The Western Rivers

We packed up the van, loaded the kayaks and headed west on Sunday the 10th March 2013. We only had a couple of weeks as I was due to have my cancer operation on the 18th April and I had to be back at least two weeks before the operation so as the doctors could finalise all the test and everything else that doctors have to do before an operation. This was also a great opportunity to get away and do something that would take my mind off what was about to happen to me.                          

Western Hotel Mitchell

We had intended to paddle sections of the Condamine   River but when we arrived at Cecil Plains the river was in flood so we camped there the night and next day headed to the small township of Mitchell. Just out of town is the Neil  Turner weir on the Maranoa River, a great campsite beside the river.  Flushing toilets, a cold shower and a boat ramp to launch the kayaks. And only a few minutes to a great little town with lots of facilities, what more could a kayaker want. We stayed here for a few days.



Campsite beside Maranoa River

Maranoa River

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

A mishap on the Maranoa

After a long absence

It is now the 4th March  2014. I have been away from "A Bushwalkers Diary" for three and a half years. Where has the time gone? Read on and I shall explain.

During that time I have had two major medical procedures that laid me low for some time, but we wont go into that. I am alive, fit and doing very well, still bush walking, kayaking and travelling. In fact I was still walking and travelling in between my brushes with ill health, but I just was not blogging during these periods. Now all that is behind me it's time to start blogging again.

I have also had to change the URL of my Blog's address, so if you have found me again, welcome back. Three and a half years is too long ago to start telling you about where we had walked and what we had done, so I will only tell you about two really great trips we had last year.

The first one was in March of 2013. We loaded the kayaks on the Prado (yes we have updated the Kluger and now have a Prado) hooked up the Crusader X-Country caravan (we have also upgraded the humble Avan and now have an off road caravan) and headed west to spend a few weeks paddling in some of our iconic Western Rivers.

The second trip was in late August of 2013. We took the trekking gear, kayaks, bikes and caravan and headed to western NSW to spend a few months following the Darling River downstream to  it's junction with the Murray River, paddling the water holes and tributaries of the Darling. They call this trip The Darling River Run if you do it by car, we were not just driving it but also paddling wherever we could.

Mt Greville

 I have not been up Mt Greville this year which is a real surprise to me as it is my favourite mountain walk in South East Queensland. I was supposed to take the club up here a few weeks ago but I had to ask another club member to lead the walk as I was a bit sick with a severe head cold.

They had a really good day and found a way to the summit that I have never done so I was keen to go out there and climb to the top. Colin from the bushwalkers was free for a mid week walk so I contacted him and we drove out to the Mt Greville National Park.

From the car park we headed up Waterfall Gorge, marvelling at the fact that such a barren looking mountain from the road could hide such a wonderful gorge as this one and a couple of other equally attractive gorges on its other sides. We had a late smoko on the northern rocky outcrop that juts out below the summit. Really great views down onto Moogerah Dam, north to Flinders Peak and everything in between.

From our smoko stop we rejoined the track and followed it south, slowly climbing all the way until we arrived at the base of the huge rock face that forms the summit of Mt Greville. Even though Colin had not been to the top before he had spoken to a bushwalker the week before who had given him a vague description on how to reach the summit on this track. As the track had petered out at this point we decide to turn right and try and get to the summit from this side.

It was very difficult walking between the base of the cliff and the scrub growing up to the rock face. We kept going until we found an old abounded climbers sling hanging from a rock anchor about 20 meters up the rock face. It was then obvious to us that if a rock climber could not get up here than there was no way a couple of walkers could.   We backtracked to where the track had petered out and after a bit of searching around we found the correct track and continued following the base of the cliff line. The track suddenly started to climb away from the base and up a bit of a gully and before long we had met the track that goes to the summit from Palm Gorge.

We had really enjoyed the track around the base of the cliff, this time of year all the wildflowers are out, the trees are covered in blossoms and bird life everywhere. This mountain has so much to offer the bushwalker, there have been times when we have seen rock wallabies and wedge tailed eagles up here.

