About Conway

Park features

This park spans approximately 75km of coastline, taking in the entire Cape Conway peninsula. The park includes the rainforest-clad Conway Range, which protects the largest area of lowland tropical rainforest in Queensland outside Tropical North Queensland. Hoop pines grow on coastal ridges and in damp gullies, emerging above the rainforest canopy. Rugged, steep, rocky cliffs provide a spectacular 35km-long backdrop to the Whitsunday Passage and islands.

Dry vine thicket, mangroves, open forests with a grasstree understorey, paperbark and pandanus woodlands, and patches of lowland rainforest with twisted vines grow in the park. It is home to 2 of Australia's mound-building birds, the Australian brush-turkey and the orange-footed scrubfowl.

Rising steeply behind busy coastal settlements, the Conway Range appears impenetrable. Through climate fluctuations over tens of thousands of years, the rainforest has persisted here, providing a continuous refuge for wildlife.

The park's vegetation is very similar to that on the Whitsunday islands because thousands of years ago the sea level rose, drowning coastal valleys and creating the islands. For thousands of years, the Ngaro and Gia people roamed these forests, harvesting riches of the land and the adjoining sea country. Today the adjacent waters are protected in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Looking after the park

Parks and forests protect Queensland's wonderful natural diversity and scenery. Please help keep these places special during your stay.

• Protect the wildlife. Remember, plants and animals (dead or alive) are protected. Try not to trample plants when walking or erecting your tent.
• Camp at designated camp sites only.
• Use a fuel stove. Fires are not permitted.
• Leave no rubbish. Rubbish bins are not provided. Do not bury rubbish—take it with you when you leave. You can dispose of it at Airlie Beach.
• Respect First Nation peoples’ culture. The Conway Range represents thousands of years of living culture of special significance to the people of the Birri-Gubba Nation. This landscape is irreplaceable and easily damaged. We ask that you look at, learn and enjoy—travel lightly through this country.
• Be considerate. People visit parks and forests to enjoy nature, not noisy people or radios.
• Camp and walk softly. Leave your camp site better than you found it. Stay on the walking tracks.
• Limit the spread of pests and soil pathogens. Ensure your shoes, bikes, clothes and all equipment is clean and free of seeds, soil and insects (including ants and their eggs) before arriving.

See caring for parks for more information about protecting our environment and heritage in parks.

Park management

Conway National Park's size and undeveloped nature makes it a very significant wilderness area. The park extends north along the coastline to the tip of Cape Conway, 30km south of Shute Harbour. It is managed to preserve its significant beauty and rare and threatened species for generations to come.

QPWS is responsible for managing Conway National Park, Conway Conservation Park and Conway West Conservation Park under the Nature Conservation Act 1992. These areas are carefully monitored to protect the natural and cultural values of the parks.

The Great Barrier Reef, which is part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, lies just off Conway National Park's coast and is managed by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.

See Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park for more detailed zoning information.

Tourism information links

Whitsunday Visitor Information Centre
www.tourismwhitsundays.com.au
12505 Bruce Highway, Proserpine Qld 4800
ph +61 7 4945 3967
email info@tourismwhitsundays.com.au
Open Monday-Sunday 9.00am to 5.00pm
Closed Christmas Day

Bowen Visitor Information Centre
www.tourismbowen.com.au
18305 Bruce Highway, Bowen, Qld 4805
ph (07) 4786 4222
email info@bowentourism.com.au

For tourism information for all regions in Queensland see Queensland Holidays.