Baroon Pocket to Kondalilla Falls and back
(Queensland)A stroll through the SE Queensland rainforest, with spectacular views down Obi Obi creek.
Getting there
The start of the walk is about 4 km from Mapleton.
Maps
See below
Route/Trail notes
From the carpark at Baroon Pocket Dam, walk under the 'Great Walks' portal/roof and you're off! The first 2 km of the walk is on clearly defined paths, with bridges and walkways at some parts - it's fairly level and accessible to almost anyone. The path wanders gradually uphill and after 30 minutes or so you will be at the Obi Obi lookout, which has fantastic views up and down Obi Obi Creek and towards the dam. Apparently there are marsupial frogs in this area, and one of the walkways is made of untreated wood in order to keep their environment pristine.
Keep following the path and you will see a sign with the standard warning about track conditions getting harder. Walk through the grass trees and make a steep descent of about 150m along a forest path to the level of the creek. This part of the walk is dense rainforest with lots of palms and strangler figs. After about an hour you come to Flat Rock, which is a good open spot for a rest. The path rises and falls and about 2 hours 30m after the start you arrive at Kondalilla Falls. This is a popular tourist spot with a swimming hole, and it's five minutes up the track to the car park if you only want to do the walk one way.
Return the same way, or arrange a pickup from Kondalilla Falls. Total return time is about 5 hours. Be prepared for leeches along the creek, especially in wet weather. Plenty of goannas, bush turkeys and the occasional snake (green tree snakes, carpet pythons and the occasional red-bellied black snake) are around, but all are very shy and usually make themselves scarce as soon as you come along.
Permits/Costs
None
Other References
http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/parks_and_forests/great_walks/sunshine_coast_hinterland/
This site has good maps in PDF format which can be printed out in B+W or colour.
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Comments
Sandra Godsell on 9 Jul, 2011
Only went one way - to Kondalilla Falls. It was a lovely day for it. Part of the track to the base of the Falls was closed after the wet summer, but could still get there from one way. Nice views to Obi Obi gorge at lookouts along the way.donna on Apr, 2011
I did this walk last year but only went as far as Kondalilla Falls with a beautiful girl i met from England was a great way to shoe her a just how beautiful our county is.It would have been an easy walk but i had my 3 yr old daughter with me and carried her most the way there and back on my back with made it a bit challenging. but a fantastic day none the less.Laurence Hallam on 4 Jan, 2010
Only did the Great walk part to Kondilla Falls. Very Nice