EMU MOUNTAIN

The weather looked a bit threatening, but we decided to do a walk up Mount Coolum as we heard that the track had been changed. When we arrived at the start of the walk at about 7am (I know, that's late for us, I don't know what happened !) there were about 20 cars parked near the entrance of the walk, well we're used to seeing no one on our walks, we've been spoilt, so we decided to change to Emu mountain instead.

There, to our delight was no one! 

The start to the walk had slightly changed, the road is now a cul de sac, and to park you'll need to turn left onto a concrete driveway at the end of the road as described on our CD:

52 of the best walks on the Sunshine Coast available from our website: www.sunshinecoastbushwalks.com.

It didn't take long to get to the top, but the view was great especially on a day when it was overcast: 

the light was great!

We could see the whole range of mountain peaks of the area from where we were: 

Mount Ninderry, Mount Coolum, Mount Cooroy, Point Glorious and Mount Tinbeerwah.

Coming back down we started spotting a whole lot of flowers we hadn't seen going up, busy as we were with the track. The flowers were small as is usually the case in australia, but beautiful and delicate.

The walk is great to take the kids on as it is not too demanding, the top is also a great whale watching spot during whale migrating season in July August.

We finished the morning with a coffee at the Coffee Club in Coolum opposite the caravan park.

Buderim Palmwoods Heritage Tramway Walk

This short walk (3.2 kms return) is a little gem and perfect for these hot days as it is in the shade and not very long, perfect for a stroll in nature with the kids or the dog in the early morning or late afternoon.
The start is at Telco Road in Buderim. The entrance to the walk has an impressive wheelchair access ramp, and there is a sign that dogs on lead are allowed.
The track is part of a tramway that ran from Buderim to Palmwoods in  early 1900 and has been lovingly restored and maintained by volunteers. It has recently been extended and the entrance now has a great information board and picnic tables and sheltershed.
There are benches along the way to have a rest and take in the history of the track and the lovely surrounds.

Allow at least about 1 hour return for this walk.

EWEN MADDOCK DAM TRACK ONE

The walking tracks around Ewen Maddock dam are another one of those best kept secrets that only the locals know about. The area has had a recent upgrade since SEQ water has taken over.
The main entrance has been spruced up with a new playground, toilet facilities and some lovely picnic areas.
This entrance is well used my mountain bike riders as access to the many trails. We encountered a few on the tracks, but were always warned well ahead to keep to the side as they raced past. (it is always a good idea before setting out on your walks to all agree to jump to the same side of the track if someone ,either joggers or bikes, wants to pass) Since the take over of the area by SEQ water a few tracks have been closed, so this meant some changes to our original track notes.

As the weather is getting hotter each week, we decided to have an early start and were at the gates so to speak at 6.10 am. We decided to start our walk using a back entrance into the park from Ford Road. The start of the walk led us over a wide track and up into a gum forest, we noticed how everything was getting pretty dry underfoot. Soon we were over the hill and back down to the foreshores of the dam. There were lots of Melaleucas or paperbark trees standing in the still water, their perfect environment! At this time of the year we noticed a lot more shrubs in flower and managed to get some good photos.

We seemed to be followed by the squawking of some cockatoos that looked to be having an argument. I walked back and spotted the to do in the trees. Managed to shoot this picture of one of the sulphur crested cockatoos putting on a display.

 Further along the walk we settled down for a break along  a low dam wall and spotted this bird fishing for his breakfast among the reeds. I think it is some kind of egret.

This area is definitely a haven for bird watchers, not just water birds, as we heard plenty of birdsong amongst the trees.

The wild rosella bushes were in flower at the start of the walk on the left side of the track

All in all, plenty to be seen as long as you keep an eye open and an ear to the ground. And you know what, we were expecting lots of midgies and mozzies as this is a real swampy area, but were not bitten once! Thank goodness as my leech bite from last week is still itchy!
This was a 3 hour walk, not too long and we were back at the coffee shop in Fairhill nursery before it was too hot.

The walk we did today is described in more detail on page 65 in our cd: 52 of the most beautiful walks on the sunshine coast available from: www.sunshinecoastbushwalks.com

Delicia Road Conservation Park to Ubajee Walkers Camp

Past Mapleton on the Blackall Range lies a beautiful conservation park left to the community by a lady called Linda Garrett. The entrance to this park is also the start of a section of the Great walk that leads through the hinterland ranges in the back of Mapleton.
The walk today took us through a part of the land Linda Garrett used to own and is particularly spectacular if you like to walk through areas that give you that tropical rainforest feel. Unfortunately with that feel can come the wet sensation of a leech having attached itself to any warm, juicy bodypart. Never mind, just come prepared with salt, or make sure to spray your hiking boots and socks before setting out.

There is something magic about walking through palm forests, with scattered fallen logs covered in moss. The ground covered in palm fronds and small trickling streams running alongside the track.
The walk through Lind Garrett park takes about an hour, after which the trail emerges into an open forest and continues on to a walkers camp where you can camp overnight if you plan to do the Great Walk over a few days.

