Suche
Mein Konto
Mt William Hike Cairns – Plane Wreck Site Via Smiths Track
The Mt William Hike is a very lightly traveled trail that branches off the Smiths Track near Stoney Creek, north of Cairns. Read this complete hiking guide that takes you to the summit of Mt William, where a plane wreck now sits. The Mt William hike begins on an accessible roadside trail near Stoney Creek. Although easily accessible, the Mt Williams Trail is quite challenging as it is steep, dense and absolutely full of leeches! Above you will find the remains of a 1986 plane crash that tragically killed eight people...
Mt William Hike Cairns – Plane Wreck Site Via Smiths Track
The Mt William Hike is a very lightly traveled trail that branches off the Smiths Track near Stoney Creek, north of Cairns. Read this complete hiking guide that takes you to the summit of Mt William, where a plane wreck now sits.
The Mt William hike begins on an accessible roadside trail near Stoney Creek. Although easily accessible, the Mt Williams Trail is quite challenging as it is steep, dense and absolutely full of leeches!
Above you will find the remains of a 1986 plane crash that tragically killed eight people when it hit the ridgeline 250 meters from Mount William's highest point. It appears that the wreckage was moved to the summit, where there are now prayer flags and a memorial where one can pay respects.
For those wanting to tackle the Mt William hike near Cairns, I would suggest setting off early and allowing at least half a day for the endeavor! In this hiking guide I will detail how to get to the trailhead as well as a detailed section on how to complete the hike.
- alt=“CAIRNS-REGENWALD-BÄUME“>
- alt=“MOUNT WILLIAM TRACK CAIRNS“>
- alt=“CAIRNS PLANE WRACK SITE MOUNT WILLIAM STONEY CREEK“>
How to get to the Mt William Trailhead
The Mount William Track is very little known and is more of a marked route than an official national park trail. The route branches off the popular Smiths Track, which is accessed from Stoney Creek or Speewah.
I started the hike by picking up the Smiths Track just off Stoney Creek Road, the same road that leads to the Glacier Rock trailhead. At first it's a little difficult to see the trail. However, you will see the small Smiths Trail signpost just to the right of the concrete underpass on the left side of the road (if you are heading towards Stoney Creek).
alt=“BEGINNING OF SMITHS TRACK ON STONEY CREEK ROAD”>Smith’s Track starting point on the left
Below I have pinned the exact location of the starting point to make it easier for you to find it. There is a large parking lot across the street, right in front of the trail, where you can park your car. Alternatively, drive up the steep driveway to a wide clearing next to the trailhead.
Mt William Hike Cairns – Hiking Guide
The Mt William hike Cairns is a fairly long hike with a lot of elevation gain. The first section along Smiths Creek is broadly easy to follow. However, after turning onto the Mt William Trail, you must carefully follow the tapes and markers to avoid getting lost.
I completed the hike in just over 4 hours at a decent pace. However, depending on your speed, the test day may take much longer. I would suggest leaving early to avoid navigating down in the dark.
Also remember to bring Deet! I hiked the Mt. William Trail back in the dry season, the leeches above the cloud line were absolutely devastating.
Smith's Track from Stoney Creek Road
Almost immediately after picking up the path, Smiths Track climbs steeply up a slightly exposed and predominant eucalyptus forest. Make sure you stretch your legs because there is no warm-up here, just a sharp leg burner to start the hike.
alt=“SMITHS PURSUES CAIRNS”>
At almost any point during this initial climb you can turn around to enjoy great views of the Northern Cairns suburbs and, to the right, Glacier Rock.
Follow this wide, obvious path as it levels out and then climbs steeply again. You will notice that the trees and plants change rapidly as you increase in altitude.
RELATED POST: Cairns Hikes: 36 Best Hikes
Diversion onto the Mt William Track
After about 1.9 kilometers, at an elevation of about 490 m, there is a sharp left fork to turn onto the Mt Williams Trail.
alt=“SMITH’S TRACK CAIRNS”>Easy to miss turnoff to the Mount William Track
This is very easy to miss, so watch out for a fairly ambiguous path on the left. To avoid missing the turnoff, enter these coordinates: 16° 53′ 3.366″ S 145° 39′ 54.216″ E.
