Mungumby Lodge → Weary Bay

          Depart Mungumby Lodge (Early Start)

Enjoy a yummy tropical buffet breakfast at Mungumby Lodge before you depart. Fresh coffee and tea, juices, cereals, fresh cut fruit, yogurt, boiled eggs. A nice way to start the day. Morning light filters beautifully through the rainforest and bird activity is at its peak.

Birdlife near the lodge and en-route:

• Wompoo & Superb Fruit-Doves
• Double Eyed Fig Parrot
• Emerald Dove
• Olive Back Oreale
• Varied Trillers, honeyeaters and drongos

Keep windows partly down for birdsong and slow down near creeks.

         Weary Bay & Beach Walk

Distance: ~30 km | ~25 minutes from Mungumby Lodge

Arrive at Weary Bay, a long, windswept tropical beach framed by rainforest and headlands. Named by Cook after extracting the Endeavour from the reef they sheltered here looking for refuge. The oarsmen became weary from rowing in and our sounding bay, hence the name. The bay remains the same as it would have looked all those years ago.

Weary Bay Walk

• Walk north along the firm sand. If you head south you will end up at the mouth of the Bloomfield River.
• Best done on falling tide
• Look for:
  • Shorebirds: terns, sandpipers, oystercatchers
  • Turtle tracks (seasonal)
  • Dolphin sightings offshore

Safety: Crocodile habitat — stay well back from the waterline, do not wade or swim.

Cultural note: This coastline has been travelled and used by Aboriginal people for many years as a food-gathering and ceremonial landscape.

Ayton & Bloomfield

         Ayton

Continue south to the small coastal settlement of Ayton, nestled between rainforest and the Coral Sea.

What to notice:

• Coconut palms and coastal woodland
• Traditional fishing grounds
• Quiet, unspoilt feel
  
  

A good spot for photos and a short leg stretch. Food available at the general store. Toilets available across the road at the library.

         Bloomfield River

Drive past the Bloomfield school and along the Bloomfield river, keep your eyes peels for Rufus the monster Crocodile who inhabits the river.

History:

• Bloomfield developed during the late 1800s gold rush
• Once supported mining, farming and river transport
• Now a peaceful rural and river community

Birdwatching highlights:

• Egrets, kites and waders, oyster catchers
• Rainbow Bee-eaters over open paddocks

Wujal Wujal & Bloomfield Falls

         Wujal Wujal Community

Continue south to Wujal Wujal, home of the Kuku Yalanji people. A tidy village set on the banks of the Bloomfield River. Once a Lutheran Mission now self-governed. The river floods on a regular basis often casing wide spread damage to homes, buildings and the surrounding landscape. All of which recover over time. We recommend taking the time to visit the general store, buy a snack or piece of fruit and enjoy out the front with the locals. Fuel is available by card at the council depo next door.

This is a place of deep cultural importance.

Please remember:

• Respect signage
• Ask permission where required
• Photography may be restricted in cultural areas
  
  

         Bloomfield Falls Walk

The Bloomfield Falls are a short walk from the carpark at the end of river road.

• Easy to moderate walk
• Viewing platforms overlook cascades and river pools
• Powerful wet-season flows; calmer but still impressive in the dry
  
  

Cultural significance:

• The falls are a sacred site
• The area is closely tied to Kuku Yalanji stories and law
• Swimming is not permitted
  

Birdlife:

• Azure & Forest Kingfishers
• Little Black Cormorants
• Figbirds and imperial pigeons in nearby forest
  
  

Lunch Options

Options include:

• Picnic lunch near Bloomfield Falls or Weary Bay (designated areas only)
• Lunch from Bloomfield or Ayton Store
  
  

There are limited commercial food outlets — planning ahead is key.