Little Mulgrave

The road

A valley stage climbing from the Cairns coastal plain into the foothills west of Gordonvale along the Gillies Range Road. The 19-kilometre route follows the Little Mulgrave River valley through sugarcane country on the lower section before climbing into tropical rainforest on the upper approach to the range. The Targa Great Barrier Reef rally ran this as the Little Mulgrave stage at 19.47 km - matching the touring route closely. The road is tighter and more technical than the Palmerston stage but lacks the drama of the big descent. This is a finesse stage that rewards drivers who read the road rather than those who rely on speed. The transition from agricultural flatlands to rainforest happens at around the halfway point and the change in road character follows it. The lower section is wide and fast through the cane fields; the upper section narrows and the sightlines shorten as the forest closes in.

The region

Gordonvale is a small sugar town south of Cairns at the base of the Mulgrave Valley. The valley was settled for sugar production in the 1880s and the mill at Gordonvale is still operating. The Little Mulgrave River rises on the eastern face of the Bellenden Ker Range and flows north through the valley to join the Mulgrave River near the coast.

Before you go

Fuel in Gordonvale. Cane trucks operate on the lower section during crushing season - typically June to December. Drive early morning on weekdays for lightest traffic. The upper rainforest section can be wet even in the dry season.

More roads like this

Palmerston Highway

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Gillies Range Road

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