Wildlife at Mulligans Campground, Gibraltar Range National Park, NSW: Part 4.

March 13, 2016, 6:59 pm

≫ Next: Rummery Park Campground, Whian Whian Conservation Area and Nightcap National Park, NSW.

≪ Previous: Fern Tree Forest Walk, Mulligans Campground, Gibraltar Range National Park, Part 3.

Along the Gwydir Highway we moved camp three times even though the campsites were very close together and it would have been possible to base ourselves at one campground and day visit all the others. Where possible we like to camp in a National Park rather than day visit because we really enjoy sitting in the campground and observing the local wildlife. Early mornings and late afternoons, as well as after dark, are usually the best times to observe wildlife and it is easier to be there at these times while camping.

At Mulligans Campground our every move was observed by a Satin Bowerbird and at one point it tried to steal our morning tea by darting at us while making loud noises. We've never thought of Bowerbirds as being aggressive but this one was very pushy. We were also watched by a couple of Pied Currawongs but they appeared to be intimidated by the aggressive Bowerbird and stayed sitting in the trees.

In the late afternoons, Red-necked Wallabies would wander around our campsite.

White-throated Scrubwrens, Eastern Yellow Robins, Brown Thornbills, and Bassian Thrush were also common around our campsite.

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Rummery Park Campground, Whian Whian Conservation Area and Nightcap National Park, NSW.

March 16, 2016, 2:52 am

≫ Next: Boggy Creek Walk, Whian Whian Conservation Area/Nightcap National Park, NSW.

≪ Previous: Wildlife at Mulligans Campground, Gibraltar Range National Park, NSW: Part 4.

Rummery Park Campground, in Whian Whian Conservation Area, adjoins Nightcap National Park. There is a small (sloping) area for camper trailers in front of the camp kitchen, a few tent sites scattered about and a walk-in tent camping area across a small bridge. There is a group camping area across the road.

The trailer camping area at Rummery Park.

Electric BBQ outside the camp kitchen and wood BBQ's inside.

The walk-in tent camping area.

Goanna Campground for groups. Magnificent Kauri tree in the front.

The first thing we noticed at Rummery Park was a couple of large goannas patrolling the campground.

Kookaburras were keeping an eye on things and Satin Bowerbirds foraged in the grass in the early morning.

Satin Bowerbird (male) and Pale-yellow Robin.

There were crows nests and Stag-horns growing Hoop Pines around the campground.

Walks:
Two walks leave from the campground, Boggy Creek Track (2 km one way) and Peates Mountain Walk (3.5 km one way). It is possible to add the Minyon Loop Walking Track to the Boggy Creek Track. I will cover Boggy Creek Track in the next blog.

There are more walks in Nightcap National Park. Minyon Falls Lookout is a few kilometers from the campground and a walk leaves from the lookout carpark. Another walk leaves from Minyon Grass Picnic Area. We will explore Nightcap National Park in the coming days.

We planned on doing Peates Mountain Walk on our last morning at Rummery Park but it was too wet and we ended up packing in the pouring rain.

This Magpie was as wet as we were.

Driving out of Rummery Park.

Bird List:
Topknot Pigeon, White-headed Pigeon, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Laughing Kookaburra, White-throated Treecreeper, Noisy Miner, Logrunner, Eastern Whipbird, Eastern Yellow Robin, Pale-yellow Robin, Satin Bowerbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Torresian Crow, Red-browed Finch.

Details for Rummery Park Campground:
Directions: In Whian Whian Conservation Area, North Coast Region.The campground can be approached via Rosebank, Dunoon, or if coming from QLD, from Ewingsdale via Coolamon Scenic Drive. Then drive north along Minyon Falls Road, past Minyon Falls and turn into Peates Mountain Road.
Types Of Camping: tent, camper trailer site, camping beside vehicles.
Camping Fees: Minimum daily rate of $23 for 1 to 2 people plus 2.5% booking fee.
Vehicle Fee: No vehicle fee.
Bookings: Book online: http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/bookings
Book by phone: 13000 PARKS (13000 72757). There is no phone reception at the campground. There is phone reception at Minyon Grass Picnic Area and 2 km south on Nightcap Range Road.
Facilities: Non-flush toilets, Electric BBQs, wood BBQ's, camp kitchen, some tables, tank water, walks. No phone reception.
Prohibitions: No smoking, no pets.
Contacts: Alstonville: 02 6627 0200 8.30 am - 4.30 pm Monday to Friday.
Website: http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/camping-and-accommodation/campgrounds/Rummery-Park-campground
http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/Nightcap-National-Park/Visitor-Info
Cautions: leeches, narrow roads.

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Boggy Creek Walk, Whian Whian Conservation Area/Nightcap National Park, NSW.

March 18, 2016, 1:11 am

≫ Next: Minyon Falls, Nightcap National Park, New South Wales.

≪ Previous: Rummery Park Campground, Whian Whian Conservation Area and Nightcap National Park, NSW.

Boggy Creek Walk is a 4 km return walk from Rummery Park Campground to Minyon Falls. The walk meanders beside beautiful Boggy Creek and swimming is allowed.

There had been heavy rain around the time of our visit and one section of the walk was flowing like a boggy creek!

There were majestic Brush Box, Turpentines and Blackbutts beside the track.

Brush Box Lophostemon confertus and Turpentine Syncarpia glomulifera

We saw a few Eastern Water Skinks and one Blue-speckled Forest Skink. The highlight of the walk was seeing a Rough-scaled Snake dashing across the path. Rough-scaled Snakes, also known as Clarence River Snakes, are listed as dangerous and their bite can be lethal but we always treat snakes with respect. We stood back and watched it proceed to the creek, no doubt, for a nice nighttime feed of frogs. The snake had quite a large tick attached but appeared to be in good health.

Rough-scaled Snake Tropidechis carinatus

We came to Minyon Falls Road, just below the causeway, and saw a sign across the road for the Minyon Loop Walk, which is a hard, 7.5 km, walk that keen hikers could add to the Boggy Creek Walk but as we were intending to do Minyon Loop the next day we turned around and went back to Rummery Park Campground.

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Minyon Falls, Nightcap National Park, New South Wales.

March 22, 2016, 6:45 pm

≫ Next: The Channon Village Campground, The Channon, New South Wales.

≪ Previous: Boggy Creek Walk, Whian Whian Conservation Area/Nightcap National Park, NSW.

Minyon Falls Lookout

We drove to the Minyon Falls Lookout carpark from Rummery Campground early in the morning. There are gas BBq's, picnic tables and information signs.

It was a short stroll to the lookout platform at the top of Minyon Falls. There were magnificent views of the morning mist just lifting off the mountains and the falls were spectacular after all the recent rain. The scale of the falls falling 100 meters over stunning rhyolite cliffs is hard to convey in a photo.

Minyon Falls Walking Track, 7.5 km loop, hard. This walk can be started from Minyon Falls Picnic Area or Minyon Grass Picnic Area. The loop can also be accessed from Rummery Park Campground via Boggy Creek Walk; an additional 4 km return.

We had been looking forward to hiking the Minyon Falls Walk from the lookout but there had been heavy rain during the night, and over the preceding few days, making a walk already designated hard even more challenging so we made the difficult decision not to do the walk.

Minyon Grass Picnic Area

We drove to Minyon Grass Picnic Area where there are picnic tables, gas BBQ's and toilets. A lookout platform offers excellent views of Minyon Falls in the distance. We noticed a large collection of snail shells at the base of a tree but were unable to find the bird responsible; perhaps a Noisy Pitta.

