NIO M O UN M D RI T IA A L • P • W L O A I R D L D N H O E M R I E TA IN G O E • PATRIM Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area TOUR GUIDE HANDBOOK Compiled by Julie Carmody First published in Australia in July 2011 by the Reef & Rainforest Research Centre Ltd., Cairns Second edition published August 2014 © Julie Carmody, 2014 ISBN 978-1-925088-35-9 To cite this publication: Carmody, J. (2014) Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area Tour Guide Handbook (2nd Edition). Published by the Reef & Rainforest Research Centre Ltd., Cairns (216 pp.). Cover Photographs: Front – Noah Beach, Wet Tropics Images/Dave Cook Back – Licuala Fan Palm Forest, Suzanne Long Back Insets – Wet Tropics Tour Guide Program Field Schools, Wet Tropics Images 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) was part of the Australian Government’s Commonwealth Environment Research Facilities programme. The MTSRF was represented in North Queensland by the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited (RRRC). The aim of the MTSRF was 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 Environment. 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. A PDF version of this publication can be downloaded from any of the following websites: www.rrrc.org.au www.savannah-guides.com.au www.wettropics.gov.au 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 2.22 Tully Gorge ..................................................................................................... 139 i Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area Tour Guide Handbook 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 REPRINT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This handbook has been reprinted under the Wet Tropics Tour Guide Program, funded by the Wet Tropics Management Authority and Austrade under a TQUAL grant. About the Wet Tropics Tour Guide Program The Wet Tropics Tour Guide Program provides a network for ongoing professional development and is open to anyone with an interest in presenting the unique qualities and values of the Wet Tropic World Heritage Area. The program includes Field Schools and Workshops, an Online Training Course and network communications. Tour guides who complete the Online Course and attend one full Field School are eligible to become Wet Tropics Tour Guides. The Wet Tropics Tour Guide Program is delivered by Savannah Guides. More information: ! www.wettropics.gov.au/tour-guide-training [email protected] www.savannah-guides.com.au ORIGINAL 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