Wet Tropics World Heritage Area Magazine 2007-2008 Aboriginal people have used fi re in traditional The Wet Tropics Management Authority’s land management for thousands of years. Fire Conservation Offi cer, Bill Carrodus, said that the has had a practical and spiritual role in Aboriginal Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) culture, being used as a tool for hunting, clearing manages fi re in much of the Wet Tropics World the landscape and promoting new growth of Heritage Area. “As well as working with rural fi re particular plants. The landscape was burnt often brigades to control wildfi res and protect human in a mosaic of seasonal fi res - some only burning life and property, the QPWS uses fi re to help grasses and understorey plants, others reaching conserve biodiversity.” the tree tops. Traditional fi re management, along “Controlled burns reduce the intensity of fi res with wildfi res, has shaped the way our native and are usually done earlier in the year to help plant and animal communities have evolved in prevent wildfi res. In some areas, controlled burns the Wet Tropics. are only done every couple of years to break up Over the last 50 to 100 years traditional the country a bit and to encourage regeneration Aboriginal burning has decreased dramatically. of a particular species. If an appropriate fi re Already there have been marked changes in wet regime is not maintained, rainforest pioneer sclerophyll forests on the western edges of the species can quickly become established in wet World Heritage Area which have been invaded by sclerophyll forests at the expense of native grass rainforest species. These wet sclerophyll forests cover,” he said. are more open than rainforests and dominated “The QPWS is continually monitoring the effects by rose gums and red mahoganies. They form of fi re on different ecosystems. To conserve a transitional zone up to four kilometres wide biodiversity fi re management has to adapt to between the rainforests and open savanna changing conditions such as climate change, woodlands. Wet sclerophyll forests currently cyclone damage and weed invasions.” occupy about 54,000ha of the Wet Tropics, less than half their original extent. These changes are “Community education is important. People often irreversible. Once the rainforest becomes need to understand that fi re is often friendly and well established it will no longer burn and the necessary. The landscape may look blackened dominant eucalypts cannot reproduce without and bare after a fi re, but that may be necessary an open, sunlit forest fl oor. These wet sclerophyll for the long term survival of its animals and forests are home to a range of endangered plants,” Bill said. animals such as the yellow bellied glider and northern bettong. They are also used by Above: The giant rainforest animals such as cassowaries at certain eucalypts of the wet times of the year. sclerophyll forests (Photo: Campbell Clarke) Left: Yellow bellied glider (Photo: Andrew Dennis) Left: A controlled burn (Photo: EPA) 6 Wet Tropics World Heritage Area Magazine 2007-2008 World Heritage Walks JosephineJosephine FallsFalls Josephine Falls For a cool respite from the heat, nothing can near the track and picnic area and dart off into quite compare to a dip at Josephine Falls in deeper rainforest as you approach. Look for Wooroonooran National Park. The swimming Bowenia spectabalis, a member of the primitive Brush turkeys are common near Josephine Falls hole and picnic area provide a fun day for cycad family, that was around 350 million years the whole family. Although Josephine Falls is ago. Run your hands over the imposing boulders days. Contact the QPWS if you’re thinking about spectacular all year round, swimming is not safe stained with green moss that encroach on the embarking on one of these walks. You may need in the wet season or after periods of heavy rain gently sloping walking track. a camping permit. - slippery rocks and strong currents become If you gaze skyward, you may be able to see Back near the swimming hole, stairs down the hazardous. We suggest swimming at Josephine how the rainforest is recovering from Cyclone embankment provide access to the gorge. The Falls in the dry season from April to October. In Larry. Larry was a category fi ve cyclone that tore boulders are smooth, weathered by years of the wet season, from November to March, enjoy through this area of World Heritage rainforest rushing water. As a result they make great spots the walking tracks and lookouts. in March 2006, leaving splintered and broken to sit! Inhale the fresh scent of damp rainforest As you walk from the car park, along the sealed rainforest in its wake. Many trees have regrown, before plunging into the sparkling water. As you track and