Jane Grows Garden Rooms

A Cassowary Coast, Far North Queensland Adventure

This gorgeous track has it all! From rainforest to mangrove swamp, from palms to melaleuca scrub, from sandy beaches to pebbles and rocky outcrops, it covers a wide range of wet tropics habitat. Add to this stunning views of the Family Island group and it is truly unique.

The track is reasonably easy with my 7 and 9 year old completing the walk sometimes at running pace, which you can see in the clip below.

From the entrance to the track, near the South Mission Beach boat ramp, to just beyond Lovers Beach is a raised timber boardwalk. After that there are some small sets of stairs and the winding track continues along the coast as the pebbled shoreline gives way to rocky coast. There are then some more substantial sets of stairs which likely get slippery in wet weather.

As you come around the bend to the impressive and isolated Lugger Bay, there is a large concrete set of steps that take you on to the golden sand.

Walking this section brought delight in the form of many pretty shells and Ghost Crabs running away as you get closer to them. Looking out to sea, Dunk Island rests like the tropical paradise that it is, while the land side is fringed by beautiful melaleuca (paperbark) trees with their weeping foliage swaying in the sea breeze.

You can choose to enter the Melaleuca scrub halfway along the beach or walk all the way to Mije Creek on the sand. This may be dependent on the tides. Indeed, it is important to be aware of the tides if you decide to walk the Kennedy Track as some of it does disappear when the tide is high.

As you approach Mije Creek, the habitat slowly changes to mangrove swamps and it is important to keep an eye out for crocodiles in this area. If you see one, stay well away! We didn’t see any crocodiles but we did see lots of Mud Skippers, fish that leave the water and “skip” across the sand or mud.

A well-maintained wooden bridge takes you across Mije Creek and through the Mangroves along a flat sandy path which slowly gives way to rainforest and a pathway with steps. At the top of this mild incline is Morgans Lookout which has a spectacular view of more than 180 degrees looking over the family islands and the coast to the North. It also has a small shelter for those needing a break from sun or rain.

From Morgans Lookout, the track becomes narrower and steep in places with more steps up and down. As you walk you are treated to a range of flora as well as lovely views through Pandanus Palms and over the rocky coast. When the path turns to concrete, you are about to come around the bend to Turtle Bay.

One wonders why it is called Turtle Bay as they are clearly not using it for nesting. It is covered in smooth rocks and pebbles. It does have a shady bench for those who want to take a break and look out across the pretty bay towards the islands. Perhaps it is an area for viewing turtles as they swim past.

We were tempted to keep going but we were also hungry and hadn’t brought any food so this was our turning point. We plan on doing the walk again to see Kennedy Bay and Hull Heads.

This was a great walking track at just the right level of challenge for us. We worked up a good appetite and felt like we had got the desired exercise. The children enjoyed the shells, the fish, the crabs and the views. I enjoyed the plant life as well.

If you like hiking, nature, views or beaches, I would definitely recommend it! Add it to your list!

If you’d like me to write more walking track reviews, please leave a comment!

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