a picnic in the day- use area near the falls lookout, or stay longer with an overnight camp beside Stony Creek. 2. Paronella Park Situated 255km to the north, in Mena Creek, in the Cassowary Coast area, is a castle, a picnic area by the falls, tennis courts, bridges and a tunnel, wrapped up in an amazing range of 7500 tropical plants and trees. José Paronella opened Paronella Park to the public in 1935 and to this day, visitors marvel at the achievements of one man. Admission includes the souvenir guide book, fish food, umbrellas and access to the online photo gallery, as well as a site for one night in the adjacent van park.
3. Paluma Range National Park via Crystal Creek
This southern gateway for the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area is worth the 80km drive for a daytrip adventure. Comprising two sections, the northern part features Jourama Falls, a picturesque waterfall framed by rainforest. To the south is the rainforest- cloaked Mount Spec, rising 1000m above the Big Crystal Creek floodplain. Crystal Creek has always been a hot spot for the kids, with rock slides and creeks to keep them busy. 4. Ravenswood An inland option easily overlooked, this old gold mining settlement, set among the rolling hills of the outback, is 130km southwest of Townsville and 90km northeast of Charters Towers.
The small township is a living tribute to the history and heritage of western Queensland, with mullock heaps, tall chimneys, poppet heads and discarded mine machinery scattered through the countryside.
An overnight stay ( 2- 5 hours)
5. Cairns There’s more to the Bruce Highway en route to Cairns if you have time to head off the road for some beautiful scenery. Explore south and west of Cairns to find some of the best waterfalls in Queensland including Barron Falls and Millaa Millaa Falls. Last but not least, get to Malanda Falls and you can try to spot the Lumholtz Tree Kangaroo, a rare species only found in rainforests of the Atherton Tableland region of Queensland. Keep driving to reach Goldsborough Valley, where you’ll find the Mulgrave river to set up camp for a night or two. 6. Tully River, via Mission Beach Immerse yourself for a day in the lush rainforest of Tully Gorge National Park, 245km north of Townsville. Mount Tyson waits at the end, where you can enjoy either an easy walk or strenuous climb to stretch the legs after the drive. Don’t forget to stop in Mission Beach and explore the trails of Djiru National Park, the best spot in FNQ for seeing a cassowary in the wild. Finish your day with a swim and a barbecue at the pretty Alligators Nest, a few minutes’ drive from Tully
A long weekender ( 5- 7 hours)
7. Daintree Rainforest Gather your best tunes for his drive, 455km north, to get to the Daintree Rainforest, which includes Cape Kimberley, Cow Bay, Thornton’s Peak, Cooper Creek, Thornton Beach, Noah Valley, Cape Tribulation and the Bloomfield Track to the north. The world’s oldest surviving rainforest has plenty of eateries, artists’ studios, local souvenir shops and a general store with a post office, bottle shop and information and tour booking centre. With accommodation options ranging from discreet eco- resorts to amazing tree houses, it’s easy to make this trip a longer getaway. 8. Undara Volcanic National Park Head northeast for 430km and you’ll reach the western slopes of the McBride Plateau to see open woodlands and vast open spaces leading up to Undara Volcanic National Park. Home to one of the world’s longest lava tube cave systems, there are craters, caves, volcanoes and waterfalls. A tunnel of global significance extends under dry rainforest, making it worth the drive as the name – Undara, an Aboriginal word meaning long way – suggests.