The view at Ubajee walkers camp is definitely worth the hike, it will take you as far as the eye can see, in the direction of Kenilworth.

MORE DETAILED TRACKNOTES ON THIS WALK AND ALL OTHER WALKS ON THIS BLOG ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE ON OUR WEBSITE: WWW.SUNSHINECOASTBUSHWALKS.COM
THE WALKS ARE WRITTEN IN EBOOK FORMAT AND AVAILABLE ON 2 CDS.
52 WALKS ON THE SUNSHINE COAST AND SHORT WALKS ON THE SUNSHINE COAST.
EACH WALK IS PRINTABLE FROM THE EBOOK AND DESCRIBES ACCESS, DURATION, TRACKNOTES AND HAS PHOTOS.

Parklands Conservation Park Nambour: Lemon Tree Circuit

Another crisp early morning at Parklands in Nambour. This time we started further down and parked the car at the end of the road. We didn't get far before we spotted our first bush in flower to photograph.I haven't been able to find this flower in any of my flower books, so if anybody out there can identify this I would be very pleased.

Continuing on we spotted a small flock of yellow tailed cockatoos on our right, making themselves heard before being seen by their loud screeches. Before long we turned off deeper into the forest, like last week it had rained the day before, so there were small droplets on all the flowers.

Melastoma Mel= black Stoma= mouth which is what you get when you eat the berries.

You may wonder how I know all this, well I recently won 2nd price in a photographic competition held here on the coast. I won a beautiful book by Stephanie Haslam on Noosa's Native plants, so now I can put a name to all those lovely flower photos I enjoy taking. Thank you Stephanie!

Flowers were out in full force, we spotted a flowering banana bush, blueberry ash, pale flax lily, lobelia gibbosa (now I'm showing off)

Lobelia Gibbosa

After about an hour we heard the classic chatter of a cockatoo to the right of the track in the casuarinas, but to our surprise it was not a yellow tailed but red tailed cockatoo happily munching on the seeds of the 

she- oak.

red tailed cockatoo

You can see his big powerful black beak and I think he/she has his eyes closed.

The walk took us through rainforest and over ridges with quite a few steep sections. 

After about 2 1/2 hours we returned to the car, it was getting hotter, so just as well. We had a great  coffee in a new little cafe in Yandina main street in I think what's called the Timber hut

Absolutely delish and very popular with the locals from the looks of it.

PARKLANDS NAMBOUR ROCKY CREEK CIRCUIT

Parklands Conservation Park just outside Nambour is one of the best kept secrets. Although well known among mountain bike riders, we do not encounter many bushwalkers in this park.
This is a pity because the tracks are beautiful and varied, leading past a range of landscapes, wooded ridges, rainforest gullies and creek crossings.
The Rocky Creek circuit is a worth while morning's walk, starting early, we arrived at the park entrance at 6.45.
The sun was streaming through the undergrowth, the air still had a chill to it, what a start to the day.

It had rained the night before, so everything was fresh and glistening. There are several well signed walks in this park and Rocky creek circuit is one of 4. The information board at the park's entrance gives a good explanation of the park's Flora and Fauna.
It took us about 1 1/2 hours to do the circuit, stopping off at the creek crossing for a break and a snack. All in all a great hike with a few steepish hills, but the hiking sticks we carried  helped keep us steady on foot.
Coffee in Nambour afterwards.

Noosa Trail 4 Lake McDonald to Killawarra Rd

What a pleasant surprise this walk was!
I had not done this walk before. Starting early and arriving at Kookaburra Park at 7am, we easily found the start of the track. There was a recent council sign mentioning that the track is due to be upgraded and parts of it could be closed . The phone number to call for an update is: 54757272. So far so good, Even though sections of this walk takes you over gravel roads, these are not busy and quite pleasant,as long as you don't walk in the hot dry weather. The track also meanders through sections of bushland and rainforest, crossing small creeks along a trail that used to be the bullock track from Gympie to Tewantin. At the junction of Gumboil Road and Collwood Road there are spectacular views of the hinterland towards Mount Ninderry, Mothar Mountain and towards Boreen Point and the lakes. A great place to stop off for a drink and a snack.

Theory is: this is Mothar mountain in the distance, facing north.
We only walked as far as the start of Old Tewantin Road which took us an hour and returned via the same route. On the way back taking in things we missed on the first part of the walk, like some lovely flowers and funghi.

If I am correct this is the Tree Shaggy Pea, I could be wrong. It was flowering along the track.
Coffee in Cooroy at the Jamaica Blue Coffee shop for a change. Great apple pie, with whipped cream, yum..

Wallum Wild Flowers

Now is the right time to get out there and enjoy the wallum heathland, that comes alive with wildflowers this time of the year.
At first sight this kind of bushland might seem uninspiring, but after having seen it reveal it's secrets at the end of winter and beginning of spring, it certainly has grown on me.
We decided to walk in the Mooloolah River National Park today starting at Claymore Road.. This is usually a very wet area with parts of the track under water for most part of the year. We thought as it had not rained for a few months that the tracks would be passable. This was the case, except for a few sections where we had to get our hiking boots wet.

