Devils Thumb trail closure delayed: Hikers petition for reopening of Daintree’s popular track

Hikers and adventurers in the Far North have been locked out of a popular Daintree walking trail for potentially another year despite reports of the track being in its best ever condition.

The Devils Thumb walking trail in Daintree National Park. Picture: Tourism Queensland

Hikers and adventurers in the Far North have been locked out of a popular walking trail for potentially another year, despite reports of the track being in its best-ever condition.

The Manjal Jimalji (Devils Thumb) trail is a 10.6km grade four hike in the southern section of the Daintree National Park, which takes walkers through thick jungle, cloud forests and granite formations.

The walk was closed by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service following damage from Tropical Cyclone Jasper and was originally due to re-open in October 2024, but issues surrounding private property at the beginning of the walk has delayed the reopening to at least November 2025, according to the department’s website.

Off trail hiker Evan Agee started a petition to reopen the hike in December, stating the walk was a major draw card for tourists, hikers and adventurers.

“It’s just a magical place,” Mr Agee said.

“When you’re up there, you’re in a cloud forest where you’ve got some endemic trees that aren’t really seen anywhere else in the world.

“There’s trees up there called the Wurunuru tea trees they’re only found from about Bellenden Ker to about the Daintree … and some of them are (very) old up there.”

Keen hiker Evan Agee has started a petition to reopen the popular Devils Thumb walking trail in the southern Daintree National Park, which has been closed for an additional year by the Department of Environment and Science.

The first few hundred metres of the trail passes through private property, where the landowner reportedly had issues with visitors littering, throwing parties and defecating on their land.

But the critical issue surrounds liability, if someone were to get injured along the short stretch of path.

Mr Agee didn’t blame the landowners but said there had to be a creative workaround to get the track back up and running.

“I think they’ve sort of had enough of it … and it comes down to a liability thing,” Mr Agee said.

“If someone gets injured on their property … I think they’re sort of worried about getting sued.

“But we could cut a track around their property, or if National Parks are willing to take up the liability I’m sure we could sort something out just to keep this track open.”

A Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation spokesman acknowledged the landholder and department were working through the issue, but would not disclose when the track was expected to reopen.

“We are working with a neighbouring property owner to realign the easement that gives visitors access to the trailhead of the Devil’s Thumb walking track,” the spokesman said.

“The walking track will reopen once an agreement is reached.”

Despite being surrounded by extreme biodiversity and being known as a tourist hotspot, the Daintree rainforest and Far North has a dearth of official hikes for those seeking a challenge.

The Devils Thumb trail is home to immense biodiversity including the endemic Wurunuru Tea Tree (Leptospermum wooroonooran) that is only found in small sections of Far North Queensland above 1100m.

In recent years popular hikes like Mount Lewis and Black Mountain have closed for cultural reasons, or simply fallen into disrepair.

A Cairns Bushwalking Club member said it was fairly common for managed trails in the Far North to get overgrown, but ironically, the Devil’s Thumb trail was in great nick.

“The trail itself is probably the best it’s been in many years … the national parks have spent the money and paid tree loppers to get it open,” he said.

“There is a lot of people pretty keen to get up there but I think then it just gets put in the too hard basket for National Parks.

“A lot of people come here just to use this walk.”

Mr Agee’s petition has gained nearly 500 signatures since it was started on Saturday and said he hoped people could hit the trail sooner rather than later.

“For people that actually want to challenge themselves, there’s really not that much out there and it’s just going to be another one that goes to waste,” Mr Agee said.

“I just think it’s just too good to waste.”

Originally published as Devils Thumb trail closure delayed: Hikers petition for reopening of Daintree’s popular track