Mackay Highlands and Eungella National Park Discovery Guide

mackayregion.com for bookings. for

Camping is also available at Crediton Hall, managed by Mackay Regional Council. Visit Visit Council. Regional Mackay by managed Hall, Crediton at available also is Camping Photo: Greg Lennox © Qld Govt

Nearby:

and 8pm only. 8pm and and 8pm only. 8pm and

permitted between 9am 9am between permitted permitted between 9am 9am between permitted

permitted. at or below 65 dB(A) are are dB(A) 65 below or at at or below 65 dB(A) are are dB(A) 65 below or at

generators generators Generators that operate operate that Generators Generators that operate operate that Generators permitted. Ranger Rowan Ranger

No ﬁres or or ﬁres No

are recommended. are No generators generators No recommended.

a platypus in the wild! the in platypus a permitted.

only. during ﬁre bans. Fuel stoves stoves Fuel bans. ﬁre during bans. Fuel stoves are are stoves Fuel bans.

vehicles only. vehicles

No ﬁres or generators generators or ﬁres No

and, of course, this is the best place in the world to watch watch to world the in place best the is this course, of and, clearance vehicles vehicles clearance fireplaces provided except except provided fireplaces except during fire fire during except motorhomes. high-clearance high-clearance

No facilities. No 4WD or high- or 4WD Fires are permitted in in permitted are Fires ﬁreplaces provided provided ﬁreplaces access for trailers or or trailers for access

the endless variety of plants. The birdwatching is amazing amazing is birdwatching The plants. of variety endless the views. 4WD or or 4WD views.

Fires are permitted in in permitted are Fires permitted. No No permitted.

only. drink at dusk. at drink clearance vehicles only. vehicles clearance breezes and and breezes

admire towering ancient rainforest trees, and appreciate appreciate and trees, rainforest ancient towering admire

No generators generators No

clearance vehicles vehicles clearance where birds come to to come birds where by tall trees. 4WD or high- or 4WD trees. tall by ridge with cool cool with ridge to spot a platypus. a spot to

clouds my home. You can breathe in cool mountain air, air, mountain cool in breathe can You home. my clouds

Creek. 4WD or high- or 4WD Creek. Moonlight Dam— Moonlight shady clearing surrounded surrounded clearing shady mountain mountain where you may be lucky lucky be may you where Broken River. Broken

beside Teemburra Teemburra beside area on the edge of of edge the on area beside Broken River in a a in River Broken beside area atop a a atop area beside Broken River, River, Broken beside in bushland beside beside bushland in

to call these mist-shrouded mountains and place in the the in place and mountains mist-shrouded these call to

Open camping area area camping Open Quiet camping camping Quiet Open tranquil camping area area camping tranquil Open Open camping camping Open Open camping area area camping Open Small camping area area camping Small

Queensland and somewhere truly special. I feel so lucky lucky so feel I special. truly somewhere and Queensland

melody of bird calls ringing through the forest. the through ringing calls bird of melody

camping area camping area camping area camping area camping camp bush area camping

Welcome to one of the most ecologically diverse areas in in areas diverse ecologically most the of one to Welcome

Mia Mia State Forest State Mia Mia to a a to at Range Clarke the of foothills

Captain’s Crossing Crossing Captain’s Dam Moonlight Diggings The Range Denham River Broken Flat Fern

Tourism and Events Qld Events and Tourism

Ride on horseback or pedal through the grasstree-lined grasstree-lined the through pedal or horseback on Ride

landscape, deserving of your greatest respect. respect. greatest your of deserving landscape,

Qld Govt; (below) Peter Lik © © Lik Peter (below) Govt; Qld State Forest State Park National

Creed © Qld Govt; (right) © © (right) Govt; Qld © Creed together. This natural wonder is a deeply spiritual spiritual deeply a is wonder natural This together.

