Girramay National Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Girramay National Park Queensland
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Girramay National Park Location in Queensland
Nearest town or city	Tully
Established	2007
Area	295 km2 (113.9 sq mi)
Managing authorities	Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service
Website	Girramay National Park
See also	Protected areas of Queensland

Girramay is a special national park located in Queensland, Australia. It's about 1269 km northwest of Brisbane. This park is part of the amazing Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. This means it's a very important natural place recognized around the world.

The park protects a part of the coastline. This area is found between the mouths of the Tully River and Meunga Creek, near Rockingham Bay. The ocean waters next to the park are part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Plants of Girramay National Park

The coastal areas of the park have different types of plants. You can find mangrove forests and freshwater swamps here. These are linked to waterways like the Murray River, Dallachy Creek, and Wreck Creek.

Other kinds of plants include low coastal rainforests and eucalyptus forests. There are also melaleuca woodlands and sedge swamps. A special plant called the Arenga palm grows here. This is one of the very few places on mainland Australia where you can see it. You will also commonly find the Red Beech, pandanus plants, and melaleuca trees in the park.

Animals of Girramay National Park

Girramay National Park is home to some rare and interesting animals. The endangered southern cassowary lives here. This is a large, flightless bird with a bright blue head. The mahogany glider, a small gliding possum, also calls this park home.

You might see Saltwater crocodiles in the creeks. The park is also very important for birds. It's part of the Coastal Wet Tropics Important Bird Area. This area is recognized by BirdLife International for helping protect lowland tropical rainforest birds.

Common birds you might spot include the black butcherbird and different types of honeyeaters. The orange-footed scrubfowl builds its nests in the park. Their nests are actually large mounds of dirt and leaves. These mounds can be up to three meters high! They are the biggest mounds built by any bird in Australia. You can also see Lace monitor lizards in Girramay National Park.

History of the Park

This land has a long history. It was once the home of the Girramay people. In 1848, an explorer named Edmund Kennedy landed about 35 km north of the park. He traveled south through the area that is now Girramay National Park. He was trying to find a way over the mountains behind the coast, but he wasn't successful.

The Edmund Kennedy National Park was first created in 1977. It grew bigger in 1980. This was thanks to land given by conservation activists Margaret and Arthur Thorsborne.

In 2009, the Edmund Kennedy National Park joined with the Murray Upper National Park. Together, they became what we now know as Girramay National Park.

In 2011, a big storm called Cyclone Yasi caused a lot of damage to the area.

Things to Do and Access

You cannot camp inside Girramay National Park. However, there are picnic areas with tables and toilets. These are great for a day visit.

There are also easy walking trails. One is a boardwalk that goes through the mangroves. Another trail follows along Wreck Creek.

You can reach the park by car. There's an entrance road about four km north of Cardwell. This road is off the main Bruce Highway.

See also

In Spanish: Parque nacional Edmund Kennedy para niños

• Protected areas of Queensland