Rock pavements and coastal headlands

Rocky pavements

Rock pavement complexes occur throughout the Wet Tropics and across all climatic zones. Typically, they are associated with rocky coastal ranges. Black Mountain near Cooktown is the most famous and visible rocky area. Hinchinbrook Island, Tully Falls and Herbert River Gorge also contain large rocky areas.

Coastal headlands

Coastal headlands, too,  have skeletal soils as well as exposure to excessive sun and salt. These sparse environments support a varied range of plants and vegetation complexes, including Themeda grasses and heathlands and shrublands.