Bartle Frere Trail is a 15km, grade 5 one way hike, located in Atherton Tablelands, Queensland. The hike should take approximately 2 days to complete.

Hike Summary

Climbing the summit of Queensland’s highest mountain offers a challenging way to explore part of the World Heritage-listed rainforest of the Bellenden Ker Range in Wooroonooran National Park. From Josephine Falls, walkers can walk to the summit and return or continue on to Junction Camp at the Atherton Tableland (both walks are 15 kilometres and take two days). The trail starts at an altitude of 100 metres and rises to 1,622 metres at the summit; an average gradient of one in five.

About the region

The Atherton Tableland is a fertile plateau which is part of the Great Dividing Range in Queensland, Australia. It is located west to south-south-west inland from Cairns. Although it is in the tropical latitudes, its elevated position provides a climate suitable for dairy farming. It has an area of around 32,000 km2 with an altitude ranging between 500 and 1,280 m (1,640 and 4,200 ft). The fertility of the soils in the region can be attributed to the volcanic origins of the land.

The principal river flowing across the plateau is the Barron River. It was dammed to form an irrigation reservoir named Lake Tinaroo. Tinaroo Hydro, a small 1.6MW Hydroelectric power station is located near the spillway.

For more information on this hiking trail, please visit Queensland.com