Mia Mia Homevale Forest State Crediton Park National Eungella honeyeaters dipping into Moonlight Dam’s watery oasis. watery Dam’s Moonlight into dipping honeyeaters

Vallance; (far left) Adam Adam left) (far Vallance;

of the Yuwibara, Widi and Barada Barna people come come people Barna Barada and Widi Yuwibara, the of

Photos: (top) © Tamara Tamara © (top) Photos:

ancient volcanic eruptions. Delight in brolgas dancing and and dancing brolgas in Delight eruptions. volcanic ancient

homelands traditional the where and meet subtropics and

from Sky Window. Sky from

Camping at a glance a at Camping

Homevale National Park National Homevale —the remains of of remains —the in plains dry vast

(below) Expansive views views Expansive (below)

tropics the where place mountainous magical a Discover

and Eungella dayfrog; dayfrog; Eungella and

Dramatic peaks and spires jut breathtakingly out of the the of out breathtakingly jut spires and peaks Dramatic gastric brooding frog (right) (right) frog brooding gastric

greet you as they emerge into the night. the into emerge they as you greet Eungella endangered

Crediton Hall. Hall. Crediton

habitat is critical for the the for critical is habitat

possums and gliders frogmouths, tawny where safari,

Walk; shrinking rainforest rainforest shrinking Walk;

qld.gov.au/Camping or tell ghost stories by torchlight at the camp near historic historic near camp the at torchlight by stories ghost tell or go at at go

dramatic cliff line. Let shadows envelop you on a twilight twilight a on you envelop shadows Let line. cliff dramatic Mackay Highlands Great Great Highlands Mackay

(far left) rainforest on the the on rainforest left) (far Traditional Owners, gold miners and early timber harvesters, harvesters, timber early and miners gold Owners, Traditional experience to suit everyone. Book your camp site before you you before site camp your Book everyone. suit to experience

past towering forest giants standing sentinel on the the on sentinel standing giants forest towering past

Boardwalk; Boardwalk;

Crediton State Forest State Crediton . Trace the footsteps of of footsteps the Trace . in gums rose to reclusive bush camping away from it all, there is an an is there all, it from away camping bush reclusive to

(Top) Broken River River Broken (Top) Wander through misty rainforests and dense palm groves, groves, palm dense and rainforests misty through Wander gecko, almost invisible against rough tree bark. tree rough against invisible almost gecko,

remnants and open forest dotted with beautiful, century-old century-old beautiful, with dotted forest open and remnants park. From family-friendly camping with plenty of facilities, facilities, of plenty with camping family-friendly From park.

you can spy the Clarke Range’s own species of leaf-tailed leaf-tailed of species own Range’s Clarke the spy can you water. Glimpse colourful birdlife moving in the canopy. the in moving birdlife colourful Glimpse water.

Lose yourself in picturesque creek scenery, lush rainforest rainforest lush scenery, creek picturesque in yourself Lose

the tranquil forest your walls on a camping adventure in the the in adventure camping a on walls your forest tranquil the

golden-tipped bats dart silently through the canopy. See if if See canopy. the through silently dart bats golden-tipped platypus and Eungella spiny crayﬁsh darting through the the through darting crayﬁsh spiny Eungella and platypus

let the stars stretching to the horizon be your rooftop and and rooftop your be horizon the to stretching stars the let

rainforest plant species and a spectacular array of wildlife. of array spectacular a and species plant rainforest common ringtail possums cling to high branches, and rare rare and branches, high to cling possums ringtail common and countless waterfalls. Sense the shy movements of of movements shy the Sense waterfalls. countless and

Don’t rush away! Wind down in a nearby cabin or resort, or or resort, or cabin nearby a in down Wind away! rush Don’t

Eungella protects more than 860 subtropical and tropical tropical and subtropical 860 than more protects Eungella Refresh at clear rock pools surrounded by volcanic boulders boulders volcanic by surrounded pools rock clear at Refresh with metallic ‘tinks’. Hold your breath as greater gliders and and gliders greater as breath your Hold ‘tinks’. metallic with

and one of Queensland’s most ecologically-diverse parks. parks. ecologically-diverse most Queensland’s of one and

