A quick guide to Crawford’s Lookout in Wooroonooran National Park, Far North Queensland. Includes some quick details on what to expect and photos from my visit.
Crawford’s Lookout is a quick pull-over viewpoint in Woornoonooran National Park, just a few hours south of Cairns. The viewpoint offers a glimpse of the North Johnston River horseshoe bend between the rainforest trees.
In this post, I want to share with you a quick guide with things to know as well as photos and a short video from my trip that I hope will inspire you to visit my favourite National Park in Queensland; the Wild Wooroonooran.
Crawford’s Lookout Video
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Where is Crawford’s Lookout & How Do I Get Here?
The often neglected Crawford’s Lookout is a quick pull-over spot on the Palmerston Highway between Innisfail and the Millaa Millaa region of the Atherton Tablelands.
- Google Maps Pin: “Crawford’s Lookout” – Palmerston Hwy, Wooroonooran QLD
While it is quite a drive from Cairns at approximately 111 kilometres (1.5 hours), let me assure you that a trip to this section of the World Heritage Listed Wet Tropics Region is one-hundred percent worth it!
I’ve pinned the exact location of the lookout below to help you find it. You’ll notice that the lookout is right before the Tchupala Falls and Wallicher Falls walking track, as well as the very impressive Nandroya Falls, just a bit further on.
The North Johnston Lookout Track
- Hiking Distance: 3.4 kilometres return
- Duration: 45 minutes – 1 hour
- Elevation: 155m total elevation gain, mostly on the return
- Difficulty: Easy
Unfortunately, you can only get a small glimpse of the towering canyons of the North Johnston River horseshoe bend from Crawford’s Lookout. However, if you take the adjacent walking track, you’ll end up at a much better viewpoint.
This is a short hike with a bit of incline, mostly on the way back. However, I’d say that it’s definitely worth it and you should be able to complete the short walk in less than an hour.
There’s also an option to take a detour down to the bottom of the Johnston River. This is apparently a bit steeper but we were more than content with the view from the North Johnston lookout.
More Hiking info: My Strava
More Photos from Crawford’s Lookout & The North Johnston Lookout
More Far North Queensland Adventure and Travel Inspiration
I hope you enjoyed this quick blog post with photos from my trip to Crawford’s Lookout and the North Johnston Lookout track.
If you did, you’ll find more travel and adventure inspiration and ideas for Far North Queensland and the Wet Tropics, in some of my other posts below!
- 60+ Things to do in Cairns – my ultimate Cairns and FNQ travel resource covering the best activities, hidden gems, and unmissable experiences.
- Cairns Hiking Guide – a huge list of epic rainforest, waterfall, and lookout hikes in Cairns.
- Cairns Waterfalls – a huge list of epic waterfalls that I’ve visited in Cairns and the surrounding tropics.
- Cairns Islands – discover my favorite Great Barrier Reef islands near Cairns and Port Douglas.
- Cairns Tours – my roundup of the best tours you can book in Cairns and FNQ, from the Great Barrier Reef to the Daintree Rainforest.
- Cairns Packing List – tips on what to pack for a trip to Far North Queensland.
- Top Things to Do in Port Douglas – a comprehensive guide to the sleepy Far North Queensland town of Port Douglas.
- Epic 5-Day Cairns Itinerary – my suggested adventure itinerary if you only have 5 days to spend in Cairns.
- Cape Tribulation Travel Guide – discover where the rainforest meets the reef at one of my favourite places in Australia.
- Best Things to do in the Atherton Tablelands – my guide to one of Far North Queensland’s most underrated adventure destinations.
- Accommodation Resources: Discover where to stay in Cairns, the best hotels in Port Douglas and my Cape Tribulation accommodation guide.
