Booloumba Creek to Mount Allan
(Conondale National Park)A nice walk through changing forests to an old forestry fire tower with 360 degree views over the area. You are allowed to climb and enter the fire tower which can make a great spot for lunch or to escape any weather.
Getting there
From Maleny, follow tourist route 22 for 30 odd kilometres and turn left onto Booloumba Creek road. Eventually the road turns gravel. There's a few creek crossings which may only be accessible to high clearance 4wds. We had to park a at a cattle grid and walk an extra kilometre to the start of the walk, which starts at Booloumba Creek day use area number 2, the second one along the gravel road, after 3 creek crossings. The start of the walk is on the right, near a bunch of posters about the Great Walk.
Maps
http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/parks/conondale/pdf/conondalenp-imbilsf-map.pdf
Route/Trail notes
From the signs talking about the Great Walk, head up the stairs and follow the signs to the Mt Allan fire trail. It's a very well signed and defined path, so just follow it and the signs all the way. 700 metres from the top there is a small post at a fork in the road. Follow the fork up to the right and head to the fire tower at the top of the mountain. At the top, you can walk up the stairs to the 9 metre tower. Return in the same direction, or check out some of the other walks in the area.
Permits/Costs
Only if camping. You need to prebook at the Kenilworth DERM office just up the road.
Other References
How can I find more info? Any guide books?
11
3.5
Comments
Allan Allport on 29 Oct, 2011
Cloudy and humid day, but still a reasonably good view from the top of the tower. The water was higher than normal, so we had to park outside the park and walk down the 4wd track, getting wet a few times. Returned via the extra trail to day use area #1 where the creek crossing was well under water. Our feet spent most of the day wet and there were quite a few leeches, but still a good walk to the tower which really got the heart rate pumping with it's constant uphill.