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Writer's pictureBillie Holliday

Sunrise, beaches and Kangaroos. All you need to know for Cape Hillsborough


Cape Hillsborough is a beautiful beachy town in the Mackay region. Just south of Airlie Beach, Cape Hillsborough is often overlooked and missed out on most group tours or road trips. This is why I recommend doing it yourself and not with a tour as you can make time to find these hidden gems.


45 minutes north of Mackay you will find wild Wallabies and Kangaroos feasting on a soft sandy beach as the sun rises gently behind the clouds. It's a stunning sight, and very Australian! There are also mountain lookouts (check the QLD government website for conditions/opening months), mangrove boardwalks and private beach camping.


To see the kangaroos I highly recommend getting to Casuarina Beach for between 5.45-6am (note that we visited during the winter months, sunrise times may differ throughout the year). If in doubt, I recommend a good 45 minutes to an hour BEFORE sunrise. The wallabies are very nervous and don't stay for long. There are two Kangaroos that were hand raised and released into the wild that stay for longer.



There is plenty of parking for the beach alongside a playground and BBQ area, perfect for breakfast! You can pay to join a tour but there is no point! Save yourself the 30 bucks. It's a public beach with public access and they cannot stop you from viewing the roos if you haven't paid for the tour.


It is important to remember these are wild animals so give them space and do not block their path if they decide to head off to the bush. Don't feed them. Don't touch them. Don't use your cameras flash.


The ranger sets out a space on the beach where she can feed the wallabies and the kangaroos. She feeds them a small amount of specialised pellet and clears up any leftovers. This is not enough food to sustain them and clearing away the leftovers stops them from returning throughout the day. This is a happy medium, as tourists were feeding the animals on the beach which was having a negative impact on the animals as they started relying on humans. Although it's not a natural event, it is a way to monitor the wallabies and the kangaroos and raise awareness for the animals.



From here you can head up to Andrews point lookout (weather dependent) and get a stunning 360 view. A short drive from here is also Diversity Boardwalk, a beautiful 40 minute walk through the mangroves and bush. For this I definitely recommend bug spray. The mozzies are vicious!



To end the morning, head to smalleys beach and park in the day use area. There are stunning views down onto the beach and it's a great place to relax, nap after your early start and have some lunch! If you want to stay over night in Cape Hillsborough, smalleys is the perfect spot! Bookings must be made in advance via the QLD government website.



Cape Hillsborough is a truly beautiful spot that deserves to be added to your east coast itinerary.



As always I hope you enjoyed this blog! Follow along for more here on Wix Blogs, TikTok and Instagram (both @bilbo.h). Don't forget to check out Pineapple Island for all your traveller/surfer chic jewellery. Ethically sourced and made, it's the perfect gift for yourself or a loved one! Code 15BILLIE will save you 15% at checkout ❤️

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