Cape Hillsborough National Park: Mackay Region Queensland
Table of Contents
Thank you for checking out my post about Cape Hillsborough National Park in the Mackay region of Queensland. Here is what you will see as you read the article.
1. Introduction
2. About Cape Hillsborough National Park
3. Things To Do at Cape Hillsborough Beach
4. Other Beaches Near Cape Hillsborough Beach
5. Best Time To Visit Cape Hillsborough Beach
6. How To Get To Cape Hillsborough Beach
7. Cape Hillsborough Accommodation
8. Where To Eat at Cape Hillsborough National Park
9. FAQs
Once you’ve finished reading this article, I hope you’ll want to visit this fantastic coastal destination!
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Read Time: 7 Minutes
Introduction
What could be more Australian than hanging out with wallabies or kangaroos on the beach?
The quintessential Australian experience, seeing wallabies or kangaroos on the beach is a magical, goosebump inducing feeling.
For some people it’s a once-in-a-lifetime encounter.
If this is something you have always dreamed of doing, then make your way over to Cape Hillsborough Beach in Far North Queensland. For this is one of the best places in Australia to do it.
Cape Hillsborough Beach is also known as Cape Hillsborough Kangaroos Beach, which is ironic because you’re actually more likely to see wallabies there than Eastern Grey Kangaroos.
Both appear on the beach to fossick on the seaweed, mangrove seed pods and other things that wash ashore during the night – but you’ll have to get there early.
For this experience is best experienced at sunrise, when the spectacular hues of the morning colours combine brilliantly with the rugged scenery and native wildlife to create a moment in time you will never forget.
The major drawcard of Cape Hillsborough of course is the opportunity to see wallabies and kangaroos on the beach.
About Cape Hillsborough National Park
Situated some 837 km north of Brisbane and 709 km south of Cairns, Cape Hillsborough is located 40 km southeast of Mackay and 82 Km from Sarina on the Whitsunday Coast of Queensland.
Blessed with outstanding natural beauty, the Yuibera people lived in this area for thousands of years before Lieutenant James Cook discovered it in 1770.
He named it Cape Hillsborough in honour of Wills Hill, who as well as being the Earl of Hillsborough, was also a President of the Board of Trade and Plantations.
A peninsula of volcanic origin, the park can best be described as where dense rainforest meets the ocean. Characterised by craggy headlands and rock formations, it has a maximum elevation of 267 metres.
Large rhyolite boulders scattered over the headlands and beaches are a reminder of seismic volcanic activity from millions of years ago.
An area of verdant lowland rainforest, vines, eucalypt forest and mangroves are also prevalent in the park.
The attractive Cape Hillsborough Beach, where the wallabies and kangaroos feed, is surrounded by waters that are part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
Along the coast are stunning rocky coves, remote white sandy beaches and gorgeous scenery which are amongst the best of what you will see in Far North Queensland.
Things To Do at Cape Hillsborough National Park
Things To Do at Cape Hillsborough Beach
The major drawcard of Cape Hillsborough Beach of course is the opportunity to see wallabies and kangaroos on the beach. Whilst this is a fantastic experience which will intoxicate you for hours, once the animals disappear back into the rainforest you could be forgiven for thinking there wasn’t much else to do after seeing the wallabies at Cape Hillsborough.
But you would be wrong.
Cape Hillsborough National Park is a mecca for coastal hiking and there are several tracks you can take with varying degrees of difficulty.
These tracks take up to 2 hours and one will lead you to caves, while all of them will take you to a number of lookouts that showcase wonderful views of the area – including Wedge Island, Sand Bay and Belmunda Beach.
While Cape Hillsborough Beach is a great place to walk on and chill out with a good book or your tunes, it is not advisable to swim in the sea between October and May. When Box Jellyfish can be found in the coastal waters.
You can though explore the tidal rock pools at Cape Hillsborough or go kayaking just off the coast to Wedge Island. And at low tide you can even walk to the island along the sandbar. Just be sure to keep an eye on when the tide levels rise.
Aside from the wallabies and kangaroos, there are plenty of opportunities to see other Australian wildlife in the National Park, including Sugar Gliders and Turtles. The area is teeming with tiger blue butterflies too, as well as around 150 species of birds.
