Distance: 5km return
Difficulty: 3/10
Work/reward: 7/10
Last visited: September 2021
How about that view? When people ask me (Rochelle) what it is like living in the tropics, images like the view from the top of Mount Kootaloo come to mind. I feel pretty bloody blessed to live in such an unreal place.
Getting to and staying on Dunk Island
Mount Kootaloo is located on Dunk Island, which is just off the coast of Mission Beach. If you are not fortunate to know a guy with a boat, then the island can be accessed via water taxi. The original resort on the Island was destroyed by Cyclone Yasi in 2011. There are camping facilities available on the island, which include showers and toilets, these can be booked through Queensland Parks for the usual fee (at the time of writing $6.75 per person per night). The Mission Beach Water Taxi we understand costs around $50 return for an adult and $25 return for a child under 13.
If you are lucky enough to secure one of the limited camping sites we recommend spending the night as the island is a fantastic spot to spend a weekend.
Hiking
We visited the island whilst fishing in the area. There are a couple of different options for hiking, however we were only able to fit in the summit to Mount Kootaloo.
The other options for hikes include the walk to Muggy Muggy Beach (around 1 km return) and the Island Circuit (around 10 km return). All the hikes conveniently start from the same spot.
The trail can be found next to the ruins on the old resort. In the picture below the trail can be located on the east side of the resort ruins (or very left hand side of the image) at the end of the beach. The start of the trail is marked by a Queensland Parks Walking post.
Once you have located the start of the trail you shouldn't be able to get lost as the track is well defined and signed. The first intersection on the trail there is a helpful sign with more details on each of the trails.
At the sign you are going to want to take a right to keep on the track for Kootaloo. The right-hand turn at the fork will also lead you along the Island Circuit Track.
If you take your left you will be on the short trail to Muggy Muggy beach.
About half way into the summit for Kootaloo is an intersection. At this point you need to turn left if you are only doing the summit walk. If you want to do the Island Circuit track continue straight.
There is then only one more turn-off to keep an eye out for which is signed, you will need to take a right and continue upwards for the Summit of Kootaloo, otherwise if you continue straight it will take you to Coconut Beach.
As you can see if the photos, the track is well defined and very well signed, you shouldn't have any trouble reaching the summit. At the summit there is viewing platform with views out across the islands, back to Mission Beach and the main beach of Dunk Island.
This hike is pretty easy and suitable for all fitness levels. The incline is gradual and the track is only short.
The only thing that makes this trail difficult is if you have been for a swim in the salt water before hand and are still wet, which can cause some serious chafing (according to our good friend the FNQ Finance Guy) who had been swimming just before this hike to put the bungs in the boat.
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