A new high-end guided walking tour on Hinchinbrook Island has ignited fierce backlash from local hiking enthusiasts and residents, who fear it will price out independent trekkers and offer little benefit to the surrounding communities.
"You could do it in thongs on acid": Locals slam $2400 price tag
The controversy centres on a new $2400 guided "Indigenous" walk on the iconic Thorsborne Trail, known locally as the Thorsborne Track, on Munamudanamy (Hinchinbrook Island). The tour, operated by World Expeditions, has been met with derision and concern from seasoned walkers familiar with the 32-kilometre island route.
Comments on local social media pages have been scathing. One local, Ants Crane, summed up the sentiment by stating he completed the track "in a pair of thongs on acid. You don't need a guide lol." Others, like Paul Gatti, joked that for that price, he'd want to be carried. The overarching feeling is that the track, a beloved wilderness experience, does not require expensive, guided assistance.
Fears of a "FIFO" hiking experience locking out locals
The anger extends beyond the price tag to the potential impact on access and local economies. Securing a booking on the Thorsborne Track through Queensland National Parks is notoriously difficult, with only 12 people permitted to start the walk each day. Slots are snapped up within minutes of becoming available.
Locals fear that a commercial operator booking blocks of these precious permits for their clients will effectively lock out the "rank and file" independent hikers. This concern is compounded by reports that the tour group will depart directly from Townsville, bypassing the towns of Cardwell and Lucinda that traditionally benefit from DIY hikers who need accommodation, meals, and transport.
"Nearby towns are unlikely to get a sniff," the original article noted, highlighting a model where clients are flown or bussed in and out without engaging with local businesses.
Echoes of past battles and warnings for the future
For many in the region, this dispute evokes memories of a previous proposal for "glam camping" along the track, which was overwhelmingly rejected by locals who wanted to preserve its wild, frills-free character. There is a palpable fear that the high-cost guided walk is the first step toward turning the track into a "safari jaunt for khaki rich-listers."
Further criticism has been aimed at the Indigenous connection of the tour, with commentator David Haigh suggesting developers were "using Aborigines as a front for running guided tours" that could lead to commercial campsites and eco-resorts, again with no benefit to Cardwell.
The community's message is clear: they hope the Thorsborne Track does not become the domain of fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) hikers on expensive packages, eroding the authentic wilderness experience cherished by generations of local walkers.
