Could the Brisbane Olympics raise the bar higher for the Wangetti Trail?

FNQ Tourism

Shaun Hollis

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The 7.8km completed section of the Wangetti Trail is currently closed for repairs. Picture: Bryan Littlely

The Wangetti Trail project is set to receive a boost through the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, the State Government says.

The Government has put out a statement outlining how the Olympics is not just for Brisbane, and regional centres will also benefit through activities such as increased tourism.

“Leveraging the 20-year tourism plan for initiatives like The Wangetti Trail” is a priority, the statement reads.

“These games will not just be for Brisbane and the plan recognises the value in Queensland’s regional centres,” it states.

Premier David Crisafulli said 2032 would be the “Queensland Games”.

“These games are a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver an infrastructure, tourism and grassroots sports legacy to benefit all of Queensland,” Premier Crisafulli said.

“Delivering 2032 and beyond sets the plan to build much more than what’s needed for a few weeks of competition.”

In the meantime, the current 7.8km section of the 94km Wangetti Trail project that has already been built will remain closed until at least Monday, April 14, according to the Government’s Queensland National Parks department.

Advice updated late last week includes an alert for Macalister Range National Park that the trail is closed “due to weather impacts”.

“Wangetti Trail maintenance is currently being undertaken by a works contractor,” the advice states.

“The trail will reopen when works are complete and conditions are considered safe.”

Large sections of the trail washed away following heavy monsoonal rains earlier this year.

An inspection by Newsport of one small northern section, which stretches from Palm Cove to Ellis Beach, showed two separate washed-away areas.

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Just south of the Ellis Beach pub there was extensive damage, with rocks strewn across the path and parts completely washed away, and not far south from there, another section was extensively damaged.

A State Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation Department (DESI) spokesperson said at the time further assessments were being carried out to determine when the park would reopen. 

The $47m Wangetti Trail plan has been dogged by controversy across the past decade, but Premier David Crisafulli said earlier this year his government was committed to completing the route to Port Douglas.

The previous state government originally committed to completing the entire trail by 2026, backed by $8m of Federal Government money, but the plan is now to have it “operational by the third quarter of 2028, depending on the weather and approvals”, according to DESI.

“Once fully operational, the trail will include a choice of public camping facilities and high-end eco-accommodation offerings,” DESI states.

“The Wangetti Trail is a game-changing ecotourism offering for Far North Queensland, tapping into one of the fastest-growing tourism sectors in the world.”

It will deliver more than 150 local jobs during construction and operation and will inject more than $388m into the local economy, DESI states.

The Government intends to build the walking and mountain biking trail in three sections: A 33km section from Palm Cove to Wangetti, a 54km part to Mowbray River, and a final 7km section to Port Douglas.

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