Edmund Kennedy National Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Edmund Kennedy National Park Queensland
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Edmund Kennedy National Park Location in Queensland
Nearest town or city	Tully
Established	1977
Area	69.5 km2 (26.8 sq mi)
Managing authorities	Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service
Website	Edmund Kennedy National Park
See also	Protected areas of Queensland

Edmund Kennedy National Park is a special natural area in Queensland, Australia. It is about 1269 kilometers (788 miles) northwest of Brisbane. This park is part of the amazing Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. This means it is a very important place for nature around the world.

The park is named after Edmund Kennedy, an explorer from the 1800s. It protects a beautiful part of the coastline. This area is found between the Tully River and Meunga Creek. The waters next to the park are part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Plants and Trees

This national park has many different types of plants. Near the coast, you can find mangrove forests. These trees grow in salty water. There are also freshwater swamps. These wet areas are found near the Murray River, Dallachy Creek, and Wreck Creek.

Other parts of the park have low rainforests. You can also see eucalyptus forests and melaleuca woodlands. Some areas are sedge swamps, which are wet grasslands. A special plant here is the Arenga palm. It is rare to find this palm on mainland Australia. You will also see Red Beech trees, pandanus plants, and many melaleuca trees.

Animals of the Park

Edmund Kennedy National Park is home to many interesting animals. Some animals here are endangered, meaning they are at risk of disappearing forever. These include the southern cassowary, a large, colorful bird, and the mahogany glider, a small gliding possum.

You might also spot saltwater crocodiles in the creeks. The park is very important for birds. It is part of the Coastal Wet Tropics Important Bird Area. This area helps protect many lowland tropical rainforest birds. Common birds you might see are the black butcherbird and different kinds of honeyeaters.

The orange-footed scrubfowl also lives here. These birds build huge nests on the ground. Their nests can be up to three meters (10 feet) tall! These are the biggest nests built by any mound-building bird in Australia. You can also see Lace monitor lizards in the park.

Park History

The land where Edmund Kennedy National Park is located was once home to the Girramay people. They lived here for a very long time. In 1848, the explorer Edmund Kennedy landed near the park. He traveled through this area trying to find a way over the mountains. He was not successful.

The park grew bigger in 1980. This happened because Margaret and Arthur Thorsborne, who loved nature, gave some land to the park. In 2011, a very strong storm called Cyclone Yasi caused a lot of damage to the area.

Things to Do

You cannot camp inside Edmund Kennedy National Park. But there are nice places for picnics. You can find tables and toilets there.

There are also easy walking paths. One path is a boardwalk that goes through the mangroves. Another path follows Wreck Creek. These are great ways to explore the park's nature.

How to Get There

You can reach Edmund Kennedy National Park by car. There is an entrance road about four kilometers (2.5 miles) north of Cardwell. This road is off the Bruce Highway.

See also

In Spanish: Parque nacional Edmund Kennedy para niños