Minyon Grass to the Base of Minyon Falls Walk, moderate, 4 km return.

We had already decided not to walk the Minyon Falls Walking Track from the top of Minyon Falls because of the wet and slippery conditions but decided we would try to walk to the base of the falls from Minyon Grass. The first 500 m of the walk drops 70 m before leveling off. It was slippery going but we enjoyed the walk through Scribbly Gums, wet rainforest and Bangalow Palms. The track was covered in the red fruit of the palm trees. On a side note, Bangalow Palms are known as Piccabeen Palms in Queensland.

Fungi was flourishing in the wet conditions.

We saw Eastern Water Skinks and Blue-speckled Forest Skinks. Only a few birds were out in the wet.

Brown Cuckoo Dove and Eastern Yellow Robin.

After walking 2 km we were very disappointed to arrive at a sign stating that we had reached the base of the falls. Personally, I don't feel that arriving at a place with no view of the falls qualifies as arriving at the base of the falls! Somewhat stunned and incredulous at this turn of events we made our way to the creek in the hope of perhaps glimpsing the falls from there but there was no sight of the falls to be had. We could see where the Minyon Falls Track crossed the creek to where we stood and there was a track marker indicating a continuation of that track. We scrambled down the first set of rocks but the next set went straight up and were too wet and slippery for us so we returned to the carpark without seeing the falls.

We managed to get up and down this section of the "track".

There is a track marker on the palm, top center. End of the walk for us.

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The Channon Village Campground, The Channon, New South Wales.

March 27, 2016, 4:23 pm

≫ Next: Protesters Falls, Nightcap National Park, NSW.

≪ Previous: Minyon Falls, Nightcap National Park, New South Wales.

From Rummery Park Campground we moved 21 km south west to The Channon Village Campground.

The Channon Village Campground is essentially in the long front yard of a small farm with room to camp on either side of the driveway, however, this description does not do the place justice. The owners, Huge and Nan are very friendly and informative hosts. The facilities are clean and there are a few nice touches like a herb garden and recycling bins. As soon as we set up, we were warmly welcomed and we started to relax in the scenic rural surroundings. We enjoyed the campground so much that we ended up staying an extra night.

We found the campground to be conveniently located. We did day trips to the Protester Falls and Mt Nardi sections of Nightcap National Park, as well as to Nimbin and Byron Bay. I will cover these excursions in future blogs.

For market and craft lovers, it's worth noting that The Channon Craft Market is held next to the campground, on the second Sunday of the month.

Koalas were a highlight of our stay. We saw at least one everyday and on one of the days we saw two koalas; a smaller brown one near our van and a larger grey one across the road. These koalas looked healthy and were the most active we have ever seen; constantly moving around from one mahogany gum tree to another and climbing up and down ordinary pine trees.

On dusk we could see a few Micro Bats flying about. One night we heard the pitter-patter of something dropping out of the tree next to our van and when we shone the torch into the canopy we could see three Sugar Gliders moving around. Nan told us they also had Feather Gliders nesting in the campground.

There is plenty of birdlife around the campground. Satin Bowerbirds were feasting on the fleshy orange arils of a Maiden's Blush tree near our van and White-headed Pigeons flew in every afternoon.

Fleshy arils of the Maiden's Blush tree, Sloanea australis

Eastern Rosella, Pied Butcherbird, Wonga Pigeon and White-headed Pigeon.

I noticed the distinctive coppery head of a Wall Skink poking out of the gate post capping and waited for it to emerge. This skink had a double tip on it's tail. Skinks have the ability to regrow a lost tail and sometimes they regrow a tail from a wound as well; resulting in multiple tails.

Wall Skink, Cryptoblepharus virgatus

The Channon
From the campground we walked along the Channon Environment Walk to The Channon. In the village we found The Channon Tavern, Contemporary Art Gallery, General Store and Community Hall.

All around The Channon and Nimbin area, pot holes in the roads have been highlighted with spray paint. We quickly gave them the name "hippy potholes".

Wildlife List:
Sugar Gliders, Koalas, Wall Skinks, micro bats.
Butterflies: Orchard Swallowtail, Evening Brown, Blue Triangle.
Birdlist: White-faced Heron, White-headed Pigeon, Brown Cuckoo Dove, Crested Pigeon, Wonga Pigeon, Galah, Australian King Parrot, Eastern Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra, White-browed Scrubwren, Noisy Miner, Australasian Figbird, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong,Torresian Crow, Masked Lapwing.

Details for The Channon Village Campground.
Where: 18 km north of Lismore. 18-23 km south of Nimbin depending on route.
Address: 391 The Channon Road, The Channon, New South Wales, 2480
Types of Camping: tents, camper trailers, motorhomes, caravans
Camping Fees: $10 per adult per night, I believe children under 12 are free but please confirm this as I didn't think to check with the owners.
Bookings: It is usually ok to just turn up but if you wish to ensure a spot at busy times then you can phone 0428 886 335.
Facilities: Flushing toilets, cold showers, bins, laundry tub, town water. We had no problem getting Telstra phone and internet reception but this seems to vary for some people. I believe there is also TV reception. There are some constructed fire places. Pets are allowed on request but dogs must be on leash at all times because of the wildlife. (Koalas literally walk around the campground.) No dump point.
Of Interest: The Channon Craft Market held next door on the second Sunday of the month.

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Protesters Falls, Nightcap National Park, NSW.

April 5, 2016, 2:24 am

≫ Next: Rocky Creek Dam, Dunoon, New South Wales.

≪ Previous: The Channon Village Campground, The Channon, New South Wales.

The Protesters Falls section of Nightcap National Park is at the end of Terania Creek Road, about 16 km north of The Channon Village Campground. There is a Day Use Area with toilets and picnic tables and a walk to Protesters Falls.

The rain seemed to be following us about everywhere we went on this trip but we were determined to see this section of the National Park due to the rich history of protest that led to the protection of this magnificent area. I was delighted to discover that Nan, our host at The Channon Village Campground, was one of the original protesters.

The drive to the picnic area is narrow and windy and seems much longer than 16 km so allow more time than you might otherwise for such a short trip. There is a small causeway to cross before arriving at the car park. Then we discovered that you need to walk back over the causeway to start the walk to the falls.

No swimming is allowed in the creeks here because this area is habitat for a range of endangered frogs.

Protesters Falls Walking Track: 1.4 km return, easy.

Of course it started raining as soon as we started walking and we found the boardwalk at the start of the walk to be extremely slippery.

The walk through Bangalow Palms followed by lush rainforest of native Tamarind, Yellow Carabeen and Strangler Figs is very pretty. The Cunjevoi Lilies were flowering and were gleaming in the wet.

We saw several Orange-tailed Shadeskinks along the track.

Orange-tailed Shadeskink Saproscincus challengeri

The track starts to climb towards the base of the falls. Although this track is listed as easy, after the boardwalk it becomes rougher and it is necessary to step over roots and up some slippery rocks, so it may not be easy for everyone. The walk crosses the creek via a double plank and then runs alongside the creek past several cascades before arriving at the base of the falls.

The upside of all the rain we experienced on this trip is that all the waterfalls are flowing at full strength. When we arrived at Protesters Falls it was pounding down with great swirls of mist drenching us as we approached. It was so wet that I was concerned about our camera gear and only manged a few quick photos before retreating. These photos simply don't do the falls justice; they were truly magnificent to behold. The lip of the falls plunged down a series of steps before dropping straight down to a pool at the base.