Escape overnight Escape At night, secretive Eungella tinkerfrogs punctuate the air air the punctuate tinkerfrogs Eungella secretive night, At

of the Clarke Connor Ranges. Ranges. Connor Clarke the of

Park

, Australia’s northern-most subtropical rainforest rainforest subtropical northern-most Australia’s ,

cliffs sheer the on shines sun afternoon the work’ call of noisy pittas foraging for snails in the leaf litter. litter. leaf the in snails for foraging pittas noisy of call work’

Eungella National National Eungella

Explore cloud-shrouded mountains in in mountains cloud-shrouded Explore

and scents, bush soft carry breezes creeks, honeyeaters in the trees, or hear the distinctive ‘walk-to- distinctive the hear or trees, the in honeyeaters

Photo: © Qld Govt Qld © Photo:

of farming communities. communities. farming of

cloak the rainforest, birds call from peaceful peaceful from call birds rainforest, the cloak by rainbow lorikeets, red-browed ﬁnches and blue-faced blue-faced and ﬁnches red-browed lorikeets, rainbow by Rainbow lorikeet Rainbow

rainforest and majestic woodland hemmed by a patchwork patchwork a by hemmed woodland majestic and rainforest

honeyeater, found only in these highlands. Be entertained entertained Be highlands. these in only found honeyeater, clouds where world, enchanting an Enter

give way to deep gorges and waterholes, with dense dense with waterholes, and gorges deep to way give

ﬁnd? Listen closely for the clear, sharp calls of the Eungella Eungella the of calls sharp clear, the for closely Listen ﬁnd?

landscape is a sculpted masterpiece—steep escarpments escarpments masterpiece—steep sculpted a is landscape

Eungella National Park National Eungella Platypus might be on your bucket list, but what else can you you can else what but list, bucket your on be might Platypus

Highlands has a natural beauty you won’t forget. The The forget. won’t you beauty natural a has Highlands

This lush, green paradise is brimming with life. life. with brimming is paradise green lush, This and Highlands Mackay With rainforest, rustic charm and dramatic terrain, Mackay Mackay terrain, dramatic and charm rustic rainforest, With

Call of the wild wild the of Call Discover the Mackay Highlands Mackay the Discover

Welcome to Welcome

Queensland National Parks

Eungella National Park Walk in the clouds Bush adventures Look after yourself Eungella Pinnacle - Eungella Road Mackay Mackay Breathe in crisp mountain air as you Take a scenic drive through forest and farmland, the Make your visit memorable for all the right reasons. Finch Marian y Hatton Gargett Mirani a immerse yourself in nature. Stroll stunning landscape changing at almost every turn. Stop

w B h g r • Walking is best between April and September to avoid i u with the family, walk for several Mackay Highlands Homevale H to sample local fare at a cafe or watch the sunset from a c s Resources Crediton n e hours, or for a challenge, take a wet and dry weather extremes. w H State o ig lookout. Cruise easy (but often steep and winding) roads, Reserve D h w hike on all or part of the 56km • Supervise children closely, especially around water and Forest k a or rumble along curves of a washboard road for a 4WD a and Eungella y e Mackay Highlands Great Walk.

