This was published 9 years ago
Cardwell, Queensland: Travel guide and things to do
Located 1533 km north of Brisbane, Cardwell's claim to fame is that it is the only town on the Bruce Highway between Townsville and Cairns which is on the coast. While this is true it is a dubious benefit to the town as the water is muddy (from the streams which flow into the Hinchinbrook Channel) and infested with crocodiles, sharks and box jellyfish - particularly during the summer months.
The name of Edmund Kennedy looms large in the history of Cardwell. Kennedy passed close by the present townsite in 1848 during his tragic attempt to travel from Rockingham Bay to Cape York. There is a cairn at the southern end of the town which was built 'To commemorate the centenary of the landing of the explorer Edmund B. C. Kennedy and his party who passed within two miles north of this cairn on June 26 1848 whilst on their fateful journey of exploration to Cape York.'
Searching for a route across to the mountains he originally landed some 35 km north of the present site of Cardwell but encountered dense mangrove swamps which he failed to penetrate. Consequently he was forced south, passing through what is now Edmund Kennedy National Park, 4 km north of Cardwell. His attempt to move west along Meunga Creek at the southern end of the present-day park was successful and allowed the party to proceed north. Consequently, some weeks after they had landed on the coast, they reached the place where they had started - only they were inland not on the coast.
It was not an auspicious beginning to an expedition which was to prove disasterous. Kennedy was subsequently killed by unfriendly Aborigines when only kilometres from the rescue vessel. Only his Aboriginal assistant, Jackie Jackie, was to survive.
It is hard to imagine that it took Kennedy 66 days to cover the distance from Cardwell to Ravenshoe - a journey which can now be done in a few hours. This area is now crossed by the Bruce Highway and a railway line allows 'The Sunlander' to speed across the creeks and swamps every day.
Cardwell was settled in 1864, two years after the HMS Pioneer sailed into the Hinchinbrook Channel looking for a suitable port to service the Valley of Lagoon pastoral holdings on the upper Burdekin River.
In 1863 the explorer George Dalrymple had unsuccessfully attempted to hack a trail from the Valley of Lagoons station. The following year Cardwell was settled, the Old Royal Hotel was built, and Dalrymple did manage to find a track from the coast to the highlands. Thus Cardwell became the first port north of Bowen. It was named by Governor Bowen after the British MP Edward Cardwell.
However, the discovery of gold at Charters Towers drew the maritime trade to Townsville and, by the 1880s, Cardwell's importance as a port for the inland had virtually disappeared. However logging emerged to save the local economy. By 1886 Cardwell boasted the largest sawmill in North Queensland.
Things to see
The Kennedy Memorial Cairn
Located at the southern end of town the plaque states that it was erected 'To commemorate the centenary of the landing of the explorer Edmund B. C. Kennedy and his party who passed within two miles north of this cairn on June 26 1848 whilst on their fateful journey of exploration to Cape York.'
Edmund Kennedy National Park
4 km to the north of the town on the eastern side of the road is the entrance to a small area of virgin vegetation beside the coast through which Kennedy passed on his attempt to explore from Rockingham Bay to Cape York.
The park gives an accurate picture of some of the hardships that Kennedy had to contend with. The two walking tracks in the park pass through tropical rainforest, open forests and woodland and, by a system of boardwalks and bridges (if only poor Kennedy had enjoyed such luxuries), they pass over the mangrove swamps which proved so difficult for Kennedy and his party. This is an area for estuarine crocodiles so do not enter any of the creeks or go swimming.
The Scott Gravestone
There is a large headstone in front of the Anglican Church on the Bruce Highway. This grandiose monument seems out of proportion to the modesty of the adjoining building. It reads: 'In memory of Walter Jervoise Scott one of the pioneers of the stations known as the Valley of Lagoons.' It was sent out from England after his death in 1890 but the road to the Valley of Lagoons was too hazardous and difficult so the family and the teamsters decided that while Scott was buried at the Valley of Lagoons the headstone would remain on the coast.
Driving Tour
An interesting and easy introduction to the attractions of the mountainous hinterland behind Cardwell is the short 9-km journey through the forestry areas. Turn west at the Seafood Cafe on the Bruce Highway, cross over the railway line, collect a map from the box beside the road and then proceed to the lookout which offers excellent views of both Cardwell and Hinchinbrook Island. There are nine stopping points on the trip including a scientific area of paper bark, tea-trees and swamp mahogany and a number of freshwater swimming spots including the Spa Pool and Dead Horse Creek.
Waterfalls
There are also a number of waterfalls in the area, of which the most impressive are the Kennedy Falls and the Murray Falls - both to the north of the town. The Murray Falls with their smooth rocks are ideal for swimming.
Hinchinbrook Island
Hinchinbrook Island is well worth visiting. Promoted as the largest island National Park in Australia it is 35-km long, 16-24 km wide and it covers an area of 37 379 hectares. Hinchinbrook is basically for walkers and for people who enjoy the quietness of virgin rainforest and pristine beaches. The channel which lies between the island and the mainland is a flooded river valley and is notable for its extensive areas of mangroves. The Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service, located near the jetty at Cardwell, can give advice on their suggested two- and five-day walks on the island, tel: (07) 4066 8601. Campsites, toilets and boardwalks have been placed strategically along the trails to make the journeys easier. Boats can be hired for those people who want to sail over to the island for a day. There is a resort with serviced cabins located at Cape Richards on the north-eastern corner of the island.
Tourist information
Cardwell Tourist Association
91 Victoria St
Cardwell QLD 4849
Telephone: (07) 4066 8648
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