Cape Hillsborough is one of those places. One of those places you get lost in the magic of nature. Life is all around, abundant and untouched.
I only visited Cape Hillsborough by chance – it was a ‘side trip’ during my stay at Airlie Beach. It was raining and miserable for a week at Airlie, so I thought a road trip somewhere close would be fun. Little did I know all the wonders that were awaiting me.
Read on to find out why camping at Cape Hillsborough is worth your time. Discover the best camping options, how to book them, plus some bonus tips on great hikes in the area and the amazing wildlife, history, and geology you will encounter.
Camping Options at Cape Hillsborough
Cape Hillsborough really only has two camping options – one is a National Park campground, the other is the Tourist Park. Keep reading to find out what each option offers.
1. Cape Hillsborough National Park (Smalleys Beach Campground)
Cape Hillsborough National Park has just one camping site, called Smalleys Beach.
True to its name, it’s located in a beautiful spot right by the beach. On your way to Cape Hillsborough (via Cape Hillsborough Road) take a left onto Smalleys Beach Road and follow it 1.5km to the campground. Smalleys Beach Road is a gravel road, but it is suitable for all vehicles, including 2WDs.
The small campground has just 11 sites and you must book online before arriving. The camp sites are right by the water’s edge under the shade of the forest, and you will find basic amenities including drop toilets and drinking water.
The campground is a great place to base yourself if you have a small boat. You can anchor in the bay, launch your boat, and even go fishing off the beach.
Smalleys Beach campground is suitable for tents, campervans and caravans, but generators are not permitted. You’ll have to take all your rubbish with you when you leave as bins are not provided in the National Park.
This compact and quaint campground is perfect for those who want to unwind at a slow pace and enjoy everything nature has to offer. You will be lucky to find a vacancy because it’s such a small campground, but if do get a spot you’ll never want to leave.
2. Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park
Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park offers the most variety of any camping area at Cape Hillsborough – and it’s the only camping option other than the National Park.
It’s an awesome caravan park with lots of amenities including a swimming pool with water slides, toilets and showers, laundry, camp kitchen, BBQs, a TV lounge, a diner that’s open daily for lunch from 10am until 2pm, and a shop with basic items that’s open 7 days a week.
The folks at the Nature Tourist Park host takeaway nights every Friday, allowing you to really relax while you’re there. You can place your order with reception during the day. There’s also a bar that’s open daily from 10am.
Campsites
There’s the option of both powered and unpowered campsites at Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park.
The campground is set across two levels: the top level is set back from the beach allowing easy access for larger caravans and trailers. These sites are large, grassy, some are partly shaded, and others are fully exposed.
The lower level is located as close to the beach as you could get without actually being in the water! It has very small sites that are perfect for compact camper trailers and tents.
When I stayed at the Nature Tourist Park, I opted for a lower-level site as I was just travelling with Beryl (my 4WD) and sleeping in the back. The unpowered site I was allocated was just big enough to fit me and Beryl, and we had a lovely shaded corner underneath the sprawling canopy of the forest. It was less than a 1-minute walk to the beach from my campsite, and my site was one of the furthest from the beach!
The kookaburras were intent on knowing what I was up to at all times, keeping a good eye on the food situation to make sure I didn’t drop any crumbs. If you are staying here, make sure you secure all your rubbish and don’t leave food lying around while you’re not there.
Other Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park Accommodation Options
Not only are there a variety of camping options at the Nature Tourist Park, there are also a range of other accommodation options available. You can head to their website to browse and make a booking for their range of cabins and huts – they even have a beach house you can book.
Walking & Hiking Trails
The best way to see the spectacular views and environment at Cape Hillsborough is to explore the walking trails. There are a huge array of hiking and walking trails for all skill and experience levels at Cape Hillsborough.
1. Andrews Point Track
By far my favourite hiking trail at Cape Hillsborough was Andrews Point Track. You can access it from the beach at the corner of the Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park. Andrews Point Track is a circuit loop that returns along the beach at low tide. It’s a 2.8 km loop that takes most people about 2 hours to complete.
