The Thumb

The Thumb, a granite monolith pinnacle high on a ridge of the Mount Bowen massif, was one of the last sought-after, unclimbed summits in Australia in 1952. Just off the north Queensland coast on Hinchinbrook Island, The Thumb can be seen breaking the horizon, just waiting to be explored.

The Thumb
Cover photo by Keith Dyson

Location - Hinchinbrook Island National Park, Queensland, Australia
Distance - Approximately 4 - 6 km one way, depending on route (not including the zig-zagging through creeks and around vegetation)
Time - A multi-day trip, but it is possible in one day return for the extremists
Grade - 5, difficult and strenuous
Type - Remote, off-track bushwalking

The Thumb is another great adventure. It "ticks" all the adventure boxes, so to speak, and can be done – return – in one long day from the beach. However, it's more common to take several days to accomplish this feat. Regardless, you'll feel like a pioneer once completing this one!

There are many things to cover in this article, so here are some quick links to sections of this article:
History, When To Go, The Routes, The Ridgeline Route, Thumb Creek Route, Anti-Thumb Creek Route, South East Ridge Route, Thumb Saddle, Climbing The Thumb, Essentials, Saftey, Interactive Map.

The Thumb, a granite monolith pinnacle rising 981 metres high on a ridge of the Mount Bowen massif, was one of the last sought-after, unclimbed summits in Australia in 1952. Just off the north Queensland coast on Hinchinbrook Island, The Thumb can be seen breaking the horizon, just waiting to be explored.