Once we reached the original track it was just a steep uneventful walk on a well worn track to the top. Every time I get to the summit of Mt Greville I am disgusted at the mentality of a section of the bushwalking fraternity. Why do they have to build cairns on the top of peaks in National Parks? We know we are at the top; we don’t need to be told so by you spoiling such a beautiful spot by collecting every rock within carrying distance and building a rock mound to your own ego. Leave it how it should be, natural and wild. That is why we climb up here.

A late lunch was eaten on the rocks on the western side of the summit overlooking the Main Range National Park. A wonderful spot to eat your lunch. With reluctance we hoisted our day packs and headed down the track towards Palm Gorge. I have always returned via the South East Ridge which is the shortest way down but is also not a very easy walking track. The track is poorly marked and treacherous underfoot as it consists of loose shaly rock for a large section of the descent, very easy to have a fall. I don’t think I have ever been down by this route without at least one fall.

Today we are breaking with tradition and are going to descend to the car via Palm Gorge.

Palm Gorge is even better than Waterfall Gorge as far as beauty is concerned, giant trees and palms reaching for the sky and set in this absolutely stunning gorge that at time gets so narrow you feel you could almost touch the other side. All the way down there are smaller gorges going off on either side just beckoning for the bushwalker to explore. Alas, not enough time in a day to do this mountain justice.

Before we know it we are out of the gorge and back on the track through the eucalyptus forest and back to the car park for the drive back to Tamborine Mountain. This mountain has so much to explore that I must try and get out here more; there are a couple of other gorges up there that I would like to go and look at next year.

Daves Creek Circuit

Daves Creek Circuit 

This was a club walk lead by Denise and held on Saturday 11 September.

 Fourteen club members and a visitor (Margaret) appeared out of the woodwork for the clubs walk around Daves Creek Circuit up at Binna Burra. This was in stark contrast to the three lonely walkers who turned up for the ascent up Mt Greville for the walk two weeks ago.

Daves Creek Circuit is always a favourite with the club as it is a fairly easy walk showcasing some of the most varied vegetation in the South East, two great lookouts and at this time of the year the wild flowers are always out.

It had rained the night before so the track was a bit slippery but being a short walk we were not in a hurry. At the turnoff to the Molongolee Cave the group split in two as the track from here to the rocky slab where we have smoko is always overgrown and some members did not wish to walk it. Much to our surprise both tracks have become overgrown so we all had to walk through a thick bush track to get to the slab. The slab must have lost its popularity as a lookout and smoko stop to have become so overgrown.

The next stop was at the Numinbah Lookout before we continued on to have lunch at Surprise Rock. Here the group again split in two with the rock climbers amongst us climbing up onto Surprise rock for a lunch spot with wonderful views as far as the eye could see while the remainder of the group had lunch in an equally as nice spot around the back of the rocky outcrop with its own superb views.

The walk back to the car park was through rainforest including the crossing of a few minor creeks. A discussion was had on which creek is Daves Creek, so if anybody who is reading this knows then please pass this knowledge on to us.

Afternoon coffee at the Binna Burra Café bought an end to another great walk.

Harvey Bay

Fraser Island revisited.   I started a Blog last week to tell you about our trip up to Harvey Bay to go on a 4x4 bus tour of the island but got carried away and told you about a bush walk I did up there several years ago instead. Well I am back with the account of our latest trip to Fraser.

We went up to stay with a friend, John; we were both Sappers in the army back during the Vietnam War. John and Tess had invited us up to come with them on a day tour of Fraser Island and as it is a long drive from Tamborine Mountain we were to stay with them for three nights.

