Explore the track

Wildlife & Country

By wpc_mustard_dev | September 18, 2025
Wildlife & Country

Nature’s Stories Along The Great Dreaming Track

Experience the sounds, sights and rhythms of country. From rare birds and mammals to reptiles and marine life, the track's landscapes are alive with movement, colour and connection.

Daintree National Park

Ancient lowland rainforest home to Bennett's Tree Kangaroo, Striped Possum, Southern Cassowary, kingfishers and pythons, and crocodiles at the river crossing.

Black Mountain (Kalkajaka) National Park

Striking granite boulder formations home to Godman’s Rock Wallaby.

Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park

Wetlands and savannah with Emu, Brolga, Black-necked Stork (Jabiru) and monitors.

Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park

Tropical rainforest with Palm Cockatoo, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Magnificent Riflebird, Eclectus Parrot, Southern Common Cuscus, Common Spotted Cuscus and Green Python.

Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park

Remote bush, coastline and waterways with Saltwater Crocodile, Common Spotted Cuscus, Palm Cockatoo and coastal birdlife.

202508_GDT Website Map_Exp Pgs_5. Exp Pg - WILDLIFE
Daintree National Park
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Black Mountain (Kalkajaka) National Park
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Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park
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Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park
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Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
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Encounters with Nature

Some of the most iconic 4WD tracks in Australia, including the Telegraph and Frenchman’s Track, reveal shifting landscapes and wildlife habitats alive with the calls, colours and movements of country. (Wildlife images provided by GWest_Captured)

Southern Cassowary
Birds Birds
Location
Daintree National Park, Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Southern Cassowary
Image by: Glenn Weston

Large, dinosaur like flightless bird vital for rainforest regeneration. Recognisable by its vivid blue neck, helmet-like casque and powerful legs.

Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher
Birds Birds
Location
Daintree National Park, Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher
Image by: Glenn Weston

Migratory kingfisher with vivid colours and long tail streamers, returning to Cape York each wet season to breed.

Yellow-billed Kingfisher
Birds Birds
Location
Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Yellow-billed Kingfisher
Image by: Glenn Weston

Small, brightly coloured kingfisher nesting in termite mounds. Its call is a distinctive descending whistle.

Palm Cockatoo
Birds Birds
Location
Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Palm Cockatoo

Large black cockatoo with a striking crest and red cheek patch. Known for drumming on trees with sticks to mark territory.

Eclectus Parrot
Birds Birds
Location
Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park
Eclectus Parrot

Vibrant green and red parrot found in rainforest canopies, known for its striking colour differences between males and females and its loud, resonant calls.

Magnificent Riflebird
Birds Birds
Location
Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park
Magnificent Riflebird

Striking bird-of-paradise with iridescent plumage and elaborate mating displays. Males perform intricate dances to attract females among rainforest branches.

Brolga
Birds Birds
Location
Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Brolga

Graceful crane performing elaborate mating dances in wetlands and grasslands. Feeds on tubers, insects and small vertebrates.

Black-necked Stork (Jabiru)
Birds Birds
Location
Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Black-necked Stork (Jabiru)

Tall wading bird with a distinctive black neck and long red legs. Hunts fish, frogs and aquatic invertebrates in shallow wetlands.

Red Goshawk
Birds Birds
Location
Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Red Goshawk

Powerful raptor with broad wings and a reddish plumage, found in open forests and woodlands where it hunts birds in swift aerial pursuits.

Godman’s Rock Wallaby
Mammals Mammals
Location
Black Mountain (Kalkajaka) National Park
Godman’s Rock Wallaby
Image by: test 2

Small Wallaby found among the granite boulders of Black Mountain. Well-camouflaged with mottled grey-brown fur, it navigates steep rocky terrain with ease and is rarely seen elsewhere.

Bennett’s Tree Kangaroo
Mammals Mammals
Location
Daintree National Park
Bennett’s Tree Kangaroo

Elusive rainforest-dwelling marsupial with strong limbs for climbing. Feeds on leaves, flowers and fruit high in the canopy.

Musky Rat Kangaroo
Mammals Mammals
Location
Daintree National Park
Musky Rat Kangaroo

Small, ground-dwelling marsupial of the rainforest floor, active during the day and feeding on fallen fruit, seeds and insects among dense leaf litter.

Striped Possum
Mammals Mammals
Location
Daintree National Park, Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Striped Possum

Small nocturnal possum with striking black-and-white markings, known for its insect-hunting skills and loud calls at night.

Southern Common Cuscus
Mammals Mammals
Location
Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park
Southern Common Cuscus

Nocturnal marsupial with woolly fur, often spotted in rainforest canopies feeding on leaves and fruit. Known for its slow, deliberate movements and strong grip on branches.

Common Spotted Cuscus
Mammals Mammals
Location
Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Common Spotted Cuscus

Distinctive possum with mottled fur, found in rainforest and woodland edges. Feeds on fruit, leaves and flowers, playing an important role in seed dispersal.

