This Ancient Rainforest Hike Offers a Fresh Perspective on Tropical North Queensland
A Ulysses butterfly darts across my line of vision. Against the backdrop of the vine-strewn rainforest trees and stumpy, ancient cycads with their soot-black trunks, it stands out like an electric-blue M&M. But when it flutters to my right, it suddenly vanishes, blending in perfectly against the azure shades of the Pacific Ocean. I’m walking the first completed section of the Wangetti Trail, which starts at Palm Cove in Tropical North Queensland, with an end point (for now at least) at Ellis Beach, and this is the natural tapestry that surrounds me for the journey. Dense, moss-scented forest swirling into crystal seascapes. And the profound sense that all of this has been here for a very, very long time.
It has, of course. The Wangetti Trail follows an age-old path used by Djabuganydji, Yirrganydji, Nyagali, Buluwanydji and Guluy peoples for the purposes of trade, celebration and cultural connection for tens of thousands of years. This stretch, which opened in September last year, is only 7.8 kilometres but it will eventually wind all the way to Port Douglas, 94 kilometres to the north. There are plans for eco-accommodation at various points along the way and the finished track is expected to take six days to walk. The trail will be set among some of the oldest protected rainforest in the world, including its current route through the Macalister Range National Park, which is famous as a habitat for cassowaries. It’s estimated that parts of these World Heritage-listed forests could be more than 130 million years old.
But on this warm winter day it feels full of new life. At the trailhead, locals are gathering breadfruit, which grows wild. In summer, they’ll probably return to pick from the nearby mango trees. A few speedy mountain-bike riders, who barrel along in the opposite direction – the path is designed to be shared by walkers and riders – call out “hellos” as they pass. (“A friendly ‘Rider back!’ or a bell goes a long way out here,” Cairns Mountain Bike Club president Rachael White tells me later). At one point, a harmless yellow-bellied tree snake darts away from my approaching footfall. At walk’s end, there’s the Ellis Beach Bar & Grill with its excellent Goldband snapper fish and chips.
The trail is an energetic new way to experience Palm Cove, which is better known as a flop-and-drop destination with its palm-fringed resorts, laid-back restaurants and pastel-smudged sunset skies. The hike takes less than three hours to complete on foot and you can catch the Ellis Beach Bar & Grill’s courtesy shuttle bus back into town, where I discover that a scoop of pandan and coconut ice-cream from the Numi Ice Creamery is a great way to round out the journey.
In 2026, the new Hilton Palm Cove Cairns Resort & Spa will become another drawcard for visitors. It’ll join the whitewashed Reef House, known for its attentive personalised service, as the pick of the places to stay.
Unlacing my sneakers back at my hotel suite, I notice a touch of soreness in my calves – not a sensation you’d usually expect during a stay at Palm Cove. It may still be Queensland’s relaxation capital but the Wangetti Trail proves it can also offer some action.
