Nature, culture and history

Culture and history

Indigenous culture

The Warrgamaygan people walked this land and cared for this country, long before the concept of sustainability was developed. They moved with the changing seasons, enjoying a lifestyle based on hunting, gathering and fishing.

For the Warrgamaygan people, this country was not only the home from which they harvested their food and other resources, but it also sustained their spirituality. This connection continues today.

European history

For 9km the Wet Tropics Great Walk follows part of the Dalrymple Track, forged in 1864 by local landowner George Dalrymple and his team. The track provided an essential route for bullock teams hauling basic supplies from the Port of Cardwell to the frontier homesteads.

Even after the track’s importance as a supply route waned, it continued to be used for droving and delivering mail for over 80 years. Eventually easier routes were found and roads were built.

The coastal areas of the Wet Tropics have a long history of timber harvesting. Since the mid to late 1870s, the timber industry has been an important part of the history and economy of the Ingham region. Part of the walk follows an old forestry track. The remains of an old quarry and forestry camp can still be seen.

With the declaration of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area in 1987, logging was no longer allowed in the rainforests of this region.