The best direction to walk the track is anticlockwise, as it allows you make an easy ascent up the headland and descend on the steepest part towards the beach.
- Distance: 2.8 km
- Time: 2 hours
- Type: Loop (returning via beach at low tide)
- Alternative Option: Out-and-back, 4.3 km, allow 3 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate to easy
Andrews Point Track is considered a moderate to easy trail. It has gentle slopes and fairly even terrain. There is a section leading down to the beach that has some big steps which will require a moderate level of fitness.
If you are hiking Andrews Point Track at high tide, you probably won’t be able to complete the loop by walking back along the beach…because the beach won’t be there! In that case, once you make it to the beach, you’ll simply turn around and go back the way you came. This option is a total of 4.3 km and will take about 3 hours to complete.
There are multiple lookouts along the way to pause and take in the scenery. There’s one called Turtle Lookout when you can scan the waters for one of these beloved sea creatures, and perhaps keep a lookout for dolphins or whales too.
The best part about the Andrews Point Track is Wedge Island. When the tide is low, you can walk out across the sand bridge that joins the mainland to the island – and go exploring! I loved hunting for fossils and rocks on the island, as it is made up of ancient and rare volcanic rocks of all different shapes and sizes. There’s also lots of cool coral fossils to be found.
Just be sure that you make your way back across to the mainland before the tide starts to come back in – the last thing you want is to be stranded on the island all night!
2. Diversity Boardwalk
The Diversity Boardwalk is a beautiful, shaded boardwalk that’s perfect for those on a time limit or who are looking for an easier walk.
- Distance: 2.4 km
- Time: 35 minutes
- Type: Loop
- Difficulty: Easy
The flat boardwalk will guide you through woodlands and mangroves, past hanging vines and ancient middens (shell deposit sites where Aboriginal people collected, cooked, and ate shellfish).
There are lots of interpretive signs and information about the nature and human history of the area, where you can learn about the land and its importance to the Yuibera People.
Find where the trail starts and track your walk on AllTrails.
3. Yuibera Trail
The Yuibera Trail is another easy hike at Cape Hillsborough. It’s located at the southern end of the Cape Hillsborough Day Use Area, and starts at Hidden Valley. You can park at the Day Use Area carpark and walk along the 4WD track.
It’s also an option to drive down to the end of the 4WD track (only suitable for 4WDs of course), and from there you can complete the small loop. The more scenic and relaxing option would just be to park at the day use area and experience the forest at a slow pace. Find the trail and map your walk on AllTrails.
- Distance: 1.8 km
- Time: 40 minutes
- Type: Out and back with a small loop at the end
- Difficulty: Easy
Along the way you can learn about the Yuibera peoples’ connection to country via the information boards. You can read about bush foods, traditional medicines, and find a traditional fish trap along the way.
4. Cape Hillsborough to Smalley’s Beach
Looking for a more challenging hike? Find the trail that takes you from Cape Hillsborough to Smalley’s Beach for a bigger adventure. Be sure to check the tides before you go, you will only be able to get past Smalley’s Beach at low tide.
- Distance: 9.5 km
- Time: 4 – 5 hours
- Type: Loop
- Difficulty: Hard
The trail starts out at the Cape Hillsborough day-use carpark and will take you on a journey through the dense scrub and forest. It also traverses some steep terrain. The hike is suitable for intermediate to experienced hikers as the trail can be hard to follow at times.
Most people recommend to avoid the section that returns via the bitumen road (Cape Hillsborough Road). You can do this by either leaving a bicycle at Smalley’s Beach to cycle back along the bitumen, or leaving a car at both ends (Smalley’s Beach and Cape Hillsborough day-use carpark).
There are lots of overgrown, rocky, steep, and difficult-to-follow sections of this trail. Plan to do it with a group or a partner and try to avoid going solo. If you are hiking solo, I would recommend carrying a personal locator beacon in case of emergency – there will be no phone reception and no way to call for help if something goes wrong.
