Description
Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park is Queensland's second largest national park, located on Cape York Peninsula in Lakefield, Shire of Cook, Queensland, Australia.
It covers an area of 5,370 km2 (2,073 sq. miles) and is accessible by road, 1,707 km northwest of Brisbane and 340 km north-west of Cairns.
The park experiences its wettest period from early December to April, with an average rainfall of about 1,200mm. This season is characterized by monsoon rains that cause rivers to overflow their banks. The months which are distinctly drier result in the plains of the Laura Basin becoming parched and dusty.
Before the late 1870s, numerous Aboriginal clans occupied the area. Evidence of Aboriginal cultural heritage sites can be seen at Hann and Kalpowar crossings. European exploration of the area began in the early years, with William Hann and Edmund Kennedy visiting and exploring the region. The Laura Homestead, established in 1892, represents one of the oldest, intact pastoral homesteads in the region. The park actively preserves sites of cultural and historical significance.
Rinyirru National Park is home to a diverse range of animal species, including waterbirds like the brolga, sarus crane, black-necked stork, comb-crested jacana, and magpie geese. Woodland areas and grasslands shelter populations of agile wallabies, northern nailtail wallabies, and Australian bustards. Threatened species such as the star finch, golden-shouldered parrot, red goshawk, Lakeland Downs mouse, and spectacled hare-wallaby can be found in the park's billabongs and
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