Construction has begun on a $47 million ecotourism trail through Far North Queensland’s coastal rainforest, a year after it was initially scheduled to open to the public.

But the project stalled during the pandemic, amid disagreements between the state government and a local council about long-term maintenance responsibilities and the trail’s final design.

The first section under construction is a 1.3km dual walking and mountain bike track through Palm Cove, that will connect to a 6.5km section that runs to Ellis Beach.

Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said both portions of the trail were expected to be completed in the second half of next year.

The completion date for the entire trail has now been pushed back to 2026.

Mr Hinchliffe said the project’s $47.1 million budget had not changed.

“The reality is that the Three Capes Track in Tasmania is a project that’s half the length of the Wangetti Trail,” Mr Hinchliffe said.

“It took 10 years to plan and four years to construct.”

Mr Hinchliffe said the trail would generate an estimated $300 million a year for the region’s visitor economy.

Hikers would be separated from cyclists along some sections of the trail, he said, although most of the route would be dual-use.

Traditional owners excited

Design work continues for the Port Douglas end of the trail, where the Douglas Shire Council has raised concerns about the route going through suburban streets.

Mr Hinchliffe said the government was nearing agreements with Cairns Regional Council and Douglas Shire Council.

It is also close to reaching an Indigenous Land Use Agreement with the five traditional owner clan groups of the Djabugay nation.

Traditional owner Gavin Singleton said the trail would create “long-term economic benefit to all our family groups of Djabugay nation” and improve social and emotional wellbeing by enabling people to get back to, and care for, country.

“Whatever happens on our country should be our business, and we should be part of it,” Mr Singleton said.

Traditional owners will be involved in co-designing and monitoring construction of the trail.

Richard Bing, also a traditional owner, said Djabugay involvement in the project would ensure the stories of the area were “told the right way by the right people”.

He grew up learning to hunt in the rainforest area through which part of the trail will run.

“Walk softly, tread softly on country, look after country — so country can look after you.”