About Oyala Thumotang

Park features

Oyala Thumotang National Park (CYPAL) is a living cultural landscape, rich in significance for the Aboriginal Traditional Owners—the Wik Mungkan, Southern Kaanju and Ayapathu peoples. Over many thousands of years, they have hunted and gathered the rich resources available to them for food and materials. Today the park also has important value as a wilderness area for visitors seeking quiet and intimate contact with nature.

The 381,000ha area, mostly covered in dry open eucalypt woodlands and melaleuca swamps, extends from the McIlwraith Range in the east to the Archer River in the west. The Archer and Coen rivers, which have their sources in the rainforest-clad McIlwraith Range, are major features of the park. The braided channels of the Coen River are fringed with deciduous vine thickets while rainforest lines the Archer River. These riverine areas are important wildlife corridors. Widespread flooding occurs in the wetter months but in the dryer months stream flow ceases, leaving large, permanent waterholes and lagoons.

• Read more about the nature, culture and history of Oyala Thumotang National Park (CYPAL).

Looking after the park

Help Traditional Owners and rangers to protect the park.

• The use of firearms and chainsaws is prohibited in national parks.
• When driving or trail-bike riding, stay on the formed roads—off-road trail-bike riding and four-wheel driving is not allowed.
• Unlicensed trail-bike riders and drivers are not allowed in national parks. Riders and drivers must be licensed and vehicles must be road registered.
• Motocross is not permitted in this park.
• Respect park neighbours and visitors—ensure the noise and dust from your riding and driving doesn’t upset others.
• When cycling, stay on formed roads.
• Limit the spread of weeds by ensuring clothes, shoes, gear, bikes and vehicles are clean and free of seeds before arriving at the park.
• Do not access roads and tracks that are closed for management purposes.
• Bury human waste at least 15cm deep and 100m from watercourses and camping areas.
• Do not interfere with, or feed, native animals.
• Do not remove plant material, living or dead.
• Do not collect souvenirs or interfere with cultural sites.
• Keep your camp site tidy and take your rubbish with you when you leave.

See the guidelines on caring for parks for more information about protecting our environment and heritage in parks.

Park management

Oyala Thumotang National Park (CYPAL) is jointly managed by the Oyala Thumotang Land Trust and the Queensland Government in accordance with an Indigenous Management Agreement and other land management arrangements. Read more about the joint management of Cape York Peninsula national parks.

Created in 2012, Oyala Thumotang National Park (CYPAL) was formerly known as Mungkan Kandju (Kaanju) National Park.

Tourism information links

Nature's Powerhouse Visitor Information Centre
www.cooktownandcapeyork.com
Cooktown Botanic Gardens, Cooktown QLD 4895
ph (07) 4069 6004
email info@naturespowerhouse.com.au

For tourism information for all regions in Queensland see Queensland Holidays.