The wild Thorsborne Trail. Things you need to know to hike the Hinchinbrook Island National Park.

Are you ready to experience one of the wildest and most challenging walks of Tropical Queensland, Australia? I probably wasn’t until I did it, so here are for you all my tips and personal advice for you to organize and love this hiking.

The Thorsborne Trail on Hinchinbrook Island is ideal for travellers who love, as I do, outdoor adventure and also like to challenge their body, strength and mind.

Here is what you will find in this article, read everything and spot the little itinerary to plan at best this unforgettable hike.

Hiking the Thorsborne Trail

Rated as one of the top ten walks on the planet, the Hinchinbrook Island National Park offers a 32km long trail; which extends through the thick rainforests, the east coast’s white sandy beaches and the waterfalls, to immerse between the vast tropical lands and the deep green misty mountains.

Situated just over 200km south of Cairns and less than an hour from the nearest city of Townsville, Hinchinbrook Island is Australia’s largest Island National Park and is separated from the mainland by the Hinchinbrook Channel, detaching the coast of the nearby Cardwell.

Here you will find a quick and easy guide for your 4 days on the Thorsborne Trail, things I wish I did know before and tips to enjoy the most this wild and exciting hiking.

When to visit the Island

The best time to walk the Thorbone Trail on Hinchinbrook Island is from April to September. The climate will be warm but bearable in these months, as the wet season/summer is over and the Tropical Queensland winter offers cooler and dryer weather.

Not only for the “cooler” temperature but also making your 4-day plan in this period, will allow you to have enough water sources during your hiking, without the need to take with you litres and litres of water. Hinchinbrook Island is a very peculiar and unique island to hike and visit. There are only a few human traces and drinking tap water isn’t one of them, so you will have to rely on the water you will meet on the way.

Getting to Hinchinbrook Island

With just 40 people permitted to camp on the island at any one time, a camping permit is required for all the camping sites along the Thorsborne Trail; a reason why the earlier you book your camping permit, the luckiest you will be to reserve the spot for the days you wish. You can make your booking here.

Once you have your Thorsborne Trail permit you will be able to go further with the ferry reservation. Daily operating from only two different companies, the ferries depart from Lucinda with Absolute North Charter and from Cardwell with Hinchinbrook Island Cruises.

Both the ferry companies offer transfer to either end of the National Park Trail, south or the north end is completely up to you. Just keep in mind the best way to do it is from North to South, as water sources are more walking towards South of Hinchinbrook Island.

Thorsborne Trail difficult level

Four days through the Thorborne Trail is certainly enough for the actual 32km of hiking. The maximum length of staying is 5 days but it can be easily done in 3 to 4 days.

Based on my personal experience, I highly recommend spreading the walk in the full 3 nights and 4 days. The reason is mostly for the sake of the walk itself, for the chance to enjoy every little spot, the vibes and the simplicity of life in these “particular conditions”.

Protected since 1932, the trail is managed under the minimal impact bushwalking and no-trace camping ethic to help maintain the wild habitats and minimize the impact. The walk scenery changes creating a unique journey through Hinchinbrook Island National Park. Pristine beaches and bays, mountainous peaks, bright green and dense rainforest, mangrove and eucalyptus forest, waterfalls and creeks and enormous red rock to climb are only the frames of this unforgettable and breathtaking painting you are going to hike.

The grade difficulty of the Thorsborne Trail is difficult to challenge and I strongly agree with this. Perpahs I am not the number one hiker of our time, I do enjoy a lot of walks and hikes in general, as I did back in Switzerland, Thailand and Italy. This doesn’t make me a professional hiker either, so this trail was for me a good effort, still, I was capable to do it so and the reward was more than appreciated.

So don’t be afraid, the trail might cross different terrain, but it is not impossible to do it and all the people I met during my journey were from 16 years old to 65 and more. Take your time and don’t worry, you will not fail.

Pack smart and leave only footprints

One of the most important things about this hiking trip was for me – and other people I know who experienced the Thorsborne Trail – the “what, how and why” of packing your backpack for the 4 days in the smartest way. Pre-planning can be very helpful as the main need is to be self-sufficient, be able to rely on your own sources and obviously be sure to leave on your journey nothing but footprints.

As you might have understood, the Hinchinbrook Island National Park does offer wilderness and nature, which means the usual facilities you seek in long hiking won’t be available here. Toilets, for example, are only in the main camping area and this for sure is the biggest and only service to be found through the trail. But here is what you can do to carry the right weight on your backpack and have a smooth experience without the need to leave anything behind, so to keep the beauty of the island as intact as possible.

