Ingham & Hinchinbrook

A sugar-cane town in northern Queensland and the gateway to Wallaman Falls, Australia's highest single-drop waterfall, and the Thorsborne Trail on Hinchinbrook Island.

Ingham is a sugar town in the Hinchinbrook Shire of northern Queensland, on the Bruce Highway about 110 km north of Townsville and 240 km south of Cairns, surrounded by cane fields. Many Italian migrants came here in the early 20th century to grow sugar cane, and the town still has a strong Italian flavour. The Australian Italian Festival is held every May. The Tyto Wetlands on the edge of town are a birdwatching haven and home to the visitor centre.

Activities around town fall into three routes. To the west, about 50 km away, you enter Girringun National Park to see Wallaman Falls, the highest permanent single-drop waterfall in Australia. Further on, you can drive a gravel road to Blencoe Falls. To the northeast, at Lucinda, see the longest sugar loading jetty in the Southern Hemisphere, then take a boat to Hinchinbrook Island or Orpheus Island. Hinchinbrook has the famous Thorsborne Trail, while Orpheus is known for its coral reefs and giant clams. To the south, at the northern end of the Paluma Range, you can swim and camp at Jourama Falls. To the north, cross the Cardwell Range, where a lookout overlooks the Mangrove Strait, and visit the blue hot spring pools in Cardwell Forest.

The region has a tropical climate. The dry season (May–September) brings 20–28°C, ideal for hiking and boating. The wet season (December–April) is hot, humid and rainy. Waterfalls are most spectacular then, but roads often flood. Box jellyfish are present, so swim only inside stinger-net enclosures on the beaches. Saltwater crocodiles live in estuaries and creeks.

Getting there: Townsville airport is about 1.5 hours' drive away, and the Queensland Rail northbound train stops at Ingham. Plan 2–3 days. The Thorsborne Trail needs another 3–4 days and advance booking.

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