Travel 60 kilometres north of Townsville on the Bruce Highway, (40km south of Ingham), and you'll find the historic Mt Spec Ewan Road (18km) turning inland towards the beautiful mountains of the Paluma Range where the 'Village in the Clouds' awaits. For your safety make sure you take care navigating the narrow winding bitumen road which is not recommended for caravans. Travel with your lights on and observe any reduced speed limits.

At 880m elevation, Paluma Village is often covered in mist giving it the name 'Village in the Clouds' and is the perfect escape from the summer heat. With convenient lack of mobile phone coverage and varied activities it is the perfect destination for a quiet, romantic weekend, or a longer stay to relax and unwind.

You will need at least a whole day to explore and appreciate Paluma. There are many activities you must try, including bush walking through National Park and State Forest, with many of the tracks leading to lookouts with magnificent panoramic views. Do not rush the rainforrest walks as there is a multitude of native fauna and flora to observe, so keep a keen eye and you may see some very rare species.

There are picnic, BBQ and toilet facilities vailable at Little Crystal Creek and in Paluma. There is a municipal 24 hour Rest Area in Paluma Village, or extended camping is available at Lake Paluma 16km west of Paluma village (book ahead with NQ Water), and if you want some extra comfort you can choose to stay in self-contained cottages, motel accommodation and B & B accommodation is available in the village itself.

Little Crystal Creek is located 7kms along the historic Mount Spec Ewan Road, and is a popular stopover on the drive up to Paluma. Little Crystal Creek offers some of the best swimming, with the icy cold crystal clear water rushing down the gorge creating waterfalls into deep pools with huge granite boulders and lush rainforest vegetation creating a wonderful backdrop.

Little Crystal Creek has excellent facilities with plenty of car parking, free gas barbecues, toilets and picnic area. No domestic animals are allowed and please remove all your rubbish upon departure

A prominant feature of Little Crystal Creek is the giant Roman Arch stone bridge which was constructed manually in 1932 and was first of its kind in Queensland. It was built as part of the Mt Spec Tourist Road unemployment relief scheme project. During the 1930s Depression, this project employed hundreds of men for periods of up to six weeks. A core of permanent Main Roads Commission staff worked on this road for seven years, many raising their families in tent camps scattered along the road.

Big Crystal Creek is a very popular destination with great swimming locations including Paradise Waterhole and Rockslides, picnic area with barbeque facilities, carpark areas, toilets, water and camping ground. Big Crystal Creek is part of the Paluma Range National Park and if you wish to camp overnight you will require a permit and/or key. These can be collected from the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service offices in Ingham or Townsville.

To find Big Crystal Creek travel north along the Bruce Highway and turn left at the Barrett Road Paluma turn-off, which is approximately 70km north from Townsville, and 5km north of the Mount Spec Ewan Road turn-off. Follow Barrett Road and after 1.5km turn right onto Spiegelhauer Road, make sure you follow any directional signs.

Paradise Waterhole is a favourite with visitors and takes only 2 minutes to navigate the walking track which begins near the barbeque and cooking facilities at the Big Crystal Creek campground and recreational day use area. The track leads to an outcrop of large rocks that overlook the pristine crystal clear waterhole.

Just a short way up the road from the camping and day use facilities at Paradise Waterhole are the Big Crystal Creek Rockslides. From the gate it takes 10 minutes to navigate the short track with a steep grade at times. The rock slides are a series of short natural waterslides over slick mossy rocks that will provide hours of amusement and are excellent for cooling off on a hot summer day.

McClelland's Lookout is a National Park picnic area adjacent to Paluma. It is on the right just as you reach the top of the range. Facilities include ample car parking, bus parking, wheelchair accessible toilets, a shelter shed, free gas barbecues and picnic tables.

There are no bins provided so you will need to take your rubbish away with you. McLellands Lookout offers spectacular views across Halifax Bay and during the Second World War was the site of the US Army's radar station.

Cloudy Creek Track (6km return)
Starting at McClelland's lookout, the Cloudy Creek track leads through an impressive stand of mountain rainforest. The walk is often cool and shrouded in mist due to the high elevation. Along the path you will find educational signs informing you all about various plants and features of the rainforest. The track leads past Witts Lookout which has views of stunning mountain scenery, then diverges to the left down a reasonably steep hill to Cloudy Creek in the gully below.

