About Mount Whitfield Conservation Park
Mount Whitfield Conservation Park is a 329-hectare protected area on the slopes of Mount Whitfield immediately north-west of Cairns city centre in Whitfield, Queensland. Managed by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, it conserves tropical rainforest, eucalypt woodland and grassland at the edge of the urban area. The park is notable for its network of walking tracks, including the Red Arrow and Blue Arrow circuits, and for views over Cairns and the Coral Sea.
Visitors guide
Visitors can expect a compact rainforest-covered mountain reserve with well-marked natural walking tracks starting from Collins Avenue near the Cairns Botanic Gardens. The terrain includes steep slopes, rocky sections, stairs and forested ridges with lookouts over Cairns city, Trinity Bay and surrounding lowlands. There are no built visitor centres inside the park; the experience is focused on bushwalking, nature observation and photography in a natural bushland setting adjacent to the city.
Key highlights
- 01
Red Arrow Circuit - 1.3 km loop through rainforest with city views
- 02
Blue Arrow Circuit - 6.6 km return hike to Mount Whitfield summit lookouts
- 03
Diverse vegetation from lowland rainforest to open eucalypt woodland
- 04
Panoramic views over Cairns, Trinity Inlet and the Coral Sea