Gold Creek Reservoir is located in Upper Brookfield in Brisbane’s western suburbs and this week we hiked around it, excited to have found a new trail close to the city. The dam is Queensland's second oldest, constructed in 1886 to supplement Enoggera Dam It was extensively refurbished in 2005 and is the world’s first un-reinforced concrete stepped spillway. The lake is quite small with a catchment area of just 10.5km2 and holds 801 megalitres of water at full supply. At the foot of the dam is a picnic area, a public toilet and an information board. After morning tea and a quick walk up the top of the dam earth wall, we set off to follow the walking track circuit. The bushland surrounding Gold Creek is part of the D'Aguilar National Park and contains plants and wildlife of regional biodiversity significance. We decided to follow the track in an anti-clockwise direction to complete the steepest sections first. The track was fairly narrow and quite steep at times, but the spectacular lake views were quite something. We passed through tall eucalypt forests with pickets of rainforest plants in the more protected gullies. After completing the 5 kilometre circuit we had a picnic lunch, then decided to clock up another 5 kilometres by following the nearby Moggill Creek Bikeway along the river. All in all, another great hiking day in perfect Qld. winter weather. Who could ask for more?
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This week it was back to Burbank to walk in the Brisbane Koala Bushlands. Some of us had done this walk in March last year when it was extremely dry and hot, so we expected a big difference today after all our recent rain. The bushlands stretch from Belmont to Burbank, providing a significant koala habitat, but we didn't see a single one despite plenty of signs of their claw marks on tree trunks. The rain definitely made this walk a much greener, cooler place to visit than this time last year. In fact, we got caught in a few heavy downpours during the morning, but with the weather still quite warm we didn't mind. After our hike we ate our packed lunches in the sheltered area near the car park. Thank goodness for the shelter as the rain continued to pelt down. Unfortunately we had to share it with a couple of groups who teased us with delicious smells - one lot were having fish and chips, and the other group were barbecuing sausages. We consoled ourselves with a piece of Jayne's delicious ginger and date slice for dessert and headed home, happy little hikers.
Australia is a big, beautiful country and during July we travelled over 6,000 kilometres through Queensland, New South Wales, South Australi., Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory. For two weeks of this time we stayed in the Barossa Valley. As well as covering a few kilometres in the car, I also covered quite a few kilometres on foot. The Barossa is a hiker's dream, with many trails of various lengths through a variety of landscapes. The popular Mawson and Heysen trails pass through this area and overlap other trails. Our stay in the Barossa was thanks to Sam, our nephew's dog. While Sam's family travelled overseas, we dog-sat at his home in Tanunda. Each morning the dog and I would head out in the early morning light, exploring places close to Tanunda for an hour or so. Then I would drop him home and sneak out further afield. I would love to have taken him everywhere, but his strength was exhausting and I needed time to let my arms retract back into their sockets. The Barossa Valley, made famous by its vines and wines, is a beautiful part of Australia. Some of our Qld friends think it is too cold to visit in winter, but every season shapes a landscape in different ways. And winter, though snappy, can produce some crisp, clear skies that make you want to rug up, don the possum socks and boots, and hike briskly through fields and hills and valleys. My favourite walk was the Little Kaiserstuhl trail through grazing properties up the western face of the Barossa Range. Johannes Menge, an eccentric geologist, gave the name Kaiserstuhl (the Emperor's seat) to the larger of the two hills passed on this walk. The sky was a perfect blue on the day I chose this trail, and the clouds put on an amazing, ever changing show of patterns and shapes. William Wordsworth was with me all the way on this marvellous day and his poem, Daffodils kept playing in my head. I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils ... After climbing through open pastures, I followed a dirt track passing through a denser area of trees and shrubs where birdsong was plentiful. Coming down out of the hills the area opened up to vineyards and wineries and more grazing pastures. The following photos attest to the beauty of many other walking trails in the area, all worthy of exploring and soaking up the Barrosa. Now that we are back home I am enjoying the memories as I sort through the hundreds of photos I took, and look forward to revisiting the Barossa in a different season some time.
