© James Cook University, 2011 Prepared by Julie Carmody, School of Business (Tourism), James Cook University, Cairns ISBN 978-1-921359-66-8 (pdf) To cite this publication: Carmody, J. (2010) Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area Tour Guide Handbook. Published by the Reef & Rainforest Research Centre Ltd., Cairns (220 pp.). Cover Photographs: Licuala Fan Palm forest – Suzanne Long Tour group – Tourism Queensland 4WD tour – Wet Tropics Management Authority Research to support this Tour Guide Handbook was funded by the Australian Government’s Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility, the Wet Tropics Management Authority and James Cook University. The Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF) is part of the Australian Government’s Commonwealth Environment Research Facilities programme. The MTSRF is represented in North Queensland by the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited (RRRC). The aim of the MTSRF is to ensure the health of North Queensland’s public environmental assets – particularly the Great Barrier Reef and its catchments, tropical rainforests including the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, and the Torres Strait – through the generation and transfer of world class research and knowledge sharing. This publication is copyright. The Copyright Act (1968) permits fair dealing for study, research, information or educational purposes subject to inclusion of a sufficient acknowledgement of the source. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Australian Government or the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. While reasonable effort has been made to ensure that the contents of this publication are factually correct, the Commonwealth does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the contents, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage that may be occasioned directly or indirectly through the use of, or reliance on, the contents of this publication. Published July 2011 To download a PDF of this publication, visit http://www.rrrc.org.au/publications/research_reports.html Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area Tour Guide Handbook CONTENTS Acknowledgements .................................................................................................... iii 1.0 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Why are the Wet Tropics rainforests World Heritage listed? ............................... 2 1.2 Evolution of the Wet Tropics ............................................................................... 4 1.3 What is a Rainforest? ........................................................................................ 13 1.4 Hints for Tour Guides ........................................................................................ 19 1.5 Safety and Comfort ........................................................................................... 27 1.6 Rainforest Aboriginal Groups of the Wet Tropics .............................................. 35 2.0 SITE INFORMATION ........................................................................................ 36 2.1 Black Mountain (Kalkajaka) ............................................................................... 39 2.2 Kulki Visitor Area ............................................................................................... 45 2.3 Dubuji Visitor Area ............................................................................................ 51 2.4 Marrdja Boardwalk ............................................................................................ 55 2.5 Jindalba Visitor Area ......................................................................................... 63 2.6 Walu Wugirriga (Alexandra Range Lookout) ..................................................... 67 2.7 Mossman Gorge ............................................................................................... 71 2.8 Barron Gorge National Park .............................................................................. 75 2.9 Cathedral Fig .................................................................................................... 81 2.10 Curtain Fig ........................................................................................................ 85 2.11 Lake Barrine ...................................................................................................... 89 2.12 Lake Eacham .................................................................................................... 93 2.13 Danbulla Forest Drive ....................................................................................... 99 2.14 Mount Hypipamee Crater and Dinner Falls ..................................................... 105 2.15 Goldsborough Valley ....................................................................................... 111 2.16 Babinda Boulders ............................................................................................ 115 2.17 Josephine Falls ............................................................................................... 119 2.18 Crawfords Lookout and Mamu Rainforest Canopy Walkway .......................... 123 2.19 Henrietta Creek and Nandroya Falls ............................................................... 127 2.20 Lacey Creek .................................................................................................... 131 2.21 Licuala Rainforest Walk .................................................................................. 135 i Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area Tour Guide Handbook 2.22 Tully Gorge ..................................................................................................... 139 2.23 Murray Falls .................................................................................................... 143 2.24 Broadwater ...................................................................................................... 147 2.25 Wallaman Falls ............................................................................................... 151 2.26 Big Crystal Creek ............................................................................................ 157 2.27 Jourama Falls ................................................................................................. 161 3.0 WHAT IS ECOTOURISM? ............................................................................. 165 4.0 ADDITIONAL FLORA ..................................................................................... 171 5.0 FERAL ANIMALS AND PLANTS ................................................................... 173 6.0 CALENDAR OF THE WET TROPICS ............................................................ 175 7.0 REFERENCES, RECOMMENDED READING AND ONLINE RESOURCES ................................................................................... 183 8.0 GLOSSARY .................................................................................................... 195 9.0 INDEX ............................................................................................................. 199 Appendix A: Wet Tropics Evolutionary Timeline ..................................................... 205 Appendix B: Useful Words to Know ........................................................................ 207 Appendix C: Codes of Conduct .............................................................................. 209 Appendix D: Wet Tropics Endemic Species ........................................................... 213 ii Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area Tour Guide Handbook ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to acknowledge and thank the following people and organisations for their assistance: Funding This project was funded by the Australian Government’s Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF) and administered by the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre. Wet Tropics Management Authority (WTMA) Support, assistance and guidance were provided by Campbell Clarke, Max Chappell, Dr Steve Goosem and Katrina Beattie. Assistance was also provided by Caitlin Zematis, a volunteer James Cook University Masters student with the WTMA. Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management Assistance and support was provided by Wolf Sievers, John De Campo, Bruce Rampton, Rhonda Leggett, Jodie Bray and Stella Martin. Tour Operators and Tour Guides Thanks are extended to the Wilderness Challenge, Kuku Yalanji Dreamtime, Mamu Rainforest Canopy Walkway, and tour guides who participated in the initial stage of the project. Maps All of the maps in this handbook were supplied by Kym Dungey and Jane Whytlaw, Footloose Publications. All maps are copyright. Contact Footloose Publications direct to order the Walking Track book series: Telephone (07) 40 93 95 22 Email [email protected] Visitor Information Centres Thanks are extended to volunteer staff at the many visitor information centres around the Wet Tropics region for their kind words and useful information, particularly those at the Babinda, Malanda, Atherton and Cardwell Visitor Information Centres and the Mission Beach Environmental Centre. Cultural Heritage Mapping Project Thanks are extended to Chantal Roder, Warren Cannendo and Caval Cora. iii Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area Tour Guide Handbook Information Provision and Clarification Thanks are extended to volunteers at