Read the reviews on AllTrails before you decide to tackle this difficult trail, and map your hike to see how long it takes you. Those who have conquered the Cape Hillsborough to Smalley’s Beach Trail say that it is beautiful.
5. Paradise Falls
Perhaps the most challenging of the lot, Paradise Falls is not a trail for beginners. In fact, if you see this hike on AllTrails or any maps, I would think twice before deciding to embark on the hike. Most reviews say that the trail is poorly marked and basically non-existent in many sections.
- Distance: 4.8 km
- Time: 3 – 4 hours
- Type: Out and back
- Difficulty: Very hard, expert only
The hike starts at the Cape Hillsborough day-use area carpark and heads north along the beach. This can only be done at low tide. Most people say that there’s simply not enough time to walk to the end of the trail and come back all in one low-tide cycle – which means you will end up getting stuck on the beach all day waiting for the next low tide.
Plenty of people ran out of food and water waiting for the low tide before they could get back. The other main point here is that Paradise Falls only flows after very heavy rains – so if it’s the waterfall you’re chasing, don’t bother going unless it’s rained a lot recently.
Unless you’re a hard-core hiker, I would consider picking one of Cape Hillsborough’s other, much less risky trails to venture out on.
Nature to Discover
The best surprise of all about Cape Hillsborough is the absolute array of life in such a small area. You can discover rare rock formations, thousands of plant species, and endless wildlife.
The Rare Geology of Cape Hillsborough
The Cape Hillsborough headland is a 270 metre high volcanic remnant that’s made of layers of solidified lava and ash that formed 33 million years ago. This volcanic area is part of a belt of some of Australia’s youngest volcanic activity – the Cosgrove Hotspot Track.
The layers of ash that spewed from the volcano buried and preserved plants and animals that were living at Cape Hillsborough some 30 million years ago. Look closely and you just might see the imprint of a 30-million-year-old leaf trapped in the rock.
Keep an eye out for elusive ‘Thunder Eggs’ scattered about the landscape while you’re taking a hike. Thunder Eggs are pockets of minerals that are enclosed by basalt (the lava). Deep below the earth, the lava trapped lots of gases and minerals. When the rock solidified close to the surface it formed beautiful geodes and crystals, which remain trapped within the black basalt rock.
This is an incredibly important and rare geological area. It’s part of the longest ‘continental hotspot track’ on earth – over 2000km long and preserving over 35 million years of volcanic activity. It’s older and longer than the Yellowstone hotspot in the USA.
As the Australian tectonic plate moves about 7cm north every year, it continues to migrate over the volcanic hot-spot. Today, the hotspot is somewhere off the west coast of Tasmania, forming underwater volcanoes.
Important Tip
It’s goes without saying that you should look but don’t take any rocks from Cape Hillsborough. Take photos, look closely, but leave all the rocks where you found them. The rocks are ancient and preserve a very unique part of the earth’s volcanic history.
Every Rock Tells a Story!
You won’t need to be looking hard to see a rock with an incredible backstory. If you want to know more about the history and geology of Cape Hillsborough, read this Australian Geographic article.
Plants & Animals at Cape Hillsborough
As for the living natural world, you won’t have to look far to be amazed either.
There’s a mix of rainforest, woodlands, and mangroves at Cape Hillsborough, and you can find and learn about bush foods and medicines like cheese fruit, pandanus, supple jack, native cherries, and cocky apple.
Be on the lookout for animals like the rose-crowned fruit dove, northern quoll, bats, ghost crabs, turtles, the Blue Tiger butterly, wallabies, and so much more. There are more than 130 species of bird found in the Cape Hillsborough National Park.
During the winter months, particularly July to August, you might be lucky enough to spot a whale from Turtle Lookout on Andrews Point Walk.
Snakes at Cape Hillsborough – Surprises Await
One thing that simply must be mentioned are snakes. Not just because they are incredible creatures and that it’s highly possible you might see a python or two during your trip, but because I just have to share this amazing story with you.
