Keatings Lagoon (Mulbabidgee) Walk

Keatings Lagoon Conservation Park is 8 kilometres south of Cooktown. This natural freshwater lagoon traps and holds wet season run-off and creates an ideal habitat for wetland vegetation, which provide abundant food for animals and migratory water birds. The lagoon is at the upper limit of tidal Meldrum Creek. This seasonal wetland is often completely dry during the winter and early summer months.

For thousands of years the Gungarde Aboriginal people have utilised the lagoon’s natural resources for food, medicine and utilitarian purposes. Their traditional name for the wetland area is Mulbabidgee.

Turn off the Developmental Road onto Hutchinson Street where signs indicate the entrance to the Keatings Lagoon carpark. Cross the wooden boardwalk to access the walk. This 390 metre path leads to a bird-hide and a picnic area. It follows the edge of the lagoon, passing through melaleuca forest  (some of the trees beside the path are numbered and named).

The bird-hide offers unobstructed views of the lagoon and a bird identification chart is provided. The picnic area at the end of the path is about 300 metres north of the bird hide. Due to the large body of still water the mosquitoes can be quite bad, so take insect repellent.

Difficulty Level: Easy

Distance: 390 metre

Duration: 20 Minutes (return)

Access: Self Guided

Facilities: Bird hide, interpretive information, picnic area and car park.

Trail Management Contact:Cooktown office of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, tel: (07) 4069 5777

Map of walking trail at Keating's Lagoon courtesy Footloose publications