You’ve heard about Hamilton, Stradbroke, Great Keppel and Daydream. But what about Hinchinbrook?
Located just off the coast of north Queensland, a 90-minute drive north of Townsville, Hinchinbrook Island is a truly raw nature encounter just made for curious explorers.
Completely uninhabited, it’s an untouched paradise that’s home to a vast array of wildlife.
Hinchinbrook is the traditional lands of the Bandjin and Girramay people and its pristine environment is protected by strict biodiversity rules to ensure it stays pristine in every sense.
The island is the largest National Park island on the Great Barrier Reef and it’s a wonderland for hikers, nature lovers and photographers.
The world-renowned multi-day walking track, Thorsborne Trail, is extremely popular with hiking groups and campers, which means the 32km trail often gets booked out months in advance.
Thorsborne’s popularity is owing to the landscapes it traverses, from milky pine outcrops to palm fig forests, and the abundant wildlife it’s immersed in. This includes 66 bird species, 22 butterfly species and marine species including, turtles and dugongs.
Hinchinbrook Island can also be experienced by kayak along the coast. The long sandy beaches and 29 different types of mangroves make for a fascinating backdrop.
A huge drawcard for the island are the spectacular and Insta-famous waterfalls that make for a stunning walk and swimming experience.
Zoe Falls is a must-see for not only it’s tropical rainforest beauty, but the fact it provides a natural infinity pool. The walk there is reasonably flat and takes between 10 to 20 minutes to reach the base. A local tour operator even offers a catered experience, serving deli platters to visitors while they bask in the natural infinity pool.
Nearby Mulligan Falls, which has a crystal-clear freshwater pool at the base, is also an easy walk at approximately 2.5km return.
The mainland is also spoilt for choice with natural experiences in abundance.
The Hinchinbrook region takes in the town of Ingham where the TYTO Wetlands can be found. Named after the Eastern Grass Owl, Tyto longimembris, the wetlands has a diversity of bird species that rivals Kakadu National Park with 27.4 per cent of Australia’s bird species living there.
And not to be overlooked, Wallaman Falls, which is part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, is the highest, permanent, single-drop waterfall in Australia.
Tourists who love off-the-beaten-track adventures will fall in love with the Hinchinbrook region.
Discover how to get there and find out more about Townsville’s hidden holiday destinations.
