Things to do

Visitors of all ages enjoy The Palms' short circuit track.

Photo credit: Karen Smith © Queensland Government

The small picnic area is regularly visited by brush turkeys.

Photo credit: Karen Smith © Queensland Government

Have a bush picnic with the local wildlife or take a short walk through the rainforest.

Camping and accommodation

Camping

Camping is not permitted in The Palms National Park.

Other accommodation

Limited accommodation is available in Cooyar and Yarraman with a greater range of options at larger towns in the region. See the tourism information links below or consult the local telephone directory or the internet.

Walking

The Palms Circuit

Grade 3

Distance: 650m return

Time: allow 15 minutes

This short track encircles the palm forest—palms one side, dry vine forest on the other. Admire piccabeen palms, a large strangler fig, bunya and hoop pines, and buttressed trees along the track and boardwalks through the rainforest.

Look for grey-headed flying-foxes roosting in the palm trees above the creek in summer, or on the ground for noisy pittas and black-breasted button-quails during winter and spring.

Picnic and day-use areas

There is a small day-use area with picnic tables.

There are no toilet facilities at The Palms National Park. The closet public facilities are located at Cooyar and Maidenwell.

Viewing wildlife

The Palms National Park might be small, but that makes it even better for seeing the rainforest plants and animals for which it is a refuge.

The spring-fed creek running through the park is always damp and becomes quite wet after good rain. Listen for the calls of frogs in warmer months and watch the birds and other animals that come to the creek to drink.

Summer is also the best time to see the flying-foxes which rest by day in the park and fly by night to feed on forest fruits in the surrounding hills and valleys.

More than 90 species of birds have been recorded at the park. Watch for rose-crowned fruit doves or green catbirds feeding on fruits of piccabeen palms and figs. Listen for the distinctive calls of wonga pigeons or brown cuckoo-doves echoing through forest. See eastern yellow robins and white-browed scrub wrens flitting through the shaded understory and brown or buff-rumped thornbills feed busily in sunny patches at the forest edge. Barking owls have also been seen here.

Red necked pademelons and swamp wallabies can sometimes be seen thumping noisily through the gully.