Hinchinbrook Island is the largest island National Park in Australia. It also contains some of the most natural scenery to be found in Queensland and the island is managed as wilderness. There is a single walking track which follows the eastern shore.
This track is called the Thorsborne Trail and is named after a prominent local conservationist. The 32 km trail is easily walked in 4 days. There are some possible side trips and I recommend spending 5 or 6 days if you can get a permit.
The Thorsborne Trail is not always well marked but it is easy to follow. Fuel stoves must be carried as this is a fuel stove only area - no camping fires are allowed. The weather is normally warm to hot and winter is the preferred season as its cooler and less humid. No special equipment is needed - the campsites are sheltered and the weather is always warm.
On Hinchinbrook Island native rats have become a major pest to walkers - they eat holes in tents and packs to get food. Do not keep any food in a tent - at some campsites you can store all your food into steel boxes that are provided for this purpose. If there is no steel box then you need to hang your food between trees and use spinning bottles at each end to keep the rats away. Do not make the mistake of thinking your tough pack material will protect your food - these rats normally eat holes in coconuts - you will see plenty of coconuts with neat circular holes bored into them.
The island is located in north Queensland and is about 180 km south of Cairns.
Cardwell is the closest town on the highway and boats can leave on any day for the island (bookings essential). The town has a variety of accommodation at several standards.
Access to Cardwell is easy as it is located on the main highway from Cairns to Brisbane and several bus services pass through the town every day. The southern end of the walk is at a tiny fishing port of Lucinda which is located 19km off the highway and has backpacker accomoation. The boat operator has a minibus and can be organised to take you to the highway or back to Cardwell.
Departure and pickup times for the boat services vary as they are effected by the tides. When you make bookings with the boat operators, they will tell you the times. You must meet the boats, as overdue walkers are regarded as lost and a search and rescue operation is then started.
The AUSLIG 1:50,000 Hillock Point is the best map to get. An alternative is the NATMAP 1:100,000 Cardwell. The track is not shown on either map. When you book your permit for the Thorsborne Trail, the rangers will send you a free leaflet showing the tracks location. This is very useful although the sketch map is not very detailed for navigation.
Basic notes are provided on the sketch map. Detailed walking notes are available in Bushwalking In Australia. There is an excellent large format book 'Hinchinbrook Island' written by those who the track is named after. Copies of this book can be viewed in Cardwell - it is hard to find one elsewhere.
| 1 | Boat to Ramsay Bay, walk to Little Ramsay Bay, 7km |
| 2 | Over to Zoe Bay. 11km |
| 3 | Over Magic Saddle to Mulligan Falls, 8km |
| 4 | Along beach to George Point, 8k |
These are needed and a strict quota of 40 walkers applies to the Thorsborne Trail. Limits also apply to some campsites and you have to specify your camping site each night when booking. Permits cost $4.50 per person per night and the largest group size is six people. Being an island, access is readily controlled - the boat operators are very diligent and check all permits so don't try to visit without one.
Hinchinbrook Island is popular and is often booked out during the main walking period (winter). To avoid disappointment, book several months ahead. While it might be possible to obtain cancellations, do not rely on this. Don't come and wait at Cardwell for a few days hoping you are lucky.
Permits are available from - Rainforest & Reef Centre, PO Box 74, Cardwell, 4849, tel (07) 4066 8601.
This is one place which you must book ahead but it is worth the wait.
