Hinchinbrook Island National Park

Hinchinbrook Island National Park Queensland
IUCN category II (national park)
Hinchinbrook Island, 2006
Hinchinbrook Island National Park
Nearest town or city	Cardwell
Coordinates	18°22′55″S 146°14′49″E
Established	1932
Area	399 km^2 (154.1 sq mi)[1]
Managing authorities	Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service
Website	Hinchinbrook Island National Park
See also	Protected areas of Queensland

Hinchinbrook Island National Park is Australia's largest island national park. It is situated along the Cassowary Coast Queensland, Australia. The nearest capital city is Brisbane approximately 1,240 km to the south. Lucinda is 135 km or 1.5 hours drive north of Townsville being the closest North Queensland provincial city. Cairns a Far North Queensland provincial city is two and a half to 3 hours drive north from Cardwell. The main geographical features in the park are the rugged Hinchinbrook Island, including Mount Bowen (1,121 m; 3,678 ft), The Thumb (981 m; 3,219 ft), Mount Diamantina (953 m; 3,127 ft) and Mount Straloch (922 m; 3,025 ft).[2]

The park contains the Thorsborne Trail for hikers. Also within the park lies the ruined Hinchinbrook Island Wilderness Lodge.[3] The resort closed in 2010 due to the Great Recession and was destroyed by Cyclone Yasi shortly after.[3] The buildings have been ransacked by looters and vandals. The developer has gone broke and there is no airport, making access a problem for any future developer.[3]

Situation

Crocodile warning sign

The Hinchinbrook Island National Park includes 393 km^2 area of Hinchinbrook Island.[4] The continental island has a mountainous interior providing diverse refuges for endemic and Endangered Species, such as dugong and green turtle.[5]

Other conservation parks nearby

These continental islands which are part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park are Goold Island National Park, Brook Islands National Park and Family Islands National Park.

See also

• Protected areas of Queensland

References

1. "About Hinchinbrook Island". Archived from the original on 29 September 2016. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
2. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
3. Bavas, Josh (2 May 2014). "North Qld tourism developments still in tatters after GFC and Cyclone Yasi". ABC News. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
4. Ellison, J., 2000. Wetlands, Biodiversity and the Ramsar Convention, Chapt. 5; Ed. Hails, A.J. Case Study 1: Australia, Mangroves on Hinchinbrook Island. Australian Institute of Marine Science. Townsville, QLD. Australia.
5. "About | Hinchinbrook Island National Park". Parks and forests | Department of Environment and Science, Queensland. 22 October 2009. Retrieved 8 June 2022.

• Hema maps. (1997). Discover Australia's National Parks. pp 178 – 179 Random House. ISBN 1-875992-47-2

External links

Media related to Hinchinbrook Island at Wikimedia Commons