Never mind, The wildflowers were out in full force in yellow, white, and  purple. Boronia,

Vanilla Lily  and Sundew were growing along the side of the track in profusion. A great time to get some good close up photographs of these lovely dainty flowers.
There was an icy wind blowing, so we did not spend long on the flats, but the trail does continue into the forest, so getting outof the wind was no problem.
Great coffee afterwards at Designer Deserts in Chancellor park! Highly recommended.

Walking in Mapleton Forest

Mapleton and the Blackall range are one of my most favorite areas to walk. We chose to hike the walk on page 28 on our bushwalking CD called Mapleton Forest Trails Track 2. As it was a bit rainy we chose a track without too many creeks

and slippery down slopes. This one was perfect. It's so great to start early on a winter's day when there is low cloud and fog about. The track was all misty and the forest was shrouded in fog . We chose not to take our hiking poles, as it was cold and we wanted to keep our hands in our pockets. These poles might seem a bit of a pose, but can be a life saver on rocky tracks and I was a bit regretful I decided to leave them in the car as there were some sections of this walk that were a bit slippery.

It's amazing what you forget about a walk and what you remember. I certainly forgot about the slippery down hill slopes.
never mind, the walk was great, not too long, only 1 hour and 15 minutes. One reason we all decided to get hiking poles was that one of us read that they are great for building upper body strength. Can't get enough of that stuff! The walk took us through a beautiful area of Mapleton Forest, no views, but a great hike through the forest.
Coffee in one of the little Cafes in Mapleton afterwards, a great ending to the hike, and home not too late.

Climbing Mount Cooroy

It was just 2 of us this Sunday morning, a beautiful sunny day, freezing cold wind blowing a gale out of the west.
Early start as usual, turning into the driveway of Cooroy Mountain Spring water at 7.10 am. One of us had called through the week to let them know we were going to hike on Sunday, so the gate was left open. If you climb through the week, you are asked to sign into the visitor's book and park at the visitors carpark near the office.
We had a 4WD, so drove through the gate past the office and near the cattle yards and up the mountain track to park next to the sheer cliff face that marks the start of the walk.

I would not advice driving up without a 4Wd or in wet weather, just walk the track up, it's a lovely walk.
With your right side to the cliff face, walk straight for maybe 5 metres to a couple of pine trees, the track wind around the cliff face to the right and then comes to a T  where you turn right. Follow this trail into the bush and up the mountain.
The westerly was very cold as the climbing side of the mountain was in the shade. So a good tip: in summer climb this mountain in the early morning, but in winter an afternoon climb better.
The track is still in good shape, rocky in parts, definitely not as steep as Cooroora Mountain in Cooroy.
Near the top there first is a cliff face towards the west, a bit cold and windy for us, but climbing on we got to the other side of the mountain where the sun  was beaming down and we were protected from the wind. On the way to the the other side you'll pass a rock and a large bird's nest fern, stuck underneath  wrapped in plastic is a visitor's book (another one) . It makes a good read and of course pop your name in if you wish.
Wow, the easterly side was so warm, we stripped off, had our morning tea on a rock, what a view all the way to the coast, Noosa, the lakes, great!

It was difficult to leave and start on the track back down, beanies back on all rugged up, way to go! It only took half the time getting back. Coffee in Cooroy back at Peter's Cafe. delish!

Elanda Point to Kin Kin Creek

 3 of us started out early on Saturday morning, driving to Elanda Point , just past Boreen Point. We arrived early(for us) at 7 am. it was chilly, but beautiful. Destination Kin Kin Creek.
We found  a couple of changes to the track and have now popped updates to this walk on our website
www.sunshinecoastbushwalks.com, on the track update page.
This area is usually notorious for mozzies after rain, but they weren't too bad today. The track was wet in parts but passable.
What we noticed though, was the huge amount of birds everywhere. A lot of the gum trees and melaleucas were flowering, heavily scenting the air, and drawing all the birds to the nectar.
Seems July on is a great time to go bird watching in this area.
The walk took us as far as Kin Kin Creek where we had a morning snack on the wooden bridge. Careful, it is very slippery! What a peaceful view over the creek either way, the water was flat as glass, trees either side reflected on the water. the odd bird flitting about. After snacks, we has a short excursion across the creek for a couple of hundred metres. The scenery changes as you cross and becomes wet rain forest, palms, absolutely beautiful! Next time we'll go as far as Harry's hut, today time was an issue.
We were back at the car after 3 hours, not bad for a morning's work.
Coffee, always a huge part of the outing, was at Peter's Cafe in Cooroy, they come highly recommended.
It seems the lovely little cafe in Boreen Point has been closed for a while. Too bad.
Next week we'll climb Mount Coory.