Places and Drives - The Central Coast - Palmerston Highway

Named after bushman Christie Palmerston, this scenic highway between Innisfail and Millaa Millaa (on the Atherton Tablelands) gives access to short walks, lookouts, picnic spots and camping. Rainforests here reach what botanists call their peak development as "complex mesophyll vineforests" on the wet lowlands and foothills of the coastal range. You can see the best examples of this in the lower Palmerston area west of Innisfail. These are remnants of Australia's richest rainforest growing in fertile basalt soils, the result of lava flowing from Tableland volcanoes. These soils are in high demand for farming, and only patches of forest remain.
There are a series of tracks in the Palmerston section of Woononooran National Park but some of these are in the process of being upgraded so it is best to check with the ranger's station for the latest information. One track which has already been upgraded is the Nandroya Falls Track. The beginning is found just up the road from the Henrietta Creek camping area and forks shortly after you enter the closed canopy forest. The left hand track is 2.2 km (1.4 miles) long and passes Silver Falls before terminating at the majestic Nandroya Falls. The right hand track wanders 4 km (2.5 miles) further down along the creek before meeting up with the shorter track just before reaching Nandroya Falls. These tracks take you through some of the best quality rainforest in the Wet Tropics area (but you'll have to put up with a few leeches).

How to get there
Palmerston Highway begins on the northern outskirts of Innisfail, a sugar mill town built on the junction of the North and South Johnstone Rivers. For more information phone the Palmerston ranger station at (07) 4064-5115.