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