This week the Hungry Hikers rambled and scrambled around White Rock - Spring Mountain Conservation Estate, a totally new and very pleasant discovery for me. There are a variety of trails over 2,500 hectares, with the weathered rocky outcrops creating some interesting climbs and dramatic scenery. We began at the Paperbark Flats Picnic area at the end of School Road, off Redbank Plains Road and followed the White Rock Multi-user Trail. The track passed through a variety of vegetation from riparian to open eucalypt forest and rocky ridges.
This hike now goes on my list of favourites. It was challenging, but not daunting. It was full of variety and the views were amazing. We only did 10 kilometres, but we might tackle the more challenging, 19 kilometre Yaddamun Trail sometime soon.
This week's walk was one of the most scenic I have done with the Hungry Hikers. It was also the busiest (so many hikers out walking and wanting to chat) and the most memorable muscle-wise (our legs carried mountain climbing memories for quite a few days after). Just 60 kilometres north of Brisbane, the Glasshouse Mountains offer many spectacular walks and climbs. The Glass House Mountains were named by Lieutenant James Cook (later to become Captain James Cook) when he sailed by in 1770 as they reminded him of glass factory furnace stacks or Glasshouses back in Yorkshire, England. The range was formed as molten lava cooled to form hard rock in the cores of volcanoes between 26-27 million years ago. Millions of years of erosion have removed the surrounding exteriors of volcanic cores and softer sandstone rocks. The Glass House Mountains are located in the traditional lands of the Jinibara and Gubbi Gubbi people and according to legend the mountains are members of a family. The story goes that Tibrogargan (the father) and Beerwah (the mother) lived in this area with their many children. One day while looking out to sea, Tibrogargan saw the ocean start to rise. As he warned his family to move to higher ground for safety, he called to his eldest son Coonowrin (Crookneck) to assist the pregnant Beerwah. Coonowrin didn't know she was pregnant and believed she was big enough to take care of herself, so he ran off to save himself. When Tibrogargan realised that Coonowrin had run off and left his mother to fend for herself he threw a club at him, breaking his neck which is still crocked (why he is also called Crookneck). The family survived the flooding and when they returned to the coastal plain, Tibrogargan refused to look at his son, Coonowrin and to this day still looks away from him towards the ocean. Our first stop was at Mt Beerburrum. Beerburrum is an Aboriginal word meaning 'rainbow lorikeet', but I think it means 'beer needed after climbing'. A steep paved track winds to the top of this mountain, the highest of the group at 556 metres above sea level. Granted, we started from the carpark part way up, but our legs and lungs knew they were working hard today. We climbed through a small patch of rainforest, then through heath with many grasstrees. Wattle beginning to flower and pretty butterflies added gorgeous bursts of colour along the way. The 360 degree views from the summit were well worth the effort. After Mount Beerburrum, we drove a short distance to Mount Ngungun and again put our legs to work on another steep climb. In the language of the Gubbi Gubbi people, the mountain's name means 'faces'. The track begins in open forest with a fern understory and climbs 250 metres to a ridge offering more amazing 360 degree views. We chose to break for lunch here to enjoy the views. We had planned to climb more mountains than the above two, for the climbs, though strenuous, are not too long. However, we had done a lot of chatting to other hikers on the hills and we ran out of time. Our legs were grateful for this, but we have to come back soon for this area is truly beautiful and there are many more tracks to cover.
Another walk this week which has been a favourite of ours to re-visit - Berrinba Wetlands. Pathways, boardwalks and bridges provide easy access through the wetlands, and the recent flooding has refreshed the area. Access can be gained on Wayne Goss Drive, and as well as the walking tracks there are barbecues, picnic shelters, public amenities, an interactive information centre, children's playground and public works of art.
