Forty Mile Scrub

Forty Mile Scrub National Park is located on the Atherton Tablelands in Far North Queensland, near Mount Garnet, protecting a spectacular example of dry rainforest or vine thicket that represents a vegetation type now very rare in the region. The park's name references the extensive area of vine scrub that once covered this part of the tablelands before European settlement. The dry rainforest at Forty Mile Scrub is one of Australia's finest examples of this vegetation type, with diverse deciduous and semi-deciduous trees forming a closed canopy over a diverse understorey. The park's accessible location on the tablelands makes it a popular stopping point for visitors travelling through the interior of Far North Queensland.

Forty Mile Scrub National Park supports diverse wildlife adapted to the dry rainforest environment. The closed-canopy forest provides habitat for diverse bird species including various pigeons, parrots, honeyeaters, and woodland birds. The scrub is important habitat for the spectacled flying fox, which roosts in fruiting trees and pollinates flowering plants. Diverse reptiles including pythons and lizard species are found in the warm, sheltered scrub environment. The dry rainforest supports high invertebrate diversity, contributing to the food web that sustains the diverse fauna community.

The dry rainforest of Forty Mile Scrub National Park is characterised by deciduous and semi-deciduous trees that shed their leaves during the dry season, then flush with new growth when rain arrives. The canopy includes diverse species of figs, Terminalia, and other tropical trees. The understorey is rich with diverse shrubs, herbs, and vines. The distinctive character of the dry rainforest, with its dense vine tangles and tropical tree species, is quite different from the wetter rainforests of the Wet Tropics coast. The park is one of the best examples of this threatened vegetation type in the region.

Forty Mile Scrub National Park is situated on the western margin of the Atherton Tablelands, where the volcanic basalt of the tablelands transitions to older geological formations. The fertile volcanic soils support the diverse dry rainforest vegetation. The location on the western, rain-shadow side of the tablelands means the vegetation is adapted to lower, more irregular rainfall than the wet forests of the eastern slopes. The geological diversity of the tablelands margins contributes to the variety of vegetation communities in the broader region.

The Forty Mile Scrub area experiences a dry tropical climate with a pronounced dry season that triggers the deciduous character of the vegetation. Annual rainfall is around 800mm, concentrated in the wet season from November to April. The dry season from May to October progressively dries the landscape, and the deciduous trees shed their leaves during this period. Temperatures are warm to hot throughout the year. The dry season is the most comfortable and accessible time for visiting.

The western Atherton Tablelands were home to Aboriginal peoples including the Jirrbal and Ewamian, whose territories extended across the diverse vegetation zones of the region. The dry scrub was an important environment in their cultural landscape. European settlement of the tablelands began from the 1880s following the Kuranda railway, and the vine scrub was cleared for pastoral activities and agricultural land. The park preserves a small but significant remnant of the extensive vine scrub that once covered this part of the tablelands.

Forty Mile Scrub National Park was established to protect one of the finest remaining examples of dry rainforest on the Atherton Tablelands, recognising the rarity and ecological value of this vegetation type. The park's accessible roadside location and well-maintained walking tracks make it an excellent stopping point for visitors travelling through the interior of the tablelands. Management focuses on protecting the scrub from invasive weeds and maintaining the ecological integrity of this rare vegetation community.

A self-guided walking trail through the dry rainforest provides an excellent introduction to this unusual vegetation type, with interpretive signs explaining the unique adaptations of the deciduous trees and the ecology of the dry rainforest. The trail passes through dense vine thicket with tall tropical trees, creating an atmospheric forest walk. Birdwatching is rewarding, particularly during the fruiting season when diverse birds congregate in the canopy. The contrast between the dry rainforest and the surrounding pastoral landscape is striking and thought-provoking.

Forty Mile Scrub National Park has a picnic area, toilets, and a self-guided walking trail accessible from the Kennedy Highway between Atherton and Mt Garnet. The park is easily accessible in a conventional vehicle. The nearest services are at Atherton and Herberton. The park is suitable for a brief stop during travel through the Atherton Tablelands and can be visited as a day trip from Cairns or as part of a tablelands touring itinerary. The park is open year-round.

Conservation management at Forty Mile Scrub National Park focuses on protecting the dry rainforest from invasive weeds that can displace native vegetation in the understorey. Lantana is a significant threat in the Atherton region. Maintaining the natural processes of the deciduous rainforest, including the seasonal leaf fall and flush cycle that characterises this vegetation type, is important. The park's small size means that every invasive species removal contributes significantly to the ecological integrity of this rare vegetation community.