The Little Mulgrave River

Your Rainforest Tubing experience takes place on the Little Mulgrave River, a gentle and scenic branch of the larger Mulgrave River system. This area lies on the edge of the Wet Tropics and flows through lush rainforest valleys fed by Queensland’s highest mountains — Bartle Frere and Bellenden Ker. The Little Mulgrave is known for being shallow, cool, and picturesque, offering safe, calm conditions ideal for tubing.

Walshs Pyramid - A Landmark Rising from the Rainforest

As the bus heads south, you’ll see Walshs Pyramid towering above the landscape. This striking mountain stands 922 metres high and is the world’s largest freestanding natural pyramid. Located within the Wooroonooran National Park, it forms part of the Wet Tropics region.

Its near‑perfect pyramid shape was sculpted over millions of years as softer rock eroded away, leaving behind a dramatic granite peak. Each August, ultra‑fit competitors race from the township of Gordonvale to the summit and back — a tradition that has become a beloved local spectacle.

Even from the bus, its presence feels impressive — a sharp, green peak rising from a patchwork of rainforest, cane fields, and mountain foothills.

Sugar Cane – A Defining Crop of Far North Queensland

As you pass through Gordonvale and the surrounding region, you’ll notice fields of sugar cane stretching toward the mountains. Sugar cane has shaped life in Far North Queensland for over a century and is one of the region’s largest agricultural industries.

Queensland produces around 96% of Australia’s sugar cane, with much of the crop harvested in this very region. The cane flowers in May–June, followed by harvest season from July–November. A significant portion of Australia’s raw sugar — more than 80% — is exported, making cane farming an important economic driver for local communities.  

Cane Toads – An Unexpected Chapter in Queensland History

As you travel through the cane‑growing region, you may come across information about cane toads — one of Australia’s most well‑known invasive species.

Cane toads were introduced to Queensland in 1935 in an attempt to control beetles that were damaging sugar cane crops. Scientists hoped the toads would eat the beetles, but the plan did not work. The beetles lived high on the cane plants, while the toads stayed on the ground, so the two rarely interacted. As a result, the beetles continued to thrive, and the cane toads spread rapidly across northern Australia, causing harm to native wildlife and local ecosystems.

Today, cane toads are a common sight in many parts of northern Queensland, and their story is often shared as a reminder of the importance of maintaining ecological balance.