Profile for F.A.B. - Aussie Bushwalking

This Year

Number of Walks Ticked

25.2km

Total Distance Ticked

All Time

504

Number of Walks Ticked

1,684.8km

Total Distance Ticked

Ticks

Name	Date	Difficulty	Distance/Duration
Emu Mountain (Mt. Peregian) (Sunshine Coast)	4 Oct, 2015	Easy	1.6km return 1 hr
Lovely little walk 30min up and back. Small gradient on a rubble surface so watch your step. Kids loved running all over the many paths and climbing the rocks.
Mt. Coot-tha Summit Track (Mt. Coot-tha)	3 Oct, 2015	Medium	5.3km return 75 mins
We cheated and drove to the top!
Joggly Point (New South Wales)	29 Sep, 2015	Easy	2km return 1 hr
I have done this walk a number of times over the years, but this was the first time I have witnessed a pod of whales no more than 400m off the headland frolicking about. Fantastic.
Snapper Point (New South Wales)	29 Sep, 2015	Easy	8.3km return 3 hrs
I have walked Goanna before, but never extended it south to Snapper Point. And what a magnificent walk it was. With so many interesting things to look at and people to talk to, it took me an age. The highlight was that the pod of whales seen at Goanna, arrived at Snapper at the same time as I did and were now less than 100m off shore. The water was so clear you could see the bottom, with the whales unable to dive as it was so shallow. A day to remember.
Ewen Maddock Dam - Trail 1 (Sunshine Coast)	23 Sep, 2015	Easy	13.4km return 4 hrs
Lovely walk with the kids, easy to follow paths around the dam that are well marked and warn. However, once you have walked the side, across the top and over the tip of the dam the walk is very unrewarding, spending the rest of the walk in bush and very few clearings to see the dam. Lots of wild life, moorhens, ducks, herons, coloured dragon flies, and lots of monitors in the trees. Highlight for the kids was finding a snake (Freshwater Keelback) eating a toad!
Burringbar Range Tunnel (New South Wales)	22 Sep, 2015	Easy	6.2km return 2.5 hrs
What a great little walk, with the benefit of a 500m tunnel. I have been doing some hard and new walks lately and it was good to relax and enjoy the surrounding for a change. The first think that hit me was the wonderful country smell of all the spring flowers. Talking country; there was resent evidence of cattle on the line, so watch out for cows on the track or in the tunnel, as there is nowhere to escape! Micro bats in the tunnel alcoves, but did not see any glow-worms. Tried to extend my walk on the far side of the tunnel, but the forest has closed in and made it impassable beyond about 300m, which is a shame, as it is only 1.5km to Upper Burringbar, where the track is pretty clear down to Burringbar's pub. Maybe one day?
Hell Hole Falls (Mt Jerusalem National Park)	15 Sep, 2015	Medium	5.1km return 105 mins
I was lucky enough to meet a local out for a walk with his child and ask for exact directions. Road names are un-signposted now that the roads have become gates tracks. It was worth persevering, as the end result was spectacular in this hidden gorge. I must have spent over an hour just soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying my lunch. The water was tempting, but at about 10 degrees, it was an up to your knees job. Fully intent to take the rest of the F.A.B family in later in the year.
Mt Sorrow Ridge Walk (Daintree National Park)	9 Sep, 2015	Hard	8.5km return 5.5 hrs
This was a hard but enjoyable climb. I had only intended to reci this walk, as the N.P. advice was to not go in solo. But a little voice in my head, the fact that the track was well marked and a dozen other people were on the climb at the same time made me keep going. I'm glad I did as the rewarding view at the top was fantastic. The amusing thing was that at 64, I was more than twice the age of any of the other trekkers!
Lake Barrine (Crater Lakes National Park)	5 Sep, 2015	Easy	4.8km return 105 mins
This was part two of a full days walking and driving the various lakes in the Atherton region. The others included Lake Tinaroo and Lake Eacham. I arrived here in time for a light snack lunch at the Tea House situated on the lake shore, before walking it off around the lake. Never did see a Freshwater Eel!
Lake Eacham (Crater Lakes National Park)	5 Sep, 2015	Easy	3.2km return 75 mins
Great way to end a busy day with a quick walk around the third lake of the day and then venture into the lake for a swim. Very popular place with loads of people relaxing by the water and picnicking.
McDonalds Track (Barron Gorge National Park)	4 Sep, 2015	Easy	9.4km return 4 hrs
I found this track by accident while at Wright's Lookout. It was only later that I was able to put a name to it as 'McDonalds Track'. An easy walk to start, before a steep slip sliding decent/assent at Surprise Creek. As the canopy opens up beyond Surprise Creek, take the short track on the left to the first pylon, as it provides the best views of the Barron Falls and east to the coast. Watch for nasty Lawyer Vines hanging down along the track. Met this strange guy on the track who was walking from Kuranda to Cairns. Umbrella, no shirt, sandals on his feet and a man-bag over his shoulder!
Barron Falls Lookout (Barron Gorge National Park)	4 Sep, 2015	Very Easy	1.2km return 45 mins
The last time I viewed the falls was from the Sky Rail, but this time it was a drive up the twisty road to Kuranda and out to the lookout. A short walk along the boardwalk led down to a second viewing platform, just behind the railway station, which provided even better views.
Wrights Lookout (Barron Gorge National Park)	4 Sep, 2015	Very Easy	3km return 1 hr