We love an outdoor picnic but it was too wet even for us and we made our way back to The Channon Village Campground.

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Rocky Creek Dam, Dunoon, New South Wales.

April 5, 2016, 8:28 pm

≫ Next: Cape Byron State Conservation Area, Byron Bay, New South Wales.

≪ Previous: Protesters Falls, Nightcap National Park, NSW.

Rocky Lake: the impounded lake at Rocky Creek Dam.

We decided to have a change from National Parks and wet rainforest and headed off to Rocky Creek Dam for the afternoon. There are excellent facilities and great walks. Walkers can access the dam wall and the spillway or head to the boardwalk and platypus viewing platform.

We combined the Waterdragon Walk (1.2 km) and the Platypus Walk (1.5 km) which overlap and we probably only walked just over 2 km in total.

We walked across the dam wall and continued on to the impressive spillway.

From the spillway we continued on to the boardwalk and wetland area. There were Wompoo Fruit-Doves feeding in the Bangalow Palms and a curious Pale-yellow Robin made an appearance but we didn’t see any platypus.

We made our way back to the carpark where a tour group was cooking up a storm in the large shelter provided. There are also other picnic tables scattered throughout the grounds and an excellent children’s playground.

Bird list:

Noisy Miner, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Black Swan, Laughing Kookaburra, Pacific Black Duck, Pale-yellow Robin, Wompoo Fruit-Dove.

Details for Rocky Creek Dam:

Where: Rocky Creek Dam Road, Dunoon, NSW, 2480.

Getting There: 24 km north of Lismore, via Dunoon. 13 km north-east of The Channon Village Campground.

Facilities: toilets, gas BBQ’s,tables, sheltered picnic area,children’s playground, walks, boardwalk, educational signage.

Prohibitions: No dogs, no swimming, no boating or other water craft.

Cost: Free.

Information: http://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/north-coast/lismore-area/lismore/attractions/rocky-creek-dam

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Cape Byron State Conservation Area, Byron Bay, New South Wales.

April 8, 2016, 11:47 pm

≫ Next: Mount Nardi Section of Nightcap National Park, New South Wales.

≪ Previous: Rocky Creek Dam, Dunoon, New South Wales.

Cape Byron Lighthouse

A fine day was forecast so we decided to go to Byron Bay and walk around the headland. We parked at Captain Cook Lookout so that we could do the full circuit of the Cape Byron Walking Track. It is $4 an hour to park but because we have an annual NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Parks Pass we didn’t have to pay. We recently purchased a 2 year Country Parks Pass for $75 and it has more than payed for itself in only a few weeks.

Cape Byron Walking Track: 3.9 km loop, moderate Class 3 walk. Short steep hills and many steps.

The first leg of the walk took us past Clarkes Beach where National Parks and Wildlife Services NSW hire out Beach Cottages. There are excellent views from the path back to Byron Bay. The water was clear and inviting and watching the perfect small waves rolling in we could see why Byron Bay is such a surfing mecca.

Looking back over Clarkes Beach to Byron Bay

Before long we arrived at The Pass where there is a small boat ramp and a Cafe.

The Pass

The pristine waters around Cape Byron play host to dolphins all year round and during the months of May to October humpback whales pass by on their migration between Antarctica and Queensland. There are signs posted at he beaches spelling out the rules regarding how close boats and other water craft can approach the dolphins and whales in order to not disturb them.

From The Pass we climbed up through Palm Valley to Wategos Beach. The tide was out and we had a pleasant walk along the sandy beach.

Wategos Beach

Wategos Beach looking back towards Byron Bay.

We climbed the stairs at the end of the beach and made our way through coastal heath before climbing the many steps to Australia’s Most Easterly Point.

Australia's Most Easterly Point

From Australia's Most Easterly Point we continued on to a lookout just below the lighthouse complex.

Ascending to Cape Byron Lighthouse

The Assistant Lighthouse Keepers Cottages

From the lookout we made our way up many steps to Cape Byron Lighthouse. There are tours of the lighthouse every 20 minutes between 10 am and 3 pm for a gold coin donation. The Assistant Lighthouse Keepers Cottages can be booked as holiday accommodation through the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Cape Byron Lighthouse on the way up.

Cape Byron Lighthouse on the way down.

South of the Lighthouse Information Centre complex there is a lookout point with excellent views of Cosy Corner, Tallow Beach and Arakwal National Park.

Cosy Corner, TallowsBeach and Arakwal National Park

From here the Cape Byron Walking Track descends along Tallow Ridge through natural coastal bushland. There is a paragliding platform tucked into the ridge over Tallow Beach and I was tempted to give it a go but there was nobody in attendance at the platform when we arrived. I guess more organised people than me make bookings in Byron Bay.

Banksia

Tallow Ridge and Paragliding Platform (center).

We made our way along the sandy track and before long we came out at Lee Lane and were back at the car park.

Details for Cape Byron State Conservation Park:

Where: Lighthouse Road, Cape Byron, Byron Bay, NSW.
Vehicle Fee: Daily rate: $8 per vehicle/ $4 motorcycles at the Cape Byron Lighthouse and Information Centre carpark.

Parking: $4 per hour per vehicle at Captain Cook Lookout, Cosy Corner and The Pass carparks.

Walk: 3.9 km loop around the Cape Byron headland; moderate Class 3 walk. Short steep hills and many steps.

Facilities: There are toilets at Captain Cook Parking Area, The Pass, Wategos Beach and the Cape Byron Lighthouse and Information Centre. There is a picnic area at Wategos Beach. The Pass Cafe is right next to the track and the Cape Byron Lighthouse Cafe at the Information Centre has amazing views.

Cape Byron Lighthouse Tours: Every 20 minutes from 10 am to 3 pm there are tours of the Lighthouse conducted by volunteers ( Except Christmas Day and bad weather). Gold coin donation. No bookings required. Moderate grade walk. This activity is listed as suitable for children over the age of five.

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Mount Nardi Section of Nightcap National Park, New South Wales.

April 12, 2016, 8:39 pm

≫ Next: Nimbin, New South Wales.

≪ Previous: Cape Byron State Conservation Area, Byron Bay, New South Wales.

We woke to a morning of heavy mist which delayed out start to the Mount Nardi section of Nightcap National Park. The parking area at Mount Nardi is only about 19 km from The Channon Village Campground along Tuntable Creek Road and Newton Drive. Allow extra time for this scenic but narrow winding road. After one and a half days of glorious sunshine the rain set in again. The higher we climbed into the range the wetter it became. We noticed that the sealed sections of the road were green with moss except for the tracks worn away by cars.

Not to be deterred, we donned our jackets, covered our backpacks with rain covers, popped our cameras into drybags and set off into the rainforest. There are two short walks leading from the carpark: Pholis Gap Walking Track, a 4 km, Class 3 medium walk and Mount Matheson Loop, a 3 km, Class 3 medium loop walk that can be combined with the Pholis Gap Walk for a longer walk. The Nightcap Track, 19 km Class 4, can also be accessed from here.

The trailhead at Mount Nardi.

