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Your golden ticket to Hinchinbrook Island National Park and the Thorsborne Trail
- Issued
- 24 March 2025
- Regions
Get your maps ready and your planning shoes on; there’s a new way to book one of the most iconic walks in Australia and plenty that makes the park, the walk, and the wait so worth it.
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The Thorsborne Trail is a four-day adventure, allowing you to explore some of Queensland’s most celebrated scenery
Significant to the Bandjin and the Girramay peoples, Hinchinbrook Island National Park is a unique and spectacular landscape, offering everything from soaring peaks to secluded beaches. Known as Munamudanamy to its Traditional Owners, Hinchinbrook Island is part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and home to the Thorsborne Trail.
Recognised worldwide, the trail was named after local naturalists Margaret and Arthur Thorsborne in acknowledgement of their significant contributions to the conservation of Queensland’s unique and vital ecosystems.
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The trail is full of vibrant colours when the island's diverse flora is in bloom
The Thorsborne Trail has a renowned reputation as a challenging, remote walk which leads you to wander one of the most wonderful places on Earth.
‘This island paradise has it all—rugged mountains, crystal-clear creeks, enchanting waterfalls, secluded beaches and fringing reefs. From untouched rainforest to mountaintop heathlands, melaleuca swamps, mangroves and towering eucalypts, its beauty and diverse wildlife will captivate you.’ - Queensland Parks and Wildlife Rangers
Spanning 39,900ha, Hinchinbrook Island National Park contains 54 regional ecosystems, four of which are found nowhere else within Queensland’s parks and forests, making the protected status of this island integral to maintaining its remote and wild nature.
Working to protect this incredible landscape are the Queensland Parks and Wildlife (QPWS) Rangers who work in partnership with the Girringun Rangers. The ongoing relationship between QPWS and the Traditional Owners through the Munamudanamy Working Group ensures the living history and enduring connection to Country is an integral part of all management activities necessary for the national park’s ongoing conservation. Our Rangers and staff continue to learn from their deep understanding of the island and surrounding waters
The mangroves that line Missionary Bay and Hinchinbrook Channel contain 31 different mangrove species and form one of the largest mangrove areas on the Australian continent. Between that, its lush rainforest, rugged heath-covered mountains, deserted beaches, and freshwater creeks, it’s easy to see why this experience is sought after by so many.
’Munamudanamy is as beautiful as it is remote,’ Ranger Michelle said.
‘It's vital hikers know what to do in the case of an emergency or adverse conditions. We want everyone to love the trail as much as we do, and good preparation can make a huge difference to your experience.’
Securing your ticket for this trek shouldn’t be where your preparation begins and ends. For those planning to experience the Thorsborne Trail for themselves, our Rangers have some great tips for a safe and enjoyable trip:
- Hinchinbrook Island is in Croc Country. No waterway in Croc Country can ever be considered crocodile free. Brush up on your Be Crocwise Top Tips before you go and only cross creeks when water is below knee height.
- Familiarise yourself with how you can visit the Thorsborne Trail safely.
- Schedule your trip around your fitness level and plan to carry a minimum of 4L of water per person, per day. Between October and March is the most challenging time to walk the trail. The trail is closed every January and February due to the high risk of unsafe conditions over this period.
- How you book the Thorsborne Trail is changing, make sure you understand the new Thorsborne Trail hiking seasons.
The way to book the Thorsborne Trail is changing
Yes, you read that correctly.
In consideration of its ever-increasing popularity, the trail is moving to a ‘booking seasons’ model. This model hopes to allow ample time and equal opportunity for you to obtain camping permits and experience this all for yourself.
Similar to models used for other popular hiking and camping locations around the country, available camping permits over several months will be released all at once on a set date and time advised in advance.
While this represents an adjustment to how you can book, the existing overall capacity of the trail at any one time is staying the same. You can be sure to have those ‘ah, the serenity’ moments at every turn, but be prepared to book on the release date for the best chance of securing a permit.
The standard annual seasonal closures covering January and February will remain as they are, with bookings for each camping season opening a few months prior to the season’s start.
If you’re hoping to book the trail, you can check the Thorsborne Trail hiking seasons page for exact dates and times of each camping season and its associated booking season.
‘Forward planning is how you make the most of your time on the Trail. Take the time to really soak in all of its natural and cultural values, knowing you’re a part of it staying protected for years to come.’ - Ranger Michelle
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