Mission Beach Rainforest

A rainforest is a delicate and diverse eco system and home to thousands of plant types and animal species. At Mission Beach you can undertake your own walk on nearby rainforest trails, or, enjoy a guided tour with an experienced tour guide. The surrounding rainforest areas can be enjoyed by all who visit Mission Beach. Further information can be obtained from: Queensland Heritage Trails Network Wet Tropics Management Authority

Licuala State Forest

The walk - A 1.25 km (30 min) Licuala Fan Palm Walk and 350m (20 min) Children's Walk loops through rare Fan Palm forest. The Children's Walk follows cassowary footprints to eggs in a nest. A "Cassowaries for Kids" brochure makes learning about these big birds a lot of fun. How to get there - Take the Tully-Mission Beach Road and watch for signs for the turnoff. The carpark is about 1km down an unsealed road.

Licuala Rainforest Walk

Edmund Kennedy Walking Track

Bicton Hill Walk

The walk - This shady rainforest path leads to magnificent views of the coastline and is a great way to get your bearings when arriving in the region. A well maintained 4km (1.5 - 2 hrs) loop winds up to the top of Bicton Hill, with an easy downhill stretch for the walk back. How to get there - The track begins 5km (3 miles) from North Mission Beach on the El Arish-Mission Beach Road.

Lacey Creek

The walk - This 1.2km circuit walk (30mins) is an easy stroll along a graded track with signs describing the local environment and its inhabitants - including the endangered cassowary. How to get there - Lacey Creek is 5km from North Mission Beach on the El Arish-Mission Beach Road. Phoning (07) 4066-8779 will get you more details.

Ulysses Butterfly : (Papilio ulysses)

The Ulysses Butterly (sometimes referred to as the Mountain Blue) is easily recognised by its trade marked electric blue wings. It has become a symbol of tourism throughout Northern Queensland and lives in numerous Australian tropical rainforest areas. The Ulysses is prevalent in and around the Mission Beach region. The Ulysses populations have recently increased in some areas due to the planting of its larval food plant (Euodia elleryana).

The Cassowary : (Casuarius casarius)

Despite being a bird, the Cassowary is Australia's largest land animal. It normally weighs about 60kg, but the heaviest recorded was 94.5kg monster found north of Mission Beach in 1992. Its eggs are the third largest of all birds at an average 584g (after the Ostrich eggs at 1100g and Emu eggs at 637g). Cassoway birds are a common site in and around the Mission Beach area. It is normal, for example, to see them wondering across roads, through resorts and home grounds. The Cassowary can be a dangerous animal, please respect them and stay a safe distance.