Paluma Rainforest Walk (580 metres)
South of Paluma village is the Paluma Rainforest Walk. This circuit walk will take less than half an hour to complete and will lead you through the Forest Reserve. At the eastern end of the track is Paluma's 'Village Green'which is an ideal location for a family picnic. Facilities incluse shelter, tables, playground and toilets.

Features of the Paluma Rainforest Walk include buttress roots, the strangler fig, king fern and a 'tin race' (beneath the western boardwalk). At night look for glowing fungus and you might even spot a glow worm.

Birthday Creek Falls Track (1.7km)
Branching off the gravel road to Lake Paluma is a short 15 minute gradedwalking track (1.7km) through Forest Reserve down to Birthday Creek Falls. Take note that Birthday Creek Falls only flow following rain. Carparking is available just off the road.

Birthday Creek Falls Track is a popular destination for birdwatches keen to see the Golden Bowerbird. A number of active Bowers live in the vicinity of the track.

Lake Paluma is picturesque water storage facility nestled among World Heritage listed, Wet Tropics Rainforest. It is a popluar destination with unique opportunities for both Day Visitors and Campers to spend time in a biologically diverse rainforest environment. Facilities include free gas barbeques, toilets (no showers), weather proof shelters, tables and chairs, boat ramp (boating permit required) and camping facilities for those who wish stay overnight. There are a limited number of camp sites available and due to the popularity you must pre-book a permit through NQ Water. All rubbish is your responsiblilty, what you take in, must be removed when you leave, and no domestic animals are allowed.

Activities allowable include swimming, water skiing (designated area), canoeing, sailing, picnicking and birdwatching. If you are lucky you may observe wildlife including, Platypus, Peregrine Falcon or Eastern Water Dragon.

Lake Paluma is situated close to Mount Spec and high above the Paluma Range National Park. Access is via a 12km unsealed well-formed gravel road that allows visitors a close-up view of the rainforest. The turn-off is on the right around 4km past the Paluma Township. Make sure you follow any directional signs.

For information on road conditions, accommodation & information services, contact Paluma Rainforest Cottages.

If you wish to camp overnight at Big Crystal Creek you will require a permit and key. These can be collected from the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service offices in Ingham or Townsville.

Lake Paluma is also a popular camping destination. For further information, and a permit, go to the NQ Water website. For information on current road conditions, contact the NQ Water Ranger.

Paluma is home to many rare and beautiful Wet Tropics rainforest birds and provides a great setting for the avid birdwatcher all year round. Some birds will even congregate at your own verandah where you can comfortably observe them or even hand feed them!

Some of the birds you are likely to see include: Australian Brush Turkey, Crimson Rosella, Fantailed Cuckoo, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Red-backed Button-quail, Noisy Pitta, Southern Cassowary, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove, Emerald Dove, Large-billed Scrubwren, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Brown Gerygone, Macleay’s Honeyeater, Lewin’s Honeyeater Graceful Honeyeater, Topknot Pigeon, Bridled Honeyeater, White naped Honeyeater, Yellow-bellied Sunbird, Grey Goshawk, Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove, Dusky Honeyeater, Pale-yellow Robin, Grey-headed Robin, Chowchilla, Eastern Whipbird, Golden Whistler, Bower’s Shrike-thrush, Russet-tailed Thrush, Spectacled Monarch, White-headed Pigeon, Double-eyed Fig-Parrot, Grey Fantail, Varied Triller, Victoria’s Riflebird, Spotted Catbird, and Golden Bowerbird.

Paluma is rich with history dating back 130 years when the area was first settled by tin miners, but the township only officially formed in 1942, just prior to World War 2. A secret radar unit comprising of approximately 50 men from the 565th Signal Battalion established a tent camp at Cloudy Clearing, which is now the picnic area at McClelland's Lookout. By the end of their 18 months stay, the US Army and later the RAAF had also installed reticulated water supply, electricity, telephones and log cabins.

The historic Mt Spec Tourist Road was built mostly by hand as part of an unemployment relief scheme project during the 1930s Great Depression. Prior to the construction of the road, the only access was on foot or horseback which meant a lengthy and difficult journey through steep and densl