We arrived on the Monday night to enable us to be on time for the 7.30 am tour on Tuesday. The bus took us down to the car ferry at Rivers Head for the trip across the Great Sandy Strait to dock at the mouth of Wanggoolba Creek where we were met by a very large 4x4 bus. We climbed aboard and set off at what appeared to be very fast but in fact was not as the track is very narrow, sandy and the overhanging branches tend to give that impression. We were then informed that we would not be going to Lake McKenzie as the glossy tourist brochure had promised, it was closed for restoration work so we would be going to Lake Birrabeen instead.

Lake Birrabeen is very nice and not as touristy so we did enjoy the visit. Crystal clear blue water, white sandy beaches and surrounded by pristine heath lands, a perfect example of a perched lake on a sand island. Back on the bus for a tour through rainforest, past the old Central Station and down onto the beach at Eurong for lunch.

Part of the tour was a buffet lunch at the Eurong Beach Resort and we could happily say that this was the best lunch we have ever had on a tour, not that we take many tours but it was very good. The tour than proceeded north along the 75 mile beach, this beach is the road on Fraser Island and has been the scene of many horrific traffic accidents so the speed has been lowered to 80 km and all road rules apply.

We had been offered a plane flight at extra cost which nobody seemed keen to take up so the bus pulled up next to a six seater aircraft parked on the beach and the pilot climbed aboard the bus and explained the proposed flight to us. Sounded good so Wendy, John, me and two other passengers got off the bus and boarded this tiny aircraft for the flight of a lifetime. We took off up the beach then out over the ocean before turning for a flight over this magnificent island with its rainforest, numerous lakes and sand blows. Then back down along the beach, over the Maheno ship wreck to land on the beach at the Pinnacles where our bus was parked.

We only had a short time to look at the Pinnacles, made of different coloured sand deposits that are being weathered and shaped by the wind, before we were back on the bus and heading south along the beach for a stop at the beautiful Eli Creek. The water in this creek is so clear it appears as if it is just a bed of pure white sand with fish swimming in it. Then back along the beach to Eurong where the driver washed the sand and salt from under the bus before our journey back through the rainforest to our next stop at Central Station.

Back in the days when the island was logged for its timber Central Station was a small sawmilling community that even boasted its own school. It is almost criminal to think that such a magnificent island was once used for logging and the mining of mineral sands. We owe a lot to the small band of environmentalist who worked so hard to save this island so as we can all enjoy it today.

 We did a slow walk along the banks of Wanggooalb Creek; this is the same creek that empties into The Great Sandy Strait where we landed with the car ferry. This creek is very similar to Eli Creek, crystal clear water with a white sandy bottom running through rainforest.

We all clambered back onto the bus for the trip along the sandy tracks to the car ferry for a late afternoon cruise back to the mainland just in time for Wendy and I to book a seat on a whale watching tour next day.

We were up bright and early for the drive down to the boat harbour at Urangan to board the “Spirit” for our half day whale watch. What a trip, we would have seen at least 75 different whales doing just about everything that whales do apart from breaching. The boat is only a few years old and was only half full so we had a fantastic morning on a wonderful boat.

Lunch was fish and chips on the foreshore at Harvey Bay before driving back to John and Tess’s house for a lazy afternoon with a few beers and a wonderful BBQ that night to top off our visit.

Then the long drive back to Tamborine Mountain next day.

Fraser Island

We have just returned from a few days up at Hervey Bay. We called in there to see an army mate of mine on our way home from North Qld in June. John had invited us back for a few days so the four of us could go over to Fraser Island for a day trip.

It is 5 or 6 years since I have been to Fraser Island and it was then as a bushwalker so we were keen to go back but this time as a tourist. I have very fond memories of the island, the walk I did then was known as “The six day Southern Walk”. I had caught the passenger boat over to the Kingfisher Bay Resort, I then walked from there to Lake McKenzie where I camped the night. Lake McKenzie is one of the most beautiful and unusual lakes in the world. It is a perched lake of 130ha in size that sits 80 meters above sea level on a sand island.

