Wangetti Trail to open up previously hidden National Park

Construction of the 94-kilometre Wangetti Trail from Palm Cove to Port Douglas is set to open up the 5,563-hectare Macalister Range National Park to public access for the first time.

The Park is part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area and provides crucial habitat for the endangered southern cassowary, Macleay’s fig-parrot, rufous owl and grey goshawk.

While many people would have driven past it along the Captain Cook Highway where you can see the mountains on one side and the beaches, rocky headlands and tropical reefs on the other, there is no public or vehicle access, no facilities or camping and limited access to walking trails.

More than 80 per cent of the Wangetti Trail will be built inside the Macalister Range National Park, which protects a corridor of uninterrupted habitat including captivating wildlife, rich biodiversity and lush vegetation, from the coast to the tablelands.

National Parks and Wildlife Service Senior Ranger Jodie Cross said visitors can expect to be surrounded by towering trees, vibrant flora and the sounds of tropical birds and insects.

“People will see a different side of the environment they haven’t seen before,” said Ms Cross.

“Macalister Range National Park has about 38 regional ecosystems and the majority have significant biodiversity status, which is important from a conversation perspective.

“The environment can change from open woodland to rainforest, to vine thickets, running parallel to the coastline from up high at the southern end, down into the foothills then back up to the ridgelines across a broad spectrum of terrain.

“It will give people an opportunity to walk through forest types they may not have experienced before, with views to the ocean that you can’t get from anywhere else.”

The Park overlooks the tropical waters of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and has an ancient connection to the Djabugay Nation People whose traditional walking pathways traversed the area.

Ms Cross said opening up the forest allows people to make a connection with the environment and traditional lands in a sustainable way.

“By opening up the forest, you can inspire conservation and the care for country, so people appreciate the bigger picture a lot more,” she said.

“We’ve done extensive planning with stakeholders, the Wet Tropics Management Authority and Traditional Owners to look at the key considerations.

“If there are significant ecosystems where species exist, the trail won’t go directly through them, it will detour around.

“We have Indigenous rangers on site at all times to make assessments while construction is underway and have conducted ecological assessments prior to construction.

“And we encourage visitors to leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but memories.”

The only current public access to the Macalister Range National Park is near the Wangetti township, via the Hartley’s Creek Falls track which is a six-kilometre round trip.

The first 33km stage of the Wangetti Trail, from Palm Cove to Wangetti, is currently under construction – starting with a 7.8km leg from Palm Cove Jetty to Ellis Beach foreshore that began construction in July 2023.

With crews making good progress despite heavy rain, there will be public hiking and biking access to this 7.8km section of the World Heritage Area, including Macalister Range National Park, in the second half of 2024.

Ms Cross said the Wangetti Trail will open up other avenues for tour operators and local businesses who have ties to country at significant cultural areas.

“They have a willingness to share those special places with the general public – it’s exciting for them and for us,” she said.

“It also helps to build capacity as they can help manage country alongside us as well.”

Later stages of the Trail will treat visitors to breathtaking panoramic views of Double Island, Trinity Beach and Cairns on their journey, croc-spotting along the Mowbray River, while traversing the pristine coastline to Wangetti township and Port Douglas.

The full 94km Wangetti Trail is expected to be open by the end of 2026.