Paluma is a safe place to visit and enjoy the remote cool mountain air or to explore the many kilometres of bush tracks. But there are some precautions that will help to ensure your safety and enjoyment during your stay.
Road Safety
Safety on the range road and in the village one of our primary concerns. Taken at a slow pace the roads are safe and offer many scenic views. However the range road is narrow with many blind turns, and the main village road is bordered with residential houses with children and pets. The speed limit on both roads is 40km/hr and it is very important that this is considered the maximum speed. The trip is much more enjoyable if taken at 30km/hr or slower.
If there is a safety hazard or obstruction from the bottom of the range road to the Ivy Cottage in Paluma please contact Main Roads on 13 19 40
If there is a safety hazard or obstruction from Ivy Cottage out to Paluma Dam contact the Townsville City Council via the online form on council’s website www.townsville.qld.gov.au (under About Council/Report a Problem) or on the mobile Apps – iCouncil for iPhone and iPad, or Snap Send Solve for Android. Residents can also call council’s Customer Service Centre on 1300 878 001.
Fire
Paluma has its own volunteer fire brigade and a fire truck. Ross Hyne (0427 708 530) and Barry Smith (07 47708 528) are the key contacts, but if they are not available ring 000. There are fire hydrants around the village (see map here) which can be used by the fire truck and all residents are asked to ensure that the access plates and markings are not obscured.
Safety on the tracks
The historical pack horse tracks, tin miners’ tracks & logging roads in the Mt Spec area provide walkers with the opportunity to explore old mining and alluvial tin workings, enjoy spectacular views of the coastal areas from rocky look-outs and discover the unique flora & fauna of the highland rainforest. The area is mostly National Park & is part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, spanning from Paluma to Cooktown. The average temperatures are about 8°C lower than along the coast, making hiking in summer more enjoyable. As you are walking in a high rainfall area remember that rocks & tree roots can be very slippery. The water in the running creeks appears clear, however purification tablets are a good precaution for drinking water. Remember, the creeks around the Paluma Dam are part of the water catchment for the supply of Townsville water. If you need to relieve yourself whilst on a walk anywhere in the region please ensure you do so at least 50m from all water courses.
While encounters with wildlife is one of the attractions of bushwalking in Paluma, there are a few animals & plants which can be hazardous to interact with.
WILDLIFE
Snakes: Most common are pythons & tree snakes which are harmless, however the dangerous Red Belly Black snakes are also present. Treat all snakes with caution & respect and do not attempt to catch them.
Native Rats: are nocturnal & are attracted by the smell of food. Keep your camping area clean & pack all food at night in your tent or suspend from a tree.
Ticks: Most common in the dryer season. Some of these can cause a painful reaction with swelling and intense itching. They are best killed with an application of insect repellent and removed with tweezers once dead.
Leeches: These are most common during the wet season or after heavy rains. They are easily removed by sprinkling them with salt or heating their rear end with a match or lighter. They also fall off with the application of insect repellent. If they have had a chance to feed, they can leave a small bite mark that bleeds for quite some time, but bites are not considered dangerous.
Wild pigs & cane toads: Unfortunately they have also found their way into the area. Pigs are very destructive to the vegetation on and around track. While attacks from pigs on people are extremely rare and almost never seen around the village, larger individuals could be dangerous if startled.
Cassowaries, whilst rarely seen, are evident from their big piles of seed droppings sometimes found on the tracks, and occasionally near the village. In time these droppings become little islands of seedlings.
FLORA
Wait-a-while vine : With its rows of hooks & thorns, these vines are more common in dense thickets & along creeks and should be avoided. They present more of a risk to mountain bikers and runners who might not see the thin spikey tendrils which occasionally hand down onto the tracks.
Gympie or Stinging tree : Mainly found on the margins of the rain forest or in regrowth under open canopy. Inflicts excruciating pain when touched. Contact with any part of this plant should be avoided. The plant is recognised by its large, heart shaped furry leaves & purple berries. They are not common around the village.
All of the tracks around the village are well marked and easy to walk. The others are bush tracks that require a degree of fitness and preparation. The following guidelines apply to these tracks. Don’t travel alone. Always advise someone, with reference to the map, where you are going & for how long. The area is covered by thick rainforest which makes navigation very difficult due to a lack of reference points. Please stick to the marked tracks. You should not attempt these tracks unless you or someone with you is an experienced & appropriately equipped bushwalker. Always carry a map & compass or GPS. Mobile phones cannot be relied upon for communication due very patchy coverage. Telstra appears best in the area. So a PLB (personal locator beacon) should be carried for emergency. An unplanned night out in the area can be cold & wet so carry extra clothes & protection. Stinging trees and wait-a-while vines can quickly grow up on all tracks and cause significant discomfort or injury. Either walk around these or carefully cut your way through with a pair of secateurs and wear gloves. Carry water & a first aid kit including a compression bandage for snake bites. There has been extensive mining in the area south of Mt spec & there may be forgotten mining shafts. People have disappeared in this area. Stick to the tracks.
NAVIGATION
Supplementing normal bushwalking navigation methods is a network of track junction markers. The markers are a disk mounted on a star picket. At each junction the marker indicates the destination of each track & the number allocated to the junction. These junction numbers are also shown on the maps. Walkers that stick to the tracks & track their position on the map with reference to the junction markers will find it difficult to get lost.
YOUR SAFETY IS OUR CONCERN – BUT – IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!!!