Mt Warning, the remnant central vent of an ancient volcano, is 14 kilometres west-south-west of Murwillumbah. Only an hour and a half away from our home, it seems a whole different world set in the beautiful country of the Northern Rivers District of N.S.W. My daughter and I planned to make an ascent to see the sunrise, so we slept overnight and my husband joined us to enjoy a pleasant couple of days exploring the area. The mountain has a dual name - Captain Cook named it Mount Warning, but to the Aboriginal community it is known as Wollumbin. The mountain remains a place of cultural and traditional significance to the Bundjalung people. In Aboriginal legend, Wollumbin was a giant bird, speared by a warrior. That fatal spear is still visible as a point on the summit. Cook saw the mountain from the Endeavour in 1770 and named it to warn ships of a dangerous reef off the coast. We stopped first at the lovely, sleepy seaside town of Kingscliff, where we stretched our legs and enjoyed a coffee in one of the many outdoor cafes that line the street that hugs the waterfront. We then followed the Tweed River in search of Tumbulgum where we were told the local tavern served delicious counter meals. My source was not wrong. The food was amazing and the view even better. We dined on the verandah overlooking a perfectly calm river that reflected the mountains and sky. Mt Warning loomed in the distance and was not too daunting, though the top section looked a bit steep even from here.
Uki is a small village near Mt Warning and may have derived its name from an Aboriginal word for a small, fern-like water plant. Another theory is that timber cutters, who were the first non-Aboriginal settlers in the area, marked the finest cedar for export to the United Kingdom with "UK1", this eventually becoming UKI, or Uki as it is known today. Whatever its origins, today it has a distinct 'hippy' feel about it. After checking in to our digs for the night, Tawa and I went for a drive to see where our walk would begin. That sorted, we tackled a short walk on the nearby Lyre Bird Trail, followed by a drink at the delightful Rainforest Cafe. Our studio room at the Mt Warning B & B was wonderful, but we didn't get to properly enjoy the comfortable beds as we kept an eye on the clock all night so as not to miss our 3:30 a.m. wake up time. By 4 we began our climb in the dark, well prepared with our head torches and warm jackets. It was solid going, up, ever-upwards. We caught glimpses of the stars through the odd clearing, but mostly we proceeded under a canopy that blocked out any light from the night sky. The track is quite distinct and begins well-paved and has steps that are easy to navigate. The higher you go though, the rougher the track gets, until you finally come to the most difficult section up the steep, rocky final descent that requires the aid of a chain to help you pull yourself up. By this time my leg muscles were shaking with fatigue and it took a mammoth effort to navigate this last bit. The darkness did not help, but this may have been a blessing in disguise as I didn't realise just how steep and how long this section really was. Thanks to Tawa encouraging me on (though it felt like bullying at the time) I made the summit in the gathering dawn of a clear morning ready to witness a spectacular sunrise. We (and about a dozen others) were the first in Australia to see the sun on this day and though we paid the price physically, it was well worth it. At the summit there are several viewing platforms connected by short tracks or walkways so that you can take in the breathtaking 360 degree views. Low cloud or fog lay like a cotton wool blanket over the valleys, the air was pure and clear, and there hung that magical hush that anticipates the sunrise. We couldn't drink in enough of it. All good things must come to an end and we eventually had to begin the long climb down. We had breakfasted on fruit and nuts and rested our weary legs and lungs, so we were as ready as we would ever be. This rocky section took a good half hour to go up, and the same to go down. Both directions were tricky as you had to watch your footing. These photos do not do justice to just how steep it really is. A hot coffee and a hot shower were most welcome when we finally made it back to our accommodation. Then it was back home driving through more beautiful country with a stop at Tropical Fruit World (where we picked up a bucket of avocados for $10 - BARGAIN), and a stop at Point Danger and Coolangatta (where we indulged in a Messina Gelato). Hey, we earned it, but do yourself a favour next time you are in Coolangatta and have one, even if you don't climb a mountain. They haven't been voted the best gelato in Australia for nothing.
