PARK INFORMATION
NPRSR 13 7468
SIZE
17 310 ha
VISITOR INFORMATION
Ingham (07) 4776 4792 | www.tyto.com.au
LOCATION AND ACCESS
79 km north of Townsville, 58 km south of Ingham (Mt Spec); 92 km north of Townsville or 30 km south of Ingham (Jourama Falls); via Bruce Hwy
CAMPING
One camping area per section; permit and fees apply; bookings essential
Lying within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, Paluma Range National Park offers mountain-top views and picturesque waterfalls. The Mount Spec section encompasses the summit and escarpment of the Paluma Range, while the Jourama Falls section, in the foothills of the Seaview Range, features cascades, rapids and the impressive Jourama Falls on Waterview Creek. Both sections offer picnic areas, lookouts, bushwalks and campsites.
The summit of Mount Spec, rising 1000 metres above the Big Crystal Creek flood plain, receives three times the average rainfall of the surrounding landscape and is often cloaked in mist or low cloud. Vegetation changes from open eucalypt forests on the lower areas to dense rainforest on the higher slopes. The transition between these two forest types can be seen halfway up the range at Little Crystal Creek, where hoop pines line the creek. At the summit of Mount Spec is McClelland's Lookout with magnificent views out to Halifax Bay and the Palm Islands. From here, you can walk to Witt's Lookout (3 km return, 1.5–2 hours, medium difficulty) then on to Cloudy Creek (4 km return, 2.5 hours, medium difficulty).
In the Jourama Falls section, Jourama Falls Lookout walk (3 km return, 1 hour, medium difficulty) leads through dry open forest of poplar gum, bloodwood and Moreton Bay ash. Rainforest grows on the higher slopes and lines the banks of Waterview Creek. Wildlife-watchers may spot the azure kingfisher, satin flycatcher and northern fantail during the day or the southern boobook, large-tailed nightjar and tawny frogmouth by torchlight at night. Other nocturnal residents include sugar gliders and endangered mahogany gliders.