AUGUST 2022 : QUEENSLAND : Scenic Rim Walk : Day 5

Breakfast in Beaudesert - an hour’s scenic drive east of Mt Barney



Our walk today was in the Lamington National Park, beginning at the Binna Burra Lodge

A 5km walk in pristine bush with some ancient pines, connected to Gondwanaland 



Final group photo in a beautiful rocky clearing on the Tullawallal Track



Lunch at the Binna Burra tea house with a very attentive butcher bird  - views east.



Return trip to Surfers Paradise and flight home.

Great trip, highly recommended.

M

AUGUST 2022 : QUEENSLAND : Scenic Rim Walk : Day 4

 

Continental breakfast in our rooms at the Boonah Valley Motel and then a quick coffee in downtown Boonah before heading south.

An hour’s drive and we arrived at Mt Barney National Park

The only walk that Intrepid has permission to explore is the Lower Portal walk.

7.4kms of sometimes steep sections and very degraded path due to recent flooding. Challenging for some.

Sparse, dry bush with the occasional colour



Exciting river crossing over Logan River - water so clear





Lunch by the river exploring the rock pools and a refreshing dip - I was the only taker!



Nearby was our accommodation- Mt Barney Lodge, built in 1903 by the Hardgraves cattle family.

The afternoon concluded with a tour of the property by local ranger staff and a wine tasting with views of Barney at sunset.



A barbecue dinner at the homestead, prepared by several members of our group.



M

AUGUST 2022 : QUEENSLAND : Scenic Rim Walk : Day 3

A crisp morning at the Boonah Valley Motel

Continental breakfast in our rooms but a coffee stop in downtown Boonah before we set off

Our destination today was Mt Cordeaux



A unanimous decision that today’s walk was preferable to yesterday. Longer but easier walking and very different plant and animal life, including wallabies, pademelons and lyrebirds despite Mt Cordeaux only being a few hundred metres apart from Mt Mitchell.

Evidence of gold mining from the 1890s - albeit futile



Mt Cordeaux





Then we explored more of the area

This section was full of enormous red-speared plants, like Gymea lilies

Lunch on Bare Rock watching eagles soaring



We also explored Morgan’s Walk which ended in a grassy terrace with fabulous views



Enormous strangler figs along the path



Refreshments on the way back at Haig Park on a man-made lake, Lake Moongerah, with views of the Scenic Rim peaks

Discovered a blue-faced honey-eater on a nearby tree

A return to the Indian restaurant for dinner in Boonah as it was such a hit last night.

A fabulous day!

M

AUGUST 2022 : QUEENSLAND : Scenic Rim Walk : Day 2

Breakfast at a  cafe near the motel, where they grow their own coffee beans

Views west towards our walk today

Peaks just visible above the fog

Twin peaks of Mount Mitchell (left) and Mount Cordeaux (right)

Delicious sandwiches for lunch from the little town of Aratula.

Our destination today Mt Mitchell, right to the tip.

A three hour walk - 300m climb up Mt Mitchell

Fleur was excited to show us a Hoop Pine - a tree as old as the dinosaurs and linked to when Australia was part of Gondwanaland.

Views east from the top of Mt Mitchell

A Gergone bird landed near us while we ate lunch

A faster walk down. Huge fig trees with shawl -like trunks lined the lower path.

A very intimate winery tour at Bunjurgen Estate

And an Indian meal for dinner..

Accommodation for next two nights

Boonah Valley Hotel



M

AUGUST 2022 : QUEENSLAND : Scenic Rim Walk : Day 1

I’ve arrived in the Gold Coast to do the Scenic Rim walk with Intrepid. I stayed a night at the Vibe Hotel overlooking the canal with views towards the Scenic Rim mountains, albeit in rain and mist.

The group of 8 met in the foyer. A lovely group from the east coast states and our guide, Fleur.

 

An hour’s drive north to Mt Tamborine. We did a short rainforest waterfall walk to Curtis Falls.

We then had lunch at Tamborine, a big tourist town and meandered through the shops, as the rain set in.



Fleur cancelled our afternoon walk due to the heavy rain and we visited a glow worm cave and frog display. Really interesting and impressive as this business endeavours to maintain local glow worm and frog populations.



A very pleasant stop at a local gin distillery on our way back to our accommodation, Mt Tamborine Motel.



Next to the motel is the St Bernard Hotel, where we had a delicious meal. Their two St Bernard’s oblivious to the busy pub and restaurant.

Fog has set in so we hope it will be clear tomorrow.



M