[6] The west of the region is dominated in the south by an extensive Tertiary sand sheet dissected by the drainage systems of the Holroyd Plain, the Tertiary laterite of the Weipa Plateau, and the low rises of Mesozoic sandstones, while the northern section consists of the Weipa Plateau together with extensive coastal plains along the Gulf of Carpentaria.

[9] Along the eastern margin the Coen-Yambo Inlier, which includes the Iron and McIlwraith ranges, has complex geology of volcanic, metamorphic and acid intrusive rocks.

[9] The Laura Lowlands, composed of sands and silts and colluvial and alluvial clays, lies between the Coen-Yambo Inlier and Battle Camp Sandstones,[9] in the catchment of the Normanby River.

Littoral rainforests and coastal vine thickets extend along the east coast southwards of Princess Charlotte Bay, including offshore islands like the Flinders Group.

[14] The Iron and McIlwraith Ranges are home to the most extensive rainforests and vine forests in the ecoregion, which grow on older metamorphic rocks on the eastern side of the escarpment.

[15][17] Heathland of low-growing plants is common on nutrient-poor sandy soils formed from eroded granite, including large areas of the Iron and McIlwraith ranges.

[18] Several species are native to both the northern Cape York Peninsula and New Guinea, including the palm cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus), southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius), yellow-billed kingfisher (Syma torotoro), Papuan pitta (Erythropitta macklotii), trumpet manucode (Phonygammus keraudrenii), magnificent riflebird (Ptiloris magnificus), fawn-breasted bowerbird (Chlamydera cerviniventris), and yellow-legged flycatcher (Kempiella griseoceps).

[11][18] The spotted cuscus (Spilocuscus maculatus) and giant white-tailed rat (Uromys caudimaculatus) are native to the ecoregion and to New Guinea.

Several Important Bird Areas in the ecoregion, including Lilyvale, Morehead River, Lockerbie Scrub, and Iron and McIlwraith ranges, are threatened by property and tourism development.