Fishing is also a popular activity here. Especially towards the northern headland, where you can fish for mangrove jack, salmon, and barramundi. You can also bait fish for whiting and flathead should you be so inclined. You should also make every effort to see the Sunrise at Cape Hillsborough as it is spectacular, while there are several Cape Hillsborough Nature Tours you can choose to go on.
Further afield, you can visit Eungella National Park and check out more of the Whitsunday Coast where you can see various forms of marine Life in Queensland.
Other Beaches Near Cape Hillsborough Beach
While it boasts one of the best national park beaches in Australia, nearby to Cape Hillsborough Beach are a number of towns including Seaforth, Halliday Bay and Ball Bay which are all beautiful beachside locations that are well worth visiting.
Additionally, the popular Smalleys Beach is also close by and has the added bonus of a campground right on the beach.
Don’t forget to bring your camera, as the photos you take of the marsupials, against the backdrop of a beautiful sunrise will be very Instagrammable.
Best Time To Visit Cape Hillsborough Beach
As this area of the Mackay Region is blessed with a sub-tropical climate you can visit Cape Hillsborough Beach all year round.
During the summer (from December to February) the temperatures and humidity might be too much for some people. Also as this is storm season, this is when it is most likely to rain.
For the most pleasant temperatures, a good time to visit the beach at Cape Hillsborough is between March and April or October and November.
Irrespective of when you visit, to see the wallabies, and maybe kangaroos, you will need to be there by around 5.30 – 6.30 am.
Don’t forget to bring your camera, as the photos you take of the marsupials, against the backdrop of a beautiful sunrise will be very Instagrammable.
Distance to other destinations in Queensland
How To Get To Cape Hillsborough Beach
Cape Hillsborough is very much a drive-to destination.
From Mackay, Queensland it will take you about 50 minutes to reach the national park by car or taxi. From Airlie Beach set aside 2 hours to get there.
If you are planning on coming from further afield, the drive will take over 12 hours from Brisbane, while from Cairns it would be closer to 9 hours.
To reach Mackay you can fly into the regional airport there, catch a Greyhound Bus or take the Spirit of Queensland long distance train.
The latter of which perfectly showcases the natural scenic beauty of Far North Queensland Beaches and the landscape in general.
Cape Hillsborough Accommodation
Onsite the Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park offers a range of tent and caravan sites.
The campsites at Cape Hillsborough are modern and well looked after and should provide you with a comfortable base for those who enjoy camping in Queensland.
In addition, within a 10km radius, there are a number of other Cape Hillsborough Accommodation providers including the Halliday Bay Resort and Golf Course that you should consider.
Plenty more choices of hotels, motels and other holiday letting providers can also be found in Seaforth and Mackay and other nearby parts of the Queensland coastline.
There is a café at Cape Hillsborough, which is open daily between 10am and 2pm and serves up a delicious lunch menu
Where To Eat at Cape Hillsborough National Park
Food providers in and around Cape Hillsborough Beach are quite limited. So for more varied options you might be better off bringing a picnic or heading off to nearby Seaforth or Mackay.
That said there is a café at Cape Hillsborough, which is open daily between 10am and 2pm and serves up a delicious lunch menu.
There are also BBQ facilities onsite too if you fancy frying up some sausages or steaks.
Close by in Ball Bay, the Old Station Tea House offers ‘simple food that is homemade and delicious’ in a setting full of character.
FAQs
How Far Is Cape Hillsborough Beach from Mackay?
Cape Hillsborough Beach is about a 52 km drive from Mackay. Allocate about 45 minutes to drive there.
Can you swim at the beach at Cape Hillsborough?
As it is protected by the Whitsunday Islands lower end you can swim at Cape Hillsborough Beach. The area around the foot of Cape Hillsborough, Orchid Rock and Wedge Island are good places to do this.
How far is Cape Hillsborough Beach from Mackay?
Cape Hillsborough Beach is about a 52 km drive from Mackay. Allocate about 45 minutes for driving there.
What is the closest airport to Cape Hillsborough Beach?
Mackay is the closest airport to Cape Hillsborough Beach. However, you would need to hire a car or taxi to take you from the airport to the Cape Hillsborough National Park.
What is so special about Cape Hillsborough National Park?
Every morning around sunrise, scores of kangaroos make their way to the beach at Cape Hillsborough National Park to feed off seaweed and mangrove seedpods that have washed up on shore. See them close up in the flesh is a wonderful experience. Elsewhere, the parks is a terrific spot for hiking, fishing, boasting, sunbathing and picnicking.