The sign from Barron Falls Lookout says 1km to Wright's, but it is closer to 2km!. Never mind. The view here is about looking down the Barron River to the sea.
Walsh's Pyramid (Wooroonooran National Park)	3 Sep, 2015	Very Hard	6.2km return 7 hrs
This was a testing climb and took us to the limits of our ability. Despite starting at 7am, by the time we got back to the car park at 2pm, the temperature was over 30 degrees. This was September, so god knows what it is like in summer, as there is limited shade on parts of the climb as you scramble up the boulders ridden upper reaches. Take plenty of water (4lt minimum) and a picnic, as area at the top is well suited and provides panoramic views.
Mt Bartle Frere - Western Approach (Wooroonooran National Park)	2 Sep, 2015	Very Hard	16km return 12 hrs
We were staying in Cairns and having done a reci of the access the day before our intended climb, I pulled the plug on the whole thing at 3.30am (Cairns departure time) for safety reasons. First the dangerous drive in and out in the dark. Secondly, there was no phone coverage, so had we decided to camp, which we were equipped for, we could not let anyone know that was our intention. And lastly, I questioned our ability to complete the climb in one day in day light. Not to be outdone, we climbed Walsh's Pyramid instead! We will be better prepared next time and it was for this reason, that we created the Mt Bartle Frere - Western Approach, as we considered that it was significantly different to the Eastern Approach.
Mt Boogarem Lookout (Mt Jerusalem National Park)	18 Aug, 2015	Medium	10.8km return 3.5 hrs
I found this track purely by accident, whilst researching access to the summit of Mt Boogarem. This is a pleasant easy walk along the graded track through the gum trees. The track follows the rim of the escarpment with a lookout on either side. Teales Lookout provides great easterly views along the coastline, whilst Mt Boogarem Lookout on the far side looks west to where you started and the farmlands in the valley below. The lookout is a great spot for a picnic, but be wary if you have children with you, as there is no indication where the edge of the cliff is and there is a 200m vertical drop.
Buhot Creek Circuit (Daisy Hill Conservation Park)	8 Aug, 2015	Easy	9km return 3 hrs
Another day out for the kids (6 & 8), with a picnic at the top of the quarry. The adults were also doing a full kit backpack (12kg) check for their Mt Bartle Frere climb next month. We set off in a anti-clockwise direction (should have gone clockwise; more logical) and although the route was crisscrossed with bike/horse tracks, there were sufficient indicators to be able to follow the map we had to the top of the quarry without problems on a easy track. Great views from there. Once you cross the gates into the quarry and north east area, all logical signage disappears! Despite the map and a GPS, we ended up missing access to the Stonehenge, Grasstree and Plunkett area. Sections of the circuit have been given other 'road/trail/track' names that do not appear on the map or index; very confusing. However, our detour made the adventure all the more fun; dodging the trail bike riders and we ended up covering just short of 10km in just over 3hr.
Mt Cooroora (Sunshine Coast)	5 Aug, 2015	Hard	2.6km return 2.5 hrs
Getting in some practice/training today for Mt Bartle only a month to go!! This is a great climb and the view is spectacular!
Cougal Cascades (Springbrook National Park)	4 Aug, 2015	Very Easy	1.6km return 1 hr
Ticked this one off my list whilst doing a reci for nearby Mt. Cougal. An easy family and wheelchair friendly walk up the valley to the old saw mill. There are lots of informative signage along the track providing a historic account of the area. Once a banana plantation! You do however have to climb down to get to the creek itself and cool off in the rock pools. Heed the warnings about jumping and diving in and never attempt it in flood. I have friends that lived just 1km down the road and after any serious down poor, this can be a very, very fast and dangerous river course. Half way along Currumbin Creek Road are the 'Rock Pools', which are also worth a stop, but due to their popularity, this area can be packed out.
Mt Warning Summit Trail (Wollumbin National Park)	25 Jul, 2015	Hard	8.3km return 5 hrs
At 1,156m this is the highest peak we have climbed so far. However, the car park is already at 456m so you climb 700m. The track is 4.4km each way and you really do have to heed the signs about not setting out after 1pm in winter. The track is well defined, but darkness is a lot lot earlier than sunset, given the canopy cover and tripping or slipping is your biggest enemy here. Three generations of F.A.B. (aged 6, 8, 31 and 60+) climbed M.T. today. We took our time, travelling at the pace of the slowest (not necessarily the oldest!), with a few natural breaks to enjoy the views and energize the children. It took us 2.5hrs each way, with a rest for lunch of about half an hour at the top. Having rained pretty heavily over the previous week, the track was in good condition. This was winter time and probably the best time to climb as the ‘traffic’ was less and the temperatures lower. Even so, there were about 100 on the mountain at the time. The last 0.4km to the top is the toughest, as you have to use the chains to help pull yourself up, but coming down the chains backwards, like abseiling, was much easier. This can be a busy section as up and down has to take it in turns in some sections. This was the highest and best climb we have done so far and the kids were brilliant. It's a fantastic, but long day out, for all families and would recommend it!