We started out in light rain with the hope that under the protection of the tree canopy it would be a little drier. We entered a beautiful forest of Yellow Carabeen and Fern Trees with a vivid understory of bracken. The track was a little muddy and slippery but we continued on for a while. Unfortunately, the rain got heavier and heavier and the visibility reduced so much that we decided to head back. Our passage through the forest caused a chorus of bird alarm calls. We heard Noisy Pittas but despite pausing on the track for a while and peering into the gloom we could not see them. I held an umbrella over my camera for a few quick photos.

Fungi and Cordylines were thriving in the wet conditions.

When we returned to the carpark it was raining lightly just as it was when we set out. So our theory of being protected by the tree canopy didn't work this time. We can only assume that we were walking along the side of the mountain that was catching all the rain.

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Nimbin, New South Wales.

April 14, 2016, 11:45 pm

≫ Next: Manna Gum Campground, Goomburra Section, Main Range National Park, QLD.

≪ Previous: Mount Nardi Section of Nightcap National Park, New South Wales.

While we were exploring the Nightcap National Park area we encountered a lot of rain so it came as no surprise that when we visited Nimbin it was, you guessed it, raining.

We parked in the large carpark behind the shops and walked round to the information centre where a helpful lady assured me that it hadn't rained much in Nimbin lately and explained how unfortunate it was that the Nimbin area had missed out on a wet season this year. After appropriate commiserations I made my way to the excellent Nimbin Bakery and bought a feather light chocolate sponge roll and a lemon tart. Strangely, there were no biscuits in sight (perhaps they got sick of the cookie jokes.)

On our way back to The Channon Village Campground, we drove past the spot which usually has excellent views of the intriguing Nimbin Rocks but they were obscured by clouds and mist and, dear I say it, rain! The Nimbin Rocks are sacred to aboriginal people and are on private property so please don't attempt to get closer unless you have an invitation.

Some of the things that I love about the Nimbin region are the local Grasshoppers buses and the "hippy potholes".

Shortly after settling back in at the campground with a nice coffee and the tangy lemon tart the only other campers returned from their trip to Nimbin and came over to tell us about their stressful experience. We had noticed that the police were patrolling the car park in Nimbin but didn't think too much of it. However, they were apparently running regos and this is where our fellow campers came unstuck. The story as related to us by a very shaken grey nomad was this: The police approached them and asked if the driver was so and so, to which he agreed. Then he was promptly informed that he was driving without a licence and instructed to step out of the campervan and sign a form that he would undertake not to drive. The shocked grey nomad protested that he hadn't had a traffic infringement for over 10 years. So what was going on? Well it turned out that this otherwise law abiding citizen had committed the deadly sin of not voting in the last New South Wales local election and as a result and unbeknown to him, his driving license had been suspended for some time. The moral of the story is; if you live a travelling lifestyle please ensure that someone is checking your mail!

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Manna Gum Campground, Goomburra Section, Main Range National Park, QLD.

April 27, 2016, 7:04 pm

≫ Next: Lookout Road, Goomburra Section, Main Range National Park, QLD.

≪ Previous: Nimbin, New South Wales.

We have camped in Manna Gum Campground twice before. The first time was in our tent and that trip ended up becoming my first blog. Later we spent our first night in our new Kimberely Karavan at Manna Gum Campground on our way to Girraween National Park. This time we came back with the aim of doing the walks we hadn’t managed to do previously.

We were thrilled that quite close to our van a pair of Glossy Black-Cockatoos came in every evening to roost in a tree hollow. The female would arrive first and enter the tree hollow then the male would arrive and after quite a drawn out ritual the female would finally allow him to join her. Several times we saw them flying with one other Glossy and on one occasion we saw four together. These beautiful birds are listed as vulnerable.

Glossy-Black Cockatoo, female.

Manna Gum Campground is a lovely place to sit and listen to a large colony of Bell Miners. We noticed that there are a lot of dead trees around the campground and we had been wondering what was killing them. We found out from other campers that the trees are dying because the Bell Miners actively chase away other birds. Bell Miners don’t eat the lerp insects that damage trees and because they chase away the birds that would normally eat the lerp insects the trees become overrun by insects and over time the trees die. Apparently, this whole process is explained in the book Where Song Began by Tim Low. We will be getting our hands on the book as soon as we get the opportunity.

Bell Miner

Dead trees at Manna Gum Campground.

Satin Bowerbirds are popular residents in the campground and one of the few birds that seem to survive the Bell Miner harassment. We were able to locate a Satin Bowerbird bower in the Dalrymple Circuit.

Satin Bowerbird Bower.

Red-necked Pademelons like to graze on the grass in the early morning. They can also be seen along the trails but are fairly shy here and will dart away when they hear you coming. There were a few goannas wandering around checking out the camp sites and fire rings for tasty leftovers.

After seeing so many White-headed Pigeons at The Channon Village Campground we saw several at Manna Gum which is the first time we have seen them here.

I often mention the wonderful people we meet on our travels so it is only fair that I mention that on one side of us, for two nights of our stay, we had the most intrusive camping neighbours that we have ever encountered. Typically, people respect the boundaries of individual campsites but not these people and I ended up asking one of them to “Please leave” our campsite twice, so as you can imagine things were a bit frosty. Fortunately, in our experience, such problems are rare. We had a couple of lovely neighbours on the other side who were camping in an impressive camper trailer on it's first night out. We also had an enjoyable “Happy Hour” with two interesting couples who had been camping together off and on for years both in Australia and overseas.

A young Gympie Stinging Tree looking Innocent in the morning light.

There were quite a few Gympie stinging trees alongside the various walks and unfortunately one of the lovely ladies camped next to us accidentally brushed up against some Gympie stinging foliage when she was turning a corner on a track. Her arm became red and swollen and they quickly packed up and I hope she was able to get some relief with medical attention.

Bird List for this trip at Manna Gum Campground: (I will post separate bird lists in the blogs for the walks.)
White-headed Pigeon, Glossy Black Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Australian King Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra, Superb Fairy Wren, White-browed Scrubwren, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Bell Miner, Noisy Miner, Lewin's Honeyeater, Grey Shrike-thrush, Willie Wagtail, Satin Bowerbird, Grey Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Welcome Swallow, Red-browed Finch. We also saw a small flock of Common (Indian) Myna on the side of Inverramsay Road on the drive in.

Manna Gum Campground, Main Range National Park.

Details for the Goomburra Section of Main Range National Park:

Where: About 195 km south-west of Brisbane. From Brisbane drive up Cunningham's Gap. Turn right at Gladfield or Clintonvale. Turn right at Goomburra and drive along Inverramsay Road to the very end.

Campgrounds: Poplar Flat and Manna Gum. Both suitable for Big Rigs, Motorhomes, Caravans, Camper Trailers and Tents beside vehicles.

Facilities: Kurrajong Picnic Area has picnic tables and wood BBQ's, the nearest toilets are a short walk to Poplar Flat. Both campgrounds have fire rings, toilets and several non-drinking water taps. Walks. No showers. No phone. No phone reception. No internet.

Prohibitions: No pets, no generators.

Bookings: Bookings must be made by phone or on the internet before arriving.
Phone: 13 74 68
www.nprsr.qld.gov.au
http://parks.nprsr.qld.gov.au/permits
Camping Permit: $5.95 per adult, $3.30 per child aged 5 to 17 years, free for children under 5 years. Family Rate: $23.80 for 1 to 2 adults with children under 18. Maximum of 8 people.
No vehicle fee.

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Lookout Road, Goomburra Section, Main Range National Park, QLD.