Saltwater Crocodile
Reptiles Reptiles
Location
Daintree National Park, Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park, Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Saltwater Crocodile

Apex predator inhabiting rivers, estuaries and coastal waters throughout The Great Dreaming Track. Powerful and stealthy, capable of taking large prey.

Yellow-spotted Monitor
Reptiles Reptiles
Location
Daintree National Park, Black Mountain (Kalkajaka) National Park, Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park, Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Yellow-spotted Monitor

Agile reptile with yellow markings, hunting insects, small reptiles and birds across savannah and woodland.

Green Python
Reptiles Reptiles
Location
Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park
Green Python

Bright green arboreal snake that coils on branches, blending seamlessly into foliage. Predatory on small mammals, reptiles and birds.

Southern Cassowary
Birds Birds
Location
Daintree National Park, Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Southern Cassowary
Image by: Glenn Weston

Large, dinosaur like flightless bird vital for rainforest regeneration. Recognisable by its vivid blue neck, helmet-like casque and powerful legs.

Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher
Birds Birds
Location
Daintree National Park, Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher
Image by: Glenn Weston

Migratory kingfisher with vivid colours and long tail streamers, returning to Cape York each wet season to breed.

Yellow-billed Kingfisher
Birds Birds
Location
Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Yellow-billed Kingfisher
Image by: Glenn Weston

Small, brightly coloured kingfisher nesting in termite mounds. Its call is a distinctive descending whistle.

Palm Cockatoo
Birds Birds
Location
Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Palm Cockatoo

Large black cockatoo with a striking crest and red cheek patch. Known for drumming on trees with sticks to mark territory.

Eclectus Parrot
Birds Birds
Location
Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park
Eclectus Parrot

Vibrant green and red parrot found in rainforest canopies, known for its striking colour differences between males and females and its loud, resonant calls.

Magnificent Riflebird
Birds Birds
Location
Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park
Magnificent Riflebird

Striking bird-of-paradise with iridescent plumage and elaborate mating displays. Males perform intricate dances to attract females among rainforest branches.

Brolga
Birds Birds
Location
Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Brolga

Graceful crane performing elaborate mating dances in wetlands and grasslands. Feeds on tubers, insects and small vertebrates.

Black-necked Stork (Jabiru)
Birds Birds
Location
Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Black-necked Stork (Jabiru)

Tall wading bird with a distinctive black neck and long red legs. Hunts fish, frogs and aquatic invertebrates in shallow wetlands.

Red Goshawk
Birds Birds
Location
Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Red Goshawk

Powerful raptor with broad wings and a reddish plumage, found in open forests and woodlands where it hunts birds in swift aerial pursuits.

Godman’s Rock Wallaby
Mammals Mammals
Location
Black Mountain (Kalkajaka) National Park
Godman’s Rock Wallaby
Image by: test 2

Small Wallaby found among the granite boulders of Black Mountain. Well-camouflaged with mottled grey-brown fur, it navigates steep rocky terrain with ease and is rarely seen elsewhere.

Bennett’s Tree Kangaroo
Mammals Mammals
Location
Daintree National Park
Bennett’s Tree Kangaroo

Elusive rainforest-dwelling marsupial with strong limbs for climbing. Feeds on leaves, flowers and fruit high in the canopy.

Musky Rat Kangaroo
Mammals Mammals
Location
Daintree National Park
Musky Rat Kangaroo

Small, ground-dwelling marsupial of the rainforest floor, active during the day and feeding on fallen fruit, seeds and insects among dense leaf litter.

Striped Possum
Mammals Mammals
Location
Daintree National Park, Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Striped Possum

Small nocturnal possum with striking black-and-white markings, known for its insect-hunting skills and loud calls at night.

Southern Common Cuscus
Mammals Mammals
Location
Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park
Southern Common Cuscus

Nocturnal marsupial with woolly fur, often spotted in rainforest canopies feeding on leaves and fruit. Known for its slow, deliberate movements and strong grip on branches.

Common Spotted Cuscus
Mammals Mammals
Location
Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Common Spotted Cuscus

Distinctive possum with mottled fur, found in rainforest and woodland edges. Feeds on fruit, leaves and flowers, playing an important role in seed dispersal.

Saltwater Crocodile
Reptiles Reptiles
Location
Daintree National Park, Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park, Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Saltwater Crocodile

Apex predator inhabiting rivers, estuaries and coastal waters throughout The Great Dreaming Track. Powerful and stealthy, capable of taking large prey.

Yellow-spotted Monitor
Reptiles Reptiles
Location
Daintree National Park, Black Mountain (Kalkajaka) National Park, Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park, Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park, Apudthama (Jardine River) National Park
Yellow-spotted Monitor

Agile reptile with yellow markings, hunting insects, small reptiles and birds across savannah and woodland.

Green Python
Reptiles Reptiles
Location
Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park
Green Python

Bright green arboreal snake that coils on branches, blending seamlessly into foliage. Predatory on small mammals, reptiles and birds.

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