Consider this list a very helpful one for your packing:

• Make sure to have a good backpack, something around 40/50L of capacity and with plenty of outer pockets, to keep handy the most useful things. If the backpack comes with a water cover that’s a plus point, other just bring a cover bag to use in the chance of rain.
• Lightweight and compact tents, sleeping bags and mattresses are so important, you don’t want to carry a huge tent or sleeping bag as every single gram will add to your back during the entire hike.
• At least 3 litres hydration pack, or insulated bottles that you will fill up with water during the trail at the waterfalls and creeks. Better to take with you water purification tablets or simply boil the water before drinking it. To be honest, I haven’t, I was drinking the water from the source without treating it and I was fine.
• Sunglasses are really important. Most of the time, especially the first 2 days you will be walking on the open bays, so under the direct sun. Don’t forget to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes.
• Mosquito repellent is a must, honestly, the amount of flies and others living on the island is crazy and if you are a person most likely to be bitten they will definitely enjoy doing it. My mistake was to take a DIY product with me, to be as less impactful as possible, but I regret it. These insects were starving! Don’t be afraid to take a good repellent and also some mosquito coils to use when you are in the camping areas.
• Of course, you will need comfortable and reliable hiking shoes or boots to deal with the different surfaces you will walk. From climbing rocks over the shore to walking into some mud in the eucalyptus forest.
• Camp kitchen to provide your main meals of the hiking, I carried the light and complete 360° Furno stove & pot set. Also don’t forget your food, which can be simple as your needs or dehydrated as a good and tasty alternative. I personally opt for plain rice with carrots for the main meals, it’s definitely up to your taste and needs.
• A torch or headlamp for the light you will need after sunsets.
• Make sure you have more than enough snacks to rely on during the walk. Fresh fruits, protein bars, cholates and nuts are good ways to have your sugar dose and satisfaction.
• After or during your daily hiking you will be dying to jump into waterfalls, so don’t forget to pack your swimmers.
• Hand sanitiser is very important as “normal” toilets are far from where you’ll be, surely just back on the mainland.
• The biggest suggestion regarding your outfit is first to check the forecast and second to consider that the temperature is not dropping under 13° C at night. So heavy clothes are not necessary, probably I would think of a cosy jumper – just for the feeling of it – and a couple of changes of clothes.
• Toiletries- of course, you don’t want to forget a toothbrush, a good and eco-friendly toothpaste and toilet paper.

Seems like a pretty big list of important things to have, but it is just the very necessities you will need to carry over with you. The better you can manage this weight, the smoother your Hinchinbrook Island hiking will be. Just keep in mind there is no rubbish bin on the Thorsborne Trail, so all that is arriving with you will be also following on your way out. In this way, the following people that come to enjoy this experience after you will have the chance to love and make the most of all the beauty you have seen and lived for these days.

Be Crocwise in Crocountry and enjoy the birdwatching

What is it like to visit Tropical Queensland and not run the risk of seeing a crocodile? Hinchinbrook Island National Park is known to have a small number of visitors at the time, 40 to be exact, this allows the wildlife to be the main inhabitants of the Park.

Obviously, crocodiles are a big slice of this wildlife cake and, as you might know, they can be in the ocean and outside also. Make sure you consider reading these tips to avoid any danger.

Even though don’t be afraid to spot goannas, lots of bird species, colourful butterflies and all the beautiful flora and fauna predominating the surroundings. My favourite was the birds singing at dawn and the sunsets framed by the breathtaking landscapes and environments.

Quick 4 days itinerary on Thorsborne Trail

As promised here is the little itinerary to do the hike in the best way, from North of Hinchinbrook Island to the South. The journey will start early as the Absolute North ferry leaves Lucinda at 8 am and you will be able to start the walk around 9 to 9.30 am at Ramsay Bay; ending up on day 4 at Gorge Point at a different time, depending on the creek tides (make sure you check this in advance). Consider also making little changes depending on your feelings once you are there because, in the end, the real reason why you’re doing this is to really enjoy the route and the vibes you will have around.

• Day 1: From Ramsay to Little Ramsay Bay, 6.5 km, allow about 5 hours.

• Day 2: From Little Ramsay Bay to Zoe Bay, 10.5 km, allow about 6 hours.

• Day 3: From Zoe Bay to Mulligan Falls, 7.5 km, allow 4.5 hours hike.

• Day 4: From Mulligan Falls to Gorge Point, 7.5 km, allow about 2.5 hours.

This experience left me with lots of good memories and beautiful feelings even after 1 month. I will be advising this hiking to most of the people I will meet on my Tropical Queensland adventure and beyond.

I really hope you will make this one of the best experiences you had in your life. Let me know what your thoughts are and how your experience was; if you are interested in other tips for this itinerary just comment below and I will be happy to help.