April 29, 2016, 9:14 pm

≫ Next: North Branch Track, Goomburra Section, Main Range National Park, QLD.

≪ Previous: Manna Gum Campground, Goomburra Section, Main Range National Park, QLD.

On this camping trip to the Goomburra Section of Main Range National Park we were keen to drive up Lookout Road and do the walk to Araucaria Falls and stop at Sylvesters and Mount Castle Lookouts.

Lookout Road is a short distance from Manna Gum Campground, starting next to Kurrajong Picnic Area. The road is listed as unsealed but we found that the steeper sections were sealed for ease of use. First it is necessary to ford Dalrymple Creek. The road is gated and rangers close the road if conditions are unsuitable.

Araucaria Falls Track, Class 4, 3.6 km return.
The parking area is 3.8 km past Kurrajong Picnic Area. We drove up early in the morning and had the carpark to ourselves. Some parts of the track are rough and uneven and it heads steadily downwards to the base of the falls. We often see Logrunners when we walk in dark forests with lots of leaf litter but this time we were delighted to get a photo of a juvenile Logrunner.

We saw an Albert's Lyrebird high in the trees. It moved away in front of us until it found a Crows Nest fern in the canopy and promptly forgot about us while it had a good scratch in the leaf litter that had accumulated in the top of the fern.

The track crosses over the top of the falls before continuing down to the base. The falls are beautiful and I'm surprised that they aren't more widely known.

On the steady climb back up to the carpark we saw a highly venomous Rough-scaled Snake crossing the path ahead of us. We took a couple of photos and it wasn't until we looked closely at the photos later that we discovered the snake had turned its head around and was having a good look at us.

Rough-scaled Snake Tropidechis carinatus

Sylvesters Lookout Track, Class 3, 940 meters return.
There is a small car park 900 meters further along Lookout Road from the Araucaria Falls Parking Area and a short walk to the lookout with magnificent views.

Mt Edwards, Lake Moogerah, Mt Alfred, Mt Greville and Mt Barney.

Mount Castle Lookout Track, Class 3, 960 meters return.
There is a small parking area about 1.6 km further along Lookout Road from the Sylvesters Lookout carpark. This short walk winds through damp rainforest. It is worth going to both lookouts as the views are quite different.

Mount Castle

Winder Track, Class 4, 12 km return.
The track starts at the end of Lookout Road, 6.3 km past Kurrajong Picnic Area.
We liked the look of this walk and hope to do it on another trip.

Bird List for the Araucaria Falls Track:
Albert's Lyrebird, Brown Thornbill, Australian Logrunner, Bassian Thrush. We could hear Catbirds but did not see them.

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North Branch Track, Goomburra Section, Main Range National Park, QLD.

May 14, 2016, 7:51 pm

≫ Next: Dalrymple Circuit, Goomburra Section, Main Range National Park, QLD.

≪ Previous: Lookout Road, Goomburra Section, Main Range National Park, QLD.

The North Branch Track is a Class 4, 7 km return walk that starts at the bottom of Lookout Road, just past Kurrajong Picnic Area. If arriving by car it is possible to park at the picnic area and walk across Dalrymple Creek to the trailhead or drive over the creek where you will find room for two vehicles at the start of the walk.

Kurrajong Picnic Area has picnic tables and a parking area.

The creek crossing at the start of Lookout Road

We walked from our campsite at Manna Gum. Before crossing Dalrymple Creek on foot we waited for a White-headed Pigeon to finish having a drink.

White-headed Pigeon

We really enjoyed this walk which starts in open country and ends up in lush rainforest. We counted thirteen creek crossings, however, they were all fairly shallow and easy to cross on our visit. There were some striking epiphytes along the creek.

Two of the many creek crossings along the North Branch Track

We saw lots of White-naped Honeyeaters and a variety of fungi along the track.

The White-naped Honeyeater has a distinctive red eye skin.

The track ends in a shady forest beside a creek. We sat on some rocks and enjoyed a picnic while being closely watched by a Pale-yellow Robin before returning by the same track.

Pale-yellow Robin

On our way back we encountered a juvenile Red-bellied Black Snake on the path. I was also excited to see two tiny Elf Skinks Eroticoscincus graciloides darting through the leaf litter but they were too quick for a photo. There were quite a few butterflies about.

Red-bellied Black Snake

Birdlist:
White-headed Pigeon, Australian King Parrot, Red-browed Treecreeper, Superb Fairy-wren, Brown Thornbill, Bell Miner, Noisy Miner, White-naped Honeyeater, Eastern Whipbird, Eastern Yellow Robin, Pale-yellow Robin, Grey Shrike-thrush, Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Grey Fantail, Australasian Figbird, Red-browed Finch.

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Dalrymple Circuit, Goomburra Section, Main Range National Park, QLD.

May 15, 2016, 3:48 pm

≫ Next: The Ridge Track, Goomburra Section, Main Range National Park, QLD.

≪ Previous: North Branch Track, Goomburra Section, Main Range National Park, QLD.

Dalrymple Circuit, Class 3, 1.2 km circuit.

The Dalrymple Circuit is a great short walk that we love to do when camping at Manna Gum campground. Previously we have seen a Southern Angled-headed Dragon on the walk but we didn't see one this time. However, they are still there because someone asked me to identify a photo they had taken in the Dalrymple Circuit and I was happy to see that it was a juvenile Angle-headed Dragon. The same people got excellent photos of Green Catbirds there as well. I admit to being jealous of their close encounter with Catbirds because I have always found them quite a challenge to photograph.

Signage on the Dalrymple Circuit

The Dalrymple Circuit is the domain of a very healthy looking male Satin Bowerbird. After a short search we found his bower as well.

Red-necked Pademelons are common here but we have found them to be much shyer than the ones in Lammington National Park.

In the early morning we saw this spider, which had attached itself to a stick in the water, "fishing" for prey.

Bird List for the Dalrymple Circuit on this trip: White-headed Pigeon, Brown Cuckoo Dove, Wonga Pigeon, Crimson Rosella, Superb fairy-wren, White-browed Scrubwren, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Weebill, Bell Miner, Noisy Miner, Lewin's Honeyeater, Eastern Whipbird, Eastern Yellow Robin, Jacky Winter, Golden Whistler, Australasian Figbird, Satin Bowerbird (female, male and bower), Red-browed Finch. We did not see any Green Catbirds here but some other campers got good views and photos of Green Catbirds showing nicely down low and out in the open.

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The Ridge Track, Goomburra Section, Main Range National Park, QLD.

May 16, 2016, 1:48 pm

≫ Next: Charlie Moreland, Imbil State Forest, QLD. Revisit.

≪ Previous: Dalrymple Circuit, Goomburra Section, Main Range National Park, QLD.

The Ridge Track: Class 4, 5 km return.

The first section of the Ridge Track is very steep and contains sections of slippery shale. Nevertheless we couldn't resist doing the walk again as we have fond memories of encountering Albert's Lyrebirds about halfway along the track. This time we didn't see any Lyrebirds but we could hear them. There was plenty of fruit for the birds to eat so it wasn't surprising that we saw a nice variety of birds. We also saw quite a few butterflies. A feature of the walk this time were the large number of native Golden Everlasting flowers.

Bassian Thrush

Australian Logrunner

Bell Miner and Red-browed Finch

Piccabeen fruit and native figs.

