Cooktown to McIvor River

Joint excursion with Tablelands and Innisfail Branch 

Author & Photos: Stuart Worboys

Published: Journal September 2021

Image above: Xanthostemon arenarius

In early June, SGAP members from Innisfail, Tablelands and Cairns combined to visit one of north Queensland's most colourful localities. Peter Radke, of Tablelands Branch, had organised a four-day tour from Cooktown, across to Elim Beach, then to the McIvor River and finally across to Lakefield National Park via the Battle Camp Road.

Using the beautifully situated Elim Beach campground as a base, we were able to venture into the Cape Bedford sand dunes, a vast area of rolling silica sand covered
with heath and patches of low dry rainforest. We arrived at the start of the peak flowering, and were able to see many of the local beauties in full flower. Like heathlands to the south, the dunefields are rich in Fabaceae and Myrtaceae (although Proteaceae are not so diverse), with several locally endemic species such as Labichea buettneriana and Xanthostemon arenarius. In a small swampy patch we found four Drosera and two Utricularia species, growing alongside the blue-flowered Burmannia juncea, a species not seen in the Cooktown region before.

Sadly, we learned this area is being investigated for its potential as a source of pure silica sand. The Mitsubishi-owned mine at the nearby Cape Flattery dunefields is already exporting in excess of two million tonnes of silica each year, and it seems the Cape Bedford dunes, with their rare endemic species, sensitive groundwater systems and fragile sand-based ecosystems, are destined for the same fate.

The ruined bridge at McIvor River crossing

The following day, we followed a well-formed road to the McIvor River. The road was bordered to the west by sandstone ridges, and lovely thickets of Livistona muelleri dominated the understorey in places. We came to a high ridge offering views of the country to the north. The ridge vegetation proved to support an unusual dry rainforest community, with tall Araucaria cunninghamii overshadowing Xanthostemon arenarius, Styphelia, Acacia and Niemeyera antiloga. The community was rich in weird and wonderful epiphytes, with three colour varieties of Dendrobium rigidum, the ant-symbiont Dischidia major (a close relative of Hoya), and an enormous, out of place Platycerium hillii.

After a lengthy drive through tropical woodlands we stopped just short of the McIvor River ford. Before venturing down to the river, the convoy stopped to enjoy lunch. Not far from our stop, we discovered an enormous candystriped flower that we suspect was Hibiscus sankowskyorum. After lunch, we ventured down to the ford, where the river was shallow enough to be crocodile free. The splendid tall gallery forest lining the river was dominated by a single multi-stemmed Ficus virens, with an assortment of canopy trees typical of these forests - Castanospermum australe, Syzygium tierneyanum, Terminalia microcarpa, Alstonia scholaris and Nauclea orientalis, with Alexandra palms scattered along the river banks. After exploring the river banks for a while, we returned to our Elim Beach campsite for a beautiful sunset followed by food, wine, fire and good company.

Dendrobium rigidum and red labellum. Nine flowers in a raceme was considered unusual

The next day was the final day for my driver and I – some of us still have to work for a living! We drove with the crew as far as Isabella Falls, where Isabella Creek tumbles over a broad sandstone ledge on its way to join the Endeavour River. Hidden amongst the undergrowth lining the creek is the southernmost occurrence of the unobtrusive shrub, Polyscias zippeliana.

A botanical curiosity, Dischidia major grows roots into its hollow leaves, often occupied by ants