While I was out hiking Andrew’s Point Track I was lost in a world of wonder. I was looking up at the trees above me, feeling the humid forest air gently envelope my skin. I was in my own world and strolling along when I heard some rustling next to the trail. By the time I realised that the rustling wasn’t a person, I had already walked past the source of the noise.
I paused mid-step and turned in what felt like slow-motion backwards. What I saw next was impossible to believe. Right there, merely a metre away from me and right next to the walking trail, were two pythons intensely intertwined. It was absolutely incredible to witness their long bodies wrapped together like a candy cane, haphazardly moving through the forest floor while they did what animals do best.
I didn’t want to intrude, but I also couldn’t look away. They were acutely aware of my presence, but I kept my distance, and they were not put off by me.
The memory of that moment is seared in my mind forever. To witness such a primal act, so central to survival for almost every animal species on earth, was a complete wonder. I left Cape Hillsborough knowing I would never forget the place.
Can you swim at Cape Hillsborough?
Yes, you can swim at Cape Hillsborough. Swimming in winter is ideal because there are no stingers and the water is still reasonably warm. You can swim at Casuarina Bay, which is Cape Hillsborough’s main beach.
Beware if you’re visiting during summer, as October to April is stinger season. These floating creatures get a bad rap, but they will do some damage if you happen to cross paths with one in the water. There are no stinger nets at Cape Hillsborough, so if you’re swimming during stinger season it’s best to wear a stinger suit.
There are also some great little rock pools along the beach and near Wedge Island, perfect for a high-tide dip.
Bonus Hike & Swim – Cascade Creek (Beachcomber Cove)
Not satisfied with the hiking and swimming options available at Cape Hillsborough? You’re in luck, because there’s another secret trail that you can take to find a hidden swimming hole.
This swimming hole only emerges after rain, and usually only lasts about 24 hours. It’s fed from a freshwater creek and is the perfect place to bathe in fresh water in complete peace and quiet.
- Distance: 2.4 km
- Time: 45 minutes (longer if swimming)
- Type: Loop
- Difficulty: Moderate (trail can be difficult to navigate)
This trail starts at the north end of the Cape Hillsborough day-use area. Find the trail and navigate using AllTrails.
Is the road to Cape Hillsborough sealed?
The road to Cape Hillsborough beach and day-use area is fully sealed and suitable for 2WDs. There are gravel roads in the area, such as the 1.5km road to Smalleys Beach, but that is 2WD accessible.
Where are the kangaroos at Cape Hillsborough?
One of Cape Hillsborough’s most popular drawcards is the iconic wallabies on the beach. Yes, it’s more likely you’ll see a wallaby on the beach than a kangaroo – but the effect is the same!
You can find kangaroos or wallabies almost anywhere along the beach at Cape Hillsborough, and the best time to spot one is at dusk or dawn. Dusk and dawn are prime feeding times for these charismatic marsupials, and you’ll probably find them rummaging in the trees and shrubs just behind the sand.
If you do see kangaroos on the beach, be sure to give them a few metres of space and don’t overcrowd them. They are wild animals and do not need to be fed, touched, or approached by humans. Admire and photograph them from a sensible distance.
Are dogs allowed in Cape Hillsborough?
Dogs are not allowed at Cape Hillsborough because it is a National Park. Plan to leave your pets at home.
Is Cape Hillsborough worth visiting?
The million-dollar question is whether Cape Hillsborough is worth your time. I can 1000% say that yes, it truly is. It is a magical place full of life, history, geology, traditional culture, and is alive in every sense of the word.
I felt safe and at home at Cape Hillsborough, and felt a soothing sense of calm while I was there. If it’s on your ‘maybe’ list, be sure to switch it over to your ‘definitely’ list.
Do you want to visit Cape Hillsborough now?
If you’ve been to Cape Hillsborough before, leave a story of your own in the Comments – I’d love to hear what natural wonders you witnessed there.
If you’re planning a visit and have any questions, feel free to ask those too.