Macleay's Swallowtail Graphium macleayanus

Orchard Swallowtail

Birdlist for The Ridge Track on this trip: Brown Cuckoo Dove, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Australian King Parrots, Crimson Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra, White-throated Treecreeper, Superb Fairy-wren, White-browed Scrubwren, Bell Miner, Noisy Miner, Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Logrunner, Eastern Yellow Robin, Grey Fantail, Rufous Fantail, Pied Currawong, Red-browed Finch, Bassian Thrush. Previously we have seen Albert's Lyrebirds here but this time we could only hear them.

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Charlie Moreland, Imbil State Forest, QLD. Revisit.

May 17, 2016, 3:46 am

≫ Next: Booloumba Campgrounds, Conondale National Park, QLD.

≪ Previous: The Ridge Track, Goomburra Section, Main Range National Park, QLD.

The swimming hole in Little Yabba Creek at Charlie Moreland Campground.

One of our favourite campgrounds is Charlie Moreland near Kenilworth. I wrote a blog about our last visit in December here. It is always interesting to visit campgrounds at different times of the year as the experience vary quite a bit. In December the creek crossings for the Little Yabba Creek and Piccabeen circuits had a small amount of water flowing over the stepping stones and we seemed to be the only people doing the walks. This time the stepping stones were high and dry which made for an easy crossing. We didn't see or hear any Noisy Pittas though. We didn't see any Paradise Rifflebirds on this trip either. However, large numbers of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos made quite a spectacle every afternoon as they flew past and we enjoyed watching them use the horse troughs in the horse yards next to the campground.

Antics at the horse trough.

A dry crossing over Little Yabba Creek.

Some years ago (2011 I think) we did the walk to the Mount Allan Fire Tower. Our timing was unfortunate then because alongside most of the walk the forest had very recently been raised to the ground. We toiled up and up on our way to the tower with no shade and a bleak close-up view of the destruction. Mercifully, the tower is in Conondale National Park and we had some relief from the searing sun as we got closer to the tower. Although we don't have fond memories of the walk itself the fire tower is well worth the effort as it is open to the public and we enjoyed climbing it and having a picnic at the top with great views. On this trip we had a look at the start of the walk and discovered that new trees have been planted and they have grown quite quickly so we will probably do the walk on another visit but we will wait until the weather cools down a bit more.

Near the start of the Mount Allan Fire Tower Walk

I like to keep an eye out for edible plants in case I get lost one day. I do carry a personal locator beacon so I shouldn't go hungry for too long. "Wild Food Plants of Australia" by Tim Low is an excellent book on the subject and lists native ginger Alpinia coerulea as edible. There were a few last blue fruits on the native ginger along the Little Yabba Creek Circuit. I also noticed some watercress near the start of the Mount Allan Walk.

Wild watercress.

Native Ginger Alpinia coerulea

When we were here in December the Blackbean trees (also known as Moreton Bay Chestnuts) were in flower and now the pods were dropping on the ground. The seeds are poisonous but they were once an important Aboriginal food, however, they required intense preparation over many days before they could be consumed.

Pods and seeds of the Blackbean Castanospermum australe

There were lots of Goannas (Lace Monitors) in the campground by day and a few Red-necked Pademelons about, especially at night.

Lace Monitor Varanus varius

Red-necked Pademelon

As in December, Brown Cuckoo-Doves were busy feeding in the campground.

Brown Cuckoo-Dove

We noticed some interesting insects on a fence post. There were lots of Leafwing butterflies about and I spent ridiculous amounts of time trying to get a photo of one with its wings open, with limited success. They may have a carefully camouflaged exterior but when they fly they transform into a glowing orange beacon.

Australian Leafwing Butterfly Doleschallia bisaltide

When the rangers did some campground maintenance with Whipper-Snippers I went down to Little Yabba Creek and watched the dragonflies dart about.

Bird List for Charlie Moreland Campground on this trip: Australian Brush Turkey, Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Australian King Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra, Bell Miner, Noisy Miner, Logrunner, Eastern Whipbird, Eastern Yellow Robin, Grey Shrike-thrush, Golden Whistler, Grey Fantail, Pied Currawong, Torresian Crow, Red-browed Finch.

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Booloumba Campgrounds, Conondale National Park, QLD.

May 21, 2016, 3:14 am

≫ Next: Another Camping Trip to Charlie Moreland Campground, Imbil State Forest, QLD.

≪ Previous: Charlie Moreland, Imbil State Forest, QLD. Revisit.

Booloumba Creek at Booloumba Camping Area 4.

While camping at Charlie Moreland Campground we drove to nearby Conondale National Park to check out the campgrounds. We have been there a couple of times before on day trips and have done most of the walks but we haven't actually camped there and we were trying to decide if we should take the tent or the van.

In Conondale National Park there are three campgrounds and a day use area; collectively referred to as Booloumba. To access the national park, it is necessary to have a high clearance 4WD, as all the campgrounds and the Day Use Area are reached via creek crossings. Many keen walkers park their cars on the side of the road before the first creek crossing and walk in. Over the years,we have had no problems fording the crossings with a standard Pajero and a standard BT50, however, keep in mind that the crossings will vary enormously depending on how much rain there has been in recent times. The photos in this blog were taken on our recent visit and show very tame crossings due to an extended dry season.

The first water crossing

The second water crossing

There is a third water crossing on the way to Area 3 and 4.

The third creek crossing into the Day Use Area is the hardest crossing. Photo taken from the side.

Booloumba Camping Area 1 is a pleasant campground with numbered sites, each having a tent platform and an individual car park. This is the only area with a pay phone and it is the easiest area to get to.

Typical campsite at Booloumba Area 1: car park in front with tent pad behind.

Fan-tailed Cuckoo and Staghorn at Booloumba Area 1.

The Day Use Area (Area 2) is the hardest to access as it is beyond the more challenging creek crossing. Many people take their vehicles through the first two creek crossings then park on the side of the road before crossing the creek by foot into the Day Use Area. There is an extensive car park in the Day Use Area and the walks start from here. We love Booloumba Day Use Area; it is a very relaxing place beside Booloumba Creek and there are lots of birds. It’s a great place to have a picnic after doing one of the walks.

Booloumba Day Use Area on the banks of Booloumba Creek

Even on this short visit we saw many birds at the Day Use Area.

Azure Kingfisher

Mistletoebird back and front, male.

Little Shrike-thrush and Grey Shrike-thrush

Booloumba Camping Area 3

There are two sections to this camping area; the lower section near the creek which has flush toilets and the higher section that has pit toilets. All the sites are numbered and have tent platforms with adjacent car parks.

After parking we walked towards Booloumba Creek where a Kookaburra snatched up a frog and landed right in front of us with its catch.

Kookaburra with its catch.

We were looking at the front row of campsites when we noticed a male Paradise Riflebird eyeing off an immature staghorn fern. It quickly lifted the base of the fern away from the tree with its very long beak and ate the snacks it found there.

Paradise Riflebird, male.

Booloumba Camping Area 4

This is the only camping area for vans, camper trailers and large groups. However, bear in mind that the vehicles need to be 4WD's towing high clearance off-road vans and trailers to ford the three creek crossings to access the campground. The campground is a large sloping grassy area with only a few flat spots. This is the only campground not beside the creek as it is on the other side of the access road, roughly opposite Camping Area 3.

Booloumba Camping Area 4, amenities block on the left.

Details for Booloumba, Conondale National Park:

Where: Booloumba is about a two hour drive north-west of Brisbane, via Maleny. The turn-off from the Maleny-Kenilworth Road onto Booloumba Creek Road is about 13 km past Conondale.