P near cliffs. Homevale adventure sure to make your heart beat faster. National Scale For track details including walk distances see the map • Stay behind barriers and pay attention to safety signs. 0 5 10 15km Sarina Or travel at a slower pace. Adventurous mountain bikers and National Park Park overleaf or visit qld.gov.au/NationalParks • Never dive or jump into creeks or pools as water may be horseriders relish exploring the backroads and trails in Mia shallow or hide submerged objects. Mia and Crediton state forests. 1 Pine Grove • Take care on slippery rocks and at creek crossings. Park at the edge of Eungella township and wander under Ride safe, ride happy • Take care near cliff edges—do not climb on rock faces. the rainforest canopy along Pine Grove circuit, catching • Check where you can go. Bikes are not permitted on • Never walk alone. Always tell someone where you are Further information glimpses of picturesque Pioneer Valley beyond tall trees. (Above) Finch Hatton Gorge; Continue to Sky Window along Cedar Grove track, stopping (above left) Strangler fig arch, walking tracks. Horses are not permitted in national going and when you expect to return. qld.gov.au/NationalParks Cedar Grove track. to admire views over the patchwork of green and brown cane Photos: (above) Tourism and Events Qld; parks. • Leave plenty of time to reach your destination in daylight. fields with a sheer mountain backdrop. Feel dwarfed by qld.gov.au/Camping (above left) John Augusteyn © Qld Govt • Watch for vehicles and walkers sharing the road. towering red cedars and tulip oaks; peep inside the arch of a qld.gov.au/ParkAlerts twisted strangler fig. • Cyclists give way to horses and walkers. (access, closures and conditions) 9 Finch Hatton Gorge • Walkers give way to horses. What to bring Weave between large granite boulders on the Araluen qldnationalparks 2 Sky Window Visit qld.gov.au/NationalParks for details. • Suitable footwear, clothing and equipment for the Scan to check Cascades track, before walking through stunning emerald- See bright piccabeen and Alexandra palms glistening after activity you are planning. Pack warm clothes and @QldParks; #QldParks park alerts light rain or morning mist. Drink in breathtaking views green rainforest to the lookout above the cascades. Those stretching to the steep, rugged northern wall, before seeking a place for peaceful contemplation will fall in raincoats as weather can change rapidly. For help planning your holiday, visit descending to the tumbling cascades of Broken River. love with the Wheel of Fire track, where forest reflections Show you care • First-aid kit, including sun and insect protection. or queensland.com mackayregion.com.au shimmer across the still rock pool surface. Leave no trace and help keep Eungella and the Highlands • Adequate drinking water or sterilisation tablets— safe drinking water is not provided in the park. Check road conditions before you visit at 3 Broken River Access to the gorge is along dirt roads with multiple creek pristine. Relax over a leisurely bush picnic among tall swamp • Fuel stoves or untreated, clean-milled firewood qldtraffic.qld.gov.au or phone 13 19 40. crossings and may be impassable after heavy rain. mahogany and red gum trees in the Broken River visitor area, • If you pack it in, pack it out. Take all recycling and rubbish for camping area fire rings. Firewood cannot be then step out to explore. This brochure is also available online (including food scraps, cigarette butts, sanitary and collected from the park. at qld.gov.au/ParkBrochures Be entranced by playful platypus along the River walk. hygiene items) with you. • A personal locator beacon (PLB) if hiking overnight Cross trickling creeks beneath a forest ceiling decorated Take extreme care. Finch Hatton has dangerous • Keep to tracks—shortcutting causes erosion and on the Great Walk. with epiphytes and vines on the cool and shady Rainforest cascades, slippery rocks and fast flowing streams. damages vegetation. Discovery circuit. Explore tall groves of livistona palms lining The cascades look inviting to explore and climb, but • Be frog friendly—please don’t disturb or remove rocks or the Granite Bend circuit—their fan-shaped leaves beckoning please beware of the dangers—many lives have been you to the banks of Broken River to listen to the sounds of lost here! trample vegetation near creeks. water rushing over rocks. • Don’t bring unwanted travellers with you. Clean boots, Watch along Crediton Creek track for ripples and bubbles clothes and equipment of soil and seeds before and In an emergency of platypus, eels and freshwater turtles. Walk through after your visit—stop the spread of weeds and harmful Call Triple Zero (000) rainforest gullies up to rocky ridges covered in drier vine Mackay Highlands Great Walk organisms. forest where you might spot unadorned rock-wallabies Mobile phone coverage may not be reliable; however ©State of Queensland 2020. Satisfy your wanderlust with a long trek through rainforest • Leave your pets at home—domestic animals are not Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, or red-legged pademelons. Extend your time in nature, and palm groves, cliffs and peaks, quiet roads and farmland. you might get a signal at some elevated locations. Department of Environment and Science. continuing along Wishing Pool circuit, through tall rainforest permitted in national parks. BP1950 May 2020. carpeted with ferns, and listen for whipbirds and fruit-doves Walk for a while or tackle the whole 56km from Eungella to Printed on eco-friendly paper to save energy and resources. Mount Britton! Photos: Maxime Coquard © Qld Govt (front cover); calling around you. Adam Creed © Qld Govt (back cover)