into the forest, the world seems to but you should still be able to see some large fl oat on your back in bliss, don’t forget to take in stand still. Surrounded by rainforest, the noise of holes in the rainforest canopy and broken the view – what a treat! traffi c is replaced with bird calls and the sound branches caused by the 290kph winds. Trees of rushing water. As you’re walking, listen for the that fell onto the path were cut and returned to distinct call of the chowchilla. This little bird has a the forest. Check it Out big voice and warbles its name Eventually the rainforest path leads to the The Josephine Falls turn off is on the Bruce ‘chow-chilla, chowry chook boulder-strewn gorge and Josephine Creek. Highway about 68km south of Cairns, near the chook.’ WWatchatch out Before your swim, take the short walking track small town of Mirriwinni. It’s about an 8km drive to for brush turkeys. to the lookout over Josephine Falls. The viewing the carpark. They like to forage deck is a great spot for a photo. Josephine FFallsalls • Contact the QPWS Wooroonooran National Park is also the starting point for a number of hikes - Josephine Falls Section, Bartle Frere Road, up Mt Bartle FFrererere ranging from 8 hours to 2 Bartle Frere Ph (07) 4067 6304. • Visit the WTMA website: www.wettropics.gov.au ‘Walks’ section. Far left: Bowenia spectabilis • Visit the EPA website: www.epa.qld.gov.au and Left: The noisy chowchilla (male) look up ‘Josephine Falls’ in the parks section. Photos: Josephine Falls - Campbell Clarke; brush turkey - Mike Trenerry; chowchilla - Ian Montgomery; Bowenia spectabilis - WTMA. 7 Babinda Creek in the dry season. The Yidinji Aboriginal people, Traditional Owners for the Babinda Boulders area, tell Beautiful the story of Oolana, a beautiful young Yidinji woman who haunts the Boulders. Oolana was chosen to marry a respected elder in the Yidinji tribe, but fell in love with a handsome young man from a visiting tribe. The two decided to elope but were later discovered in the valley by the water’s edge. Oolana’s Babinda handsome lover was dragged away and in BabindaBBabinda Bouldersa lies adjacentb to the Weti Tropicsn the nearbyd Bellenden Kera Range sends water despair she threw herself into the water. As World Heritage Area and is a popular swimming thundering down the gorge. she struck the water, crying for her lost lover, hole at the base of Queensland’s highest the land shook with terror and sorrow. Water Despite numerous warning signs that the area mountain, Mount Bartle Frere (1622m). exploded and boulders surged upward from is unsafe for swimming, at least 16 people deep underground and Oolana became In the dry season the swimming hole at the have drowned at Devil’s Pool. Locals believe one with the landscape. Aboriginal legend Boulders is tranquil and the crystalline mountain unrecorded deaths make this number much says that it is Oolana’s spirit that takes the waters entice you to take a dip. The Boulders higher. Walking across the rocks or swimming young men who drown in Babinda Creek as is a perfect place for a family picnic. You in pools upstream may look quite easy, but she searches for her lost love. can also enjoy two very different walks - one one slip and you can be washed downstream. meandering through the rainforest upstream and Unpredictable strong currents, submerged one downstream along the creek to the scenic logs and debris, and twisting caverns under waterfalls and sink holes. The sinkholes are not the boulders are the hidden dangers that have safe for swimming. claimed so many lives. Strangely all of the unfortunate folks drowned in Devil’s Pool have In the wet season thrashing white foam weaves been young male visitors. Perhaps they were full through the granite boulders that lie scattered of bravado and did not heed the warning signs. along Babinda Creek, creating dangerous eddies Or perhaps they were lured there by the calls of and currents. With an annual rainfall of over 4.5m, Oolana for her lost lover (see story on right). Babinda - A small town with a big heart by Lana Lopatich Last surviving member of the Yidinji clan, The sleepy town of Babinda sits adjacent to the Ann Wonga, at the Babinda Information Centre. Bruce Highway, relatively unaffected by the fast pace and stress of our modern society. This If you would like to know more about beautiful small town, located 60km south of Aboriginal folklore in the Babinda area, Cairns, is central to the sugar industry but is also contact the Babinda Information Centre. the gateway to beautiful World Heritage rainforest. They have a number of books on display. The Babinda Information Centre looks like You might get to meet the last surviving a turquoise jewel on the edge of the Bruce member of the Yidingi clan, Ann Wonga.