Wet, muddy climb to Mt. William Summit
You will immediately notice that this route is much less busy than the first section. You must navigate over and around dense tree fall and avoid fields of thorny thorns as you slowly climb over thick, rooty undergrowth up the ridgeline towards Mt William.
alt="MOUNT WILLIAM TRACK">
This route is well marked by ribbons in the trees. I highly recommend looking out for these, otherwise you could easily get lost.
Unfortunately, the Mt Williams hike doesn't offer much in the way of epic views. However, there is a rocky point known as the 'North Peak', around the 3.8km mark, from which you can look out over Cairns and the surrounding suburbs.
alt=“NORTH TIP ON MOUNT WILLIAM HIKING CAIRNS”>
After this viewpoint the path levels out as you cross the saddle towards Mt William. This section was my favorite, with ancient trees towering over fern fields and tropical shrubs.
alt=“MOUNT WILLIAM TRAIL CAIRNS”>
At about 700m I entered the clouds which turned everything into a wet, damp and muddy battle to the summit. To tell you the truth, I have never seen so many leeches in my life. Even after dousing my legs and shoes with bushmen, I had to stop every 20 meters or so to peel and flick the spikes from my legs, arms, and face. Tip: take extra deet with you!
Continue past the saddle before a final, easy but slippery climb to the summit.
Wreckage site of the 1986 Cairns plane crash
Since there wasn't much information online about the Mt Williams hike, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to find the wreck amidst the dense vegetation. But before I even knew I was at the summit, I stumbled upon the destroyed hull and the memorial plaque.
alt=“MT WILLIAM PLANE WRACK STONEY CREEK”>
According to the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents, the aircraft: PA-31-310 Navajo crashed in 1986 due to a fatal misjudgment by the pilot, flying too low to Biboohra in overcast skies following some apparent misunderstandings regarding flight paths. Apparently the plane crashed just 250 meters southwest of the summit. It appears that the hull and wreckage remains were taken to the top of Mt William for memorial purposes.
alt=“CAIRNS PLANE WRACK SITE MOUNT WILLIAM STONEY CREEK”>
I decided I wouldn't stay here too long as the leeches were still giving me grief. I paid my respects and quickly made my way back to drier ground.
The descent
The Mt William hike is an out-and-back path, meaning you have to turn around and follow the same route back down. However, once you rejoin the Smiths Track you can turn left at the fork and continue onto Speewah.
That being said, after the heavy, wet slog I was pretty keen to call it a day. I got in my car and drove straight to Stoney Creek Falls to take a bath and clean the mud and remaining leeches from my body.
More hikes in Cairns
I hope you enjoyed this guide to the Mt William hike in Cairns, Queensland. I spent several months exploring the best adventures, hikes and waterfalls in the area. Whether you're a Cairns local or a visitor looking for epic adventures, be sure to check out some of my other guides and blogs below.
For some quick ideas, check out this list of the best waterfalls in Cairns or this post on the best things to do in Cairns.
If you have any questions or even trail updates, leave a comment below to help other hikers!
MY CAMERA AND PHOTO EQUIPMENT
- Spiegellose Kamera: Canon R5
- Drohne: DJI Mavic Pro 2
- 360-Grad-Action-Kamera: Insta360 One X2
- Landschaftsobjektiv: Canon RF 15-35 mm f/2.8L
- Allround-Objektiv: Canon RF 24–105 mm f/4L
- Teleobjektiv: Canon RF 100–500 mm f/f/4,5–7,1 L
- Lange Aktionsstange: Insta360 Invisible Pole (BulletTime)
- Landschaftslinsenfilter: Hoya Circular Polarizer
- Kamerarucksack: F-Stop Tilopa
- Lieblingsfotozubehör: Peak Design Capture Clip
For a list of my recommended photography gear (including what I use and why), check out my Travel Camera Gear Guide.
If you would like to use any of the photos on this website, please visit my licensing page to find out how. I also sell professional art prints, visit my Print Store or contact me directly for customs deductions of images on We Seek Travel.
.