An hour's drive west of Mackay lies Eungella National Park, Australia's longest and oldest stretch of subtropical rainforest, spread over 52,000 hectares. Translated from the language of the local Aboriginal Goreng tribe, Eungella means "the land where the clouds cling to the mountains". There are several settlements within the park, founded in 1936.
The park has 22 kilometres of boardwalks for hikers, and the Great Mackay Mountain Trail invites park visitors to enjoy breathtaking views of the Pioneer River Valley.
The Broken River, which runs through the park, is a prime spot for spotting shy platypuses, amazing animals found only in Australia. The best times are early mornings and evenings, as well as overcast days. Other interesting inhabitants of the park include the "caring" frog and honeyguide, as well as a huge number of birds.
At the back of the park are the namesake dam and lake, in which you can swim as well as fish.
Another interesting attraction in the park is Dalrymple and William Peaks, each the same height of 1,259 metres. These mountains are the western boundary of the Pioneer River Valley. Although Eungella Park is located in the subtropics, snowfall has been recorded here in 1964 and 2000.
