This full day bush hike in the Lamington National Park criss-crosses various creeks with numeous waterfalls.
I stayed at O'Reilly's Guesthouse at the plateau in the centre of the National Park which was ideal for making an early start. As I was staying the following evening as well I was under no pressure to hurry the walk - given the rather hair-raising drive up the narrow winding road into the park it would be best to try to avoid a nighttime drive in either direction. An early start is advised.
The hike is through rainforest - the park being part of the World Heritage Gondwana Rainforest.
Much to my delight, the Guesthouse couldn't resist the temptation to celebrate the Lamington National Park location by serving the eponymous cake. The coconut covered Lamingtons are famous in Australia and New Zealand and are named after a Governor of Queensland. Hardly good sustenance for a strenuous hike but welcome nonetheless.
The walk is panhandle shaped starting on a direct track then looping off into a circuit on several others before returning to the first track. Details of track available on the
Queensland Government website.
The walk starts on the border track, and later returns on it. The border in question is between the states of Queensland and New South Wales. After a fairly easy walk you turn off to the Toolona Creek circuit after which the hiking gets harder with some steep decent (and the inevitable return climb!), some cliffs, boulder crossings and the waterfalls.
There are several pretty waterfalls.
After all the waterfalls it is a climb up to the top of what is a caldera rim with superb views.
Then it is a return via the boundary track which goes all the way back to the start.
Summary: full day, strenuous, 18.8 km
Walked: May 2018
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