The walk then meanders through an amazing diversity of vegetation down to Central Station, past another couple of lakes to the night camp at Lake Boomanjin before coming out onto the beach at Dilli Village. From there it is a long walk up the beach to the township of Eurong for the third night’s camp which is up behind the sand dunes just north of the town. The walk along the beach can be very dangerous as the beach is the road and the tourist in their 4x4 have no regard for the lonely bushwalker trudging up the beach. Top this off with a liberal amount of alcohol and no 4x4 driving experience before they arrive on the island, it has its risk.

That night up behind the sand dunes while eating my meal for the night I had a very scary encounter with a dingo. He was intent on having my meal so he lunged at my face to try and get me to drop the food. He must have been hungry as it was just a meal of rehydrated curried beef and rice which is not all that tasty. I drove him off with a stick but he still hung around which made for a very restless night’s sleep, not much protection in a nylon tent from a hungry dingo.

The next section of the walk continued along the beach for about 6 km before heading up over the Hammerstone Sandblow, hard work carrying a 20kg backpack up over a sandblow but worth it once you get to Lake Wabby. A lovely little lake that is slowly being drowned by the ever encroaching sand from the Hammerstone Sandblow. I was not impressed by the walker’s camp here as it is on a dry ridge a distance from the lake so I continued on to Lake McKenzie. This made for a long day of walking but the allure of Lake McKenzie made it worth the walk.

I was now a day ahead of my schedule so I decided to spend the last two nights of the walk camped here. The next day was spent swimming in the crystal clear waters of the lake and just lounging around relaxing and swapping yarns with fellow walkers. A day off on a bushwalk is a real luxury that I seldom ever get the chance to do so I really enjoyed it.

The last day of the walk was following the sandy track back to Kingfisher Bay Resort where I caught the boat back to the mainland, arriving in the early afternoon. Wendy was there waiting to drive me back to Tamborine Mountain. A cold beer, a hot shower, a meal that was not out of a packet and a comfortable bed, all the luxury of home but I still missed the joy of being on Fraser Island.

I started today’s Blog to tell you about our trip up to Hervey Bay but have got waylaid remembering a past walk and now have run out of time so I will have to post that story in a later Blog.

Mt Mathieson and Governors Chair

14 August 2010 - Mount Mathieson Circuit - Main Range

Being a very cold winters morning a larger than expected group of 9 walkers met at the Vic for the drive out to the car park at Spicers Gap. Packs on and we set off up the trail towards Mt Mathieson with Paul in the lead, setting up a brisk pace for so early in the morning.

The track is in very good condition apart from a few branches across the track from the recent heavy winds. Steve had the clubs GPS set with the coordinates for the top of the mount and Governors Chair, something went wrong with the first settings as by the time we reached the summit the GPS was still telling us we had another 10 km to go. A little bit of operator error here but he made up for it with his calculation for Governors Chair, this one was spot on.

We had smoko on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Fassifern Valley and Cunningham’s Gap, slightly marred by the sound of trucks slowly making their way up the mountain road. From here the moderate section of the walk starts as it winds its way up through rocks and the steep slopes towards the peak. Once we were over the top we descended into a very pleasant section of highland rainforest with a very easy walking track with lots of bird, ferns and large trees, such a contrast to the rocky, almost barren slopes that we had just walked through.

Out of the forest and into grassy woodland with grass trees and gums before coming across an abandoned timber jinker from the days when this area was logged. Not far from here we joined the old road and turned left for the walk down to Spicers Gap and then the short walk up over the rocks to Governors Chair. It was just after midday so we had lunch at the lookout, this is a superb place for lunch as the views are endless.

The walk down to the cars after lunch is only short so we called into Moss’s Well for a quick look before continuing past the bell bird colony to the cars. Steve had bought a few bags of oranges from his trees to share with the walkers before the sulphur crested cockatoo beat him to them.

Then on to the small town of Aratula for a coffee, a few vegies from the shop next door and then home to the mountain before 5pm.