We walked close to home rather late in the afternoon this week so that we could have dinner together and watch a video of some friends who recently did Wainright's Coast to Coast Walk across England. We had recently walked to nearby Wickham Peak, but this time we combined the fairly easy Melichrus Trail and a climb to Plunkett Park cave. The Melichrus Trail is named for the plant Melichrus adpressus, a spiky native heath species that grows in the local area. The trail begins from the end of Flesser Road just behind Cedar Creek School. After crossing a dry gully we followed the clearly signposted circuit on a wide track through open forest with a mixture of swamp box, ironbark and spotted gum. Leaving this track we proceeded up a steep incline until we came to a large rocky outcrop. The next bit was tricky as we put ourselves into mountain goat mode and clambered around the rocks until we spotted the object of our search - a small cave near the top of the rocky ridge. We decided that the cave was worth closer investigation so we climbed further up. It was too difficult to reach from the front, but we discovered a tiny entrance to it from the rear and higher up. Gail and I braved the narrowness of the entry and slithered inside and we have the photo to prove it. The cave was much smaller than it looked from a distance, but the view out was spectacular. We had a light shower of rain on the way back to the car, but were glad of the cooler walking weather at last. Then it was back to Mt Warren Park for dinner and a movie. No fancy cafes or restaurants for us tonight, but the home cooked meal to which we each contributed was as fine a dining as we could wish for. The girls from our group who walked the C-to-C trail last year especially enjoyed reliving the journey across England as we finished the night with a video of friends who also recently completed the walk.
The Aussie Bushwalking website provides clear directions for many walks in our area. For details to follow the trails we walked today, follow the links to Malichrus Trail or Plunkett Park Cave Trail. Last year I went on an excellent Logan City Council Community Bushwalk through Plunkett Conservation Park just west of Cedar Creek, so today I took my bushwalking buddies to explore this trail. Although we are well into April it was a very hot day and some climbing was involved, so we sweated and huffed and puffed a bit, but the sky was clear and the bush invigorating. Miss Plunkett (a bikini clad, hula-skirted gum tree) welcomed us on the Quinzeh Creek Road where we entered the park about a kilometre on. Coming from Beenleigh, look for the entry on the left signposted "Wickham Timber Reserve". A clear trail runs for about a kilometre where you turn left at a bench seat and start the climb up a rocky slope to a lookout at Wickham Peak. After enjoying views of lush bushland towards Brisbane in one direction and towards another, not so attractive views of the huge new housing development known as Yarrabilba, we continued on the Calytrix Circuit. Further along the trail a path leads off to the left to another lookout - Grass Tree Lookout. The Calytrix Circuit rejoins the path at the top of the first rocky hill climb and then it is downhill all the way back. It is a 7 kilometre walk in total and well signposted, though there a few unsigned tracks leading off the main path which we might explore some other time. The area we passed through included dense and open eucalypt forests, shrubby areas of thick acacia, and densely vegetated gullies formed by rolling hills and sandstone outcrops. After our last few weeks of small walks and big feasts we enjoyed the rigour of this walk, but also enjoyed ending with a light lunch at the fabulous Green Frog Hollow Cafe at Logan Village. The candle holder on the table summed our day up nicely.
Today was very hot, so thank goodness we got an early start. We left home by 6:00 a.m. and by 7:30 we were walking through the Brisbane Botanical Gardens and onwards up to the summit of Mt Coot-tha via a steep trail in the energy-sapping heat. While recuperating at the summit cafe with a well-earned coffee and cake, the lovely view of Brisbane became encased in clouds and we were cooled with a delicious downpour. Mt Coot-tha was originally home to the Turrbal Aboriginal people and the name derives from the aboriginal word for honey, 'kuta.' It has had a varied history of logging, gold mining and as a military base. Today the area offers over 50 kilometres of walking tracks and it is a popular area for people training to do the Kokoda Trail in PNG. The trail down was much easier and we then spent a very pleasant couple of hours exploring the magnificent gardens, followed by a picnic lunch by a cool pond. 13 kilometres in all, but as I always say, hill kilometres count as more than flat ones. Brisbane is lucky to have two botanic gardens - the City Botanic Gardens on the Brisbane River near QUT in the city centre and the Mt Coot-tha Gardens at the base of Mt Coot-tha. The latter were founded in 1970 and include a tropical dome, a fern house, Japanese garden, bonsai house and a variety of rainforests and lagoon areas. The well-established 56 hectare gardens feature more than 20,000 plants. It is a peaceful haven to escape to from the bustling city. Throughout the Botanic Gardens are delightful pieces of art that blend perfectly with the surroundings. |
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