Access: All the National Park roads are gravel and are only suitable for high clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles.

Similarities for Camping Areas 1,3 and 4:
Fees: $5.95 per person, children under 5 years are free. There is a Family Rate of $23.80 for 1 to 2 adults with children under the age of 18, with a maximum of 8 people in total.
Bookings: Phone 13 74 68 or online at http://parks.nprsr.qld.gov.au/permits. There is no mobile phone reception. There is a pay phone at Camping Area 1.
Facilities: Non-drinking water, toilets, fire rings, BYO wood. No bins. No phone reception.
Prohibitions: No generators, no domestic animals.

Differences between Camping Areas 1, 3 and 4:
Type of Camping: 1 and 3 are for tent camping. Area 4 is for tent and group camping as well as 4WD vans and trailers.
Facilities: Camping Area 1 has cold showers, a pay phone, 24 numbered sites and two water crossings to access. Camping Area 3 has 20 sites, 3 water crossings to access and the best access to walks. Camping Areas 1 and 3 are for tents only and have dirt tent pads and the individual car parks are in front of bollards; both are near Booloumba Creek. Camping Area 4 is an open grass area with parking beside your tent or rig; suitable for 4WD's towing off-road vans or trailers and is the only group camping area.

Day Use Area 2:

Type of Access: 4WD, high clearance vehicle.

Number of Creek Crossings to access: 3

Facilities: BBQ's, picnic tables, non-drinking water, toilets and good access to the walks.

Prohibitions: No domestic animals.

↧

Another Camping Trip to Charlie Moreland Campground, Imbil State Forest, QLD.

May 24, 2016, 9:16 pm

≫ Next: Spicers Gap Camping Area, Main Range National Park, QLD.

≪ Previous: Booloumba Campgrounds, Conondale National Park, QLD.

After our camping trip to Charlie Moreland and our visit to Booloumba we went home to attend to a few things then we returned to Charlie Moreland for two nights to show this wonderful place to some friends of ours.

We saw a female and a male Paradise Riflebird in the morning and a female in the afternoon. They were feeding on the fruit of the Celerywood tree Polyscias elegans. The fruit of Celerywood is eaten by many birds and the seed is spread from the droppings of Pied Currawongs.

Male Riflebird feeding on the fruit of the Celerywood Tree.

Female Paradise Riflebird showing off her scalloped breast.

Female Riflebird feeding on Celerywood in the afternoon.

Lewin's Honeyeater.

One of the two crossings on the Little Yabba Creek Circuit

Little Yabba Creek Circuit

There were quite a few Rainbow Bee-eaters passing through high up in the trees. Although not the best photos I'm rather amused by the bee-eater imitating a torpedo.

Rainbow Bee-eater

Back in the campground, this Kookaburra was keeping an eye on us while crunching its catch.

Bird List for this visit:
Australian Brush Turkey, Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Australian King Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Laughing Kookaburra, Rainbow Bee-eater, Azure Kingfisher, White-browed Scrubwren, Bell Miner, Noisy Miner, Lewin's Honeyeater, Eastern Yellow Robin, Grey Shrike-thrush, Golden Whistler, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Paradise Riflebird, Torresian Crow.

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Spicers Gap Camping Area, Main Range National Park, QLD.

June 3, 2016, 5:41 pm

≫ Next: Tent Camping at Booloumba Creek Camping Area 3, Conondale National Park, QLD.

≪ Previous: Another Camping Trip to Charlie Moreland Campground, Imbil State Forest, QLD.

Spicers Gap Camping Area

We packed the tent in the ute and enjoyed a tranquil stay at Spicers Gap Campground. During the early evening the sounds of heavy trucks making their way up and down Cunninghams Gap drift up the range, yet this the campground has a remote feel and during the week is quite often empty. Another thing that seems incongruous is that, despite being in a national park, the campground is opposite a small mango farm. No doubt there is an interesting back story as to how this came about.

Mango farm (L), Spicers Gap Camping Area (R).

Day Use Area

The Day Use Area adjoins the campground and shares the only amenities block. There are three picnic tables with fireplaces which can also be used by day trippers or campers.

Picnic facilities.

Pioneer Graves Track: 260 m, Class 2.

There is an historical graveyard only a short walk from the Day Use Area. There are no headstones, only a cairn in memory of the dead.

Spicers Gap memorial cairn.

Mount Mathieson Trail, 8.1 km.

View on the way up.

In the early morning, we crossed Spicers Gap Road to the start of the trail head. The first section is dominated by the constant calls of Bell Miners. Then we entered lush, cool rainforest. We saw Green Catbirds calling out in the open. The track climbs steadily until it reaches an area with excellent views over the Cunningham Highway. We had a good vantage point right above the emergency escape ramp for vehicles that lose their breaks. Thankfully, there were no emergencies while we watched on.

Views of the Cunningham Highway from Mount Mathieson.

Magnificent views on the Mount Mathieson Trail

We continued on for a short distance and came to a sign stating that the Mount Mathieson Trail is “ungraded”. Having read on the official national parks internet site that the Mount Mathieson Trail is a Class 4 trail we weren’t too worried and continued on. Before long the track deteriorated and at one point we spent some time carefully deciding just where the track continued forward. We didn’t want to get lost and we certainly didn’t want to accidentally fall off a cliff and end up using the helipad on Cunninghams Gap! About this time, we checked that, yes, we did have our Personal Locator Beacon. The next challenge was a mercifully short but very steep section. We began to regret carrying so much camera gear and we started to hope that the trail wasn’t going to get any worse because we didn’t fancy trying to return back down the way we had just come!

Some of the steeper section of the "trail".

We proceeded along a ridge line with more magnificent views and before long the trail became an easy descent through rainforest.

We crossed open balds where we saw Swamp Wallabies bounding away from us and open grasslands with large tracts of non-native Hairy Balls milkweed.

Milkweed Gomphocarpus physcocarpus is an important plant for Monarch Danaus plexippus caterpillars.

1.7 km after Mount Matheison and 1.1 km before the Mount Mathieson car park, is the remains of an old timber jinker.

Front half of an old timber jinker.

About 100 m before we reached the Mount Mathieson car park we startled two wild pigs. One, a large sow, stopped and turned back towards us and it looked like she was considering charging back at us. This had me worried that perhaps we had inadvertently placed ourselves between a mother and her piglets. After a tense moment, while we held our breath and looked around for the nearest climbable tree, she turned around and hurtled away from us.

The Mount Mathieson car park is at the top end of the 4WD road that starts at Cunninghams Gap. Between this car park and the car park at Governors Chair is a pleasant, 1.6 km, Heritage Trail, which forms part of the Mount Mathieson Trail. The trail has informative signs along it explaining the history of the area.

Entering the Heritage Trail from the Mount Mathieson car park.

From the Governors Chair car park we walked 150 m to the Governors Chair Lookout. We sat on the “chair” and enjoyed a snack with magnificent views over Moogerah Peaks National Park, despite it being an overcast day. Caution: there is a sheer drop at the lookout and no fences.

Governors Chair Lookout.

We walked the final 2 km of the trail by descending to the campground along Spicers Gap Road. We did a quick detour of 120 m (return) to Moss’s Well on the way. The well had seen better days but a Grey Fantail seemed to be guarding over it.

Moss's Well.

We didn’t see a single person on the walk. The only people we saw all day were a couple that drove up to Governors Chair Lookout Car Park while we were there.

If you are not an experienced hiker, I would recommend doing the Mount Mathieson Trail in two sections. One section, which requires some fitness, would be to start walking the trail opposite the Day Use Area and climb until you reach an area with interesting views and return the way you came. The second section would be to drive to the parking area at Governors Chair and do the Heritage Trail. At the end of the Heritage Trail either return to the Governors Chair parking area or walk along the Mount Mathieson Trail for any distance that feels comfortable before returning the way you came.

The following day we packed up and did a short section of the Mathieson Trail before leaving. It wasn’t until we downloaded our photos that we discovered that during the whole camping trip, including our walk of the Mount Mathieson Trail, the lens stabilization switch on our zoom camera lens had accidentally been switched off. Unfortunately, all of our bird photos were unusable as they were decidedly on the blurry side.

Details for Spicers Gap Camping Area, Main Range National Park:

Spicers Gap Road

Access: Spicers Gap Campground is about 105 km west of Brisbane, off the Cunningham Highway. Continue past Aratula for 5 km then turn left into Lake Moogerah Road. After about 6 km turn into Spicers Gap Road which is a 2WD unsealed road and continue for 3.3 km to the campground and Day Use Area. The national park section of Spicers Gap road is very narrow and not suitable for caravans, buses and large motorhomes. It is a further 2 km to Governors Chair carpark. The road to Governors Chair car park is listed as 2WD, however, it is quite steep. The road stops at the car park and it is not possible to drive through the range to the high-clearance, dry weather only, 4WD road on the other side of Spicers Gap which stops at the Mount Mathieson car park. It is a pleasant ….km walk along the Heritage Trail between the two car parks.

Type of Camping: tent camping on open grassy areas separated from your vehicle by bollards.

Number of Sites: undefined sites, maximum of 50 people.

Facilities: There is one male and one female composting toilet shared between the campground and the Day Use Area. There is one tap of non-potable water near the amenities block. There are no fire rings, however, elevated BBQ’s and braziers are allowed. There are three picnic tables with wood BBQ’s positioned between the camping and picnic areas. We had good Telstra mobile phone reception. Walks. No bins. No showers.

Prohibitions: No generators, no fires on the ground, no wood collection from the park or the side of the road, no amplified music, no domestic pets and no firearms.

Fees: $5.95 per person, children under 5 years are free. There is a Family Rate of $23.80 for 1 to 2 adults with children under the age of 18, with a maximum of 8 people in total.

Bookings: Phone 13 74 68 or online at http://parks.nprsr.qld.gov.au/permits. Limited phone reception. We had Telstra mobile phone reception.

Bird List for this trip:

Wompoo Fruit Dove, Wonga Pigeon, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Australian King Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra, White-throated Treecreeper, Variegated Fairy-wren, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Bell Miner, Noisy Miner, Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Eastern Whipbird, Eastern Yellow Robin, Little Shrike-thrush, Grey Shrike-thrush, Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Green Catbird, Satin Bowerbird, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Currawong, Torresian Crow, Red-browed Finch.

↧

Tent Camping at Booloumba Creek Camping Area 3, Conondale National Park, QLD.

June 6, 2016, 4:14 am

≫ Next: Casuarina Camping Area, Glen Rock State Forest, QLD.

≪ Previous: Spicers Gap Camping Area, Main Range National Park, QLD.

We decided to tent camp at Booloumba Creek Camping Area 3 because we couldn't resist camping on the creek bank. We were surprised to have the whole place to ourselves. No one else was camping in Camping Area 3 or Camping Area 4 while we were there. We don't think there was anyone camping at Area 1 either but we didn't go over to check. Our camping companions were Kookaburras, Brush Turkeys and the occasional Red-legged Pademelon. Night visitors to our campsite were Bandicoots and a large mouse of some type. Boobooks could be heard calling through the night.

Our campsite at Booloumba Camping Area 3

Red-legged Pademelon Thylogale stigmatica

We set our tent up on the tent pad provided and took our chairs to the waters edge. It was so peaceful sitting next to the creek and watching the birds come down to bathe in the afternoons.

Azure Kingfisher

Lewin's Honeyeater having a bath.

Booloumba Creek has crystal clear water; perfect for watching native catfish and tadpoles swimming along.

Eel-tailed catfish Tandanus tandanus

We could hear a few frogs in the evenings but unfortunately we only found a Cane Toad.

Cane Toad Rhinella marina

We had better luck when we spotted a mature-sized Small-eyed Snake. These small highly venomous snakes are active at night.

Small-eyed Snake Cryptophis nigrescens

The weather has been dry for a very long time and Booloumba Creek is drying up in patches. It is a shame to see the creek and it's wildlife under stress and so badly in need of a good rainfall. As it turned out we had to pack up and leave because a Severe Weather Warning was issued. It started raining during our last night and we had to do a wet pack up which reminded us of one of the reasons we have bought a van. Hopefully there was enough rain falling in the catchment to give Booloumba Creek some relief.

Artist Cascades Walk: Class 4, 10.6 km from the Day Use Area (less from Camping Area 3 and 4 and more from Camping Area 1). The Strangler Cairn Walk, Class 3 and the Gold Mine Walk, Class 3 are both on the way to the Artist Cascades.

The track from our campground led us over a dry section of Booloumba Creek and into the dark rainforest. We spotted a python crossing the track in front of us.

Carpet Python Morelia spilota

We have done all these walks before but we decided to take the short off-shoot to the Strangler Cairn to see how the Strangler Fig was growing since the last time we saw it. We didn't notice any progress, however, there did appear to be attempts to maintain moisture around the young tree so perhaps it had been suffering from the very dry conditions. Certainly the plants at the base of the cairn weren't looking too happy.

Strangler Cairn

We didn't take the side loop to the Gold Mine this time.

There were quite a few Logrunners scratching about in the leaf litter and Yellow-throated Scrubwrens on the path. Wompoo Fruit Doves were eating fruit in the tree canopy. Both Pale-yellow and Eastern Yellow Robins were about. We came across a Noisy Pitta but it bolted before we could get a photo.

Pale-yellow Robin.

Due to the very dry conditions and the low water level in Booloumba Creek we were concerned that the Artists Cascades would be reduced to a trickle so we were pleased to hear the cascades as we approached. We found a large rock to sit on and enjoyed a picnic before returning to our camp site. We didn't see a single person on the trail.

Artists Cascades

Our trip may have been cut short but we will be back to beautiful Booloumba. Full details about the campgrounds in Conondale National Park can be found here in a previous blog.

Wildlife List for this trip:
Red-legged Pademelon, Northern Brown Bandicoot, Carpet Snake, Small-eyed Snake, Cane Toad, Eel-tailed Catfish.
Birds: Australian Brush Turkey, White-faced Heron, Wompoo Fruit Dove, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Australian King Parrot, Laughing Kookaburra, Rainbow Bee-eater, Azure Kingfisher, Noisy Pitta, White-browed Scrubwren, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Brown Thornbill, Bell Miner, Lewin's Honeyeater, Logrunner, Eastern Whipbird, Eastern Yellow Robin, Pale-yellow Robin, Little Shrike-thrush, Grey Shrike-thrush, Golden Whistler, Grey Fantail, Rufous Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Magpie-lark, Satin Bowerbird, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Currawong, Torresian Crow, Red-browed Finch, Bassian Thrush.

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