Profile for Sam - Aussie Bushwalking

This Year

Number of Walks Ticked

0.0m

Total Distance Ticked

All Time

Number of Walks Ticked

132.1km

Total Distance Ticked

Ticks

Name	Date	Difficulty	Distance/Duration
Remarkable Cave (Tasman National Park)	10 Apr, 2022	Easy	200m return 15 mins
short stairs down to cave lookout viewpoint. Interesting, but definitely would not do unless already in the Port Arthur area or doing one of the longer hikes in the area.
Painted Cliffs/Oast House Circuit (Maria Island National Park)	9 Apr, 2022	Easy	4.3km return 2 hrs
4/5 stars, 2hrs return at moderate pace. Mostly a walk, some interesting views along the way but one big draw is the apparent abundance of wombats along the way. Counted ~15 in total. I assume the more inland trails would have even more wombats. The Cliffs themselves have pretty interesting weathering patterns and make for nice photos. I've done this walk 1 time.
Mount Amos (Freycinet National Park)	8 Apr, 2022	Hard	4km return 3 hrs
5/5 stars, 3.5hrs return at relaxed pace. Great hike, other SE QLD hikers compare it as similar to beerwah but easier, and to some extent I agree. Nowhere as steep, and scrambling sections much shorter and easier - the rock face is a lot grippier than the smooth rock at beerwah, although it can get super windy. Scrambling up/down the rocks makes up about maybe 35-40% of the hike? the rest being regular hiking. You've always got a good view of Coles Bay as you go up, and the mountain itself has pretty unique rock formations. At the top, you can also detour to other 'peaks' for other viewpoints, but the main one is the Wineglass Bay view, which gives a more unobstructed view than the easier Wineglass Bay Lookout track. Going down if you're not a confident hiker is not toooo bad, just take your time and bum-shuffle if you need. Bring shoes with good grip. Going for sunrise > sunset might be better, not sure I'd like to go down in the dark with 40kmh wind. Definitely a trip-maker. I've done this hike 1 time.
Hansons Peak (Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park)	6 Apr, 2022	Hard	5km return 2 hrs
5/5 stars, 2.5hrs return at relaxed pace. Good shorter hike with great views and interesting variation in path itself. If time permitting, would recommend continuing to Lake Wilks before returning down to Dove Lake Circuit track and then back to the carpark. This extension extended the time to 5.5hrs return at a relaxed pace, but is a good medium length alternative if you're not sure you can commit to the Cradle Summit. The extra portion going by Lake Wilks also has great scenery. Hansons Peak would probably give a great sunrise/sunset view of Cradle. I've done this hike 1 time.
Twin Falls Circuit (Springbrook National Park)	4 Oct, 2021	Medium	4.6km return 90 mins
4.5/5 stars, 1.5hrs return at relaxed pace. Similar to Purlingbrook, going clockwise (go to the left at the start of the trail) is better in my opinion. Going anticlockwise, it only takes perhaps 15min to reach the falls, which if you’re more keen on the swimming might be better, but in terms of a walk, I’d prefer walking longer to the falls and then shorter back to the carpark. Either way, you start off fairly close to the top of the falls. The entire walk has less elevation change than Purlingbrook but similar duration. That being said, this walk is considerably more enjoyable, there are a lot more interesting things to see along the walk than the Purlingbrook track; it similarly has plenty of rainforest, but also some passing of smaller waterfalls, passing through rock formations, etc., so a much more enjoyable walk. The temperature is very cool as well due to the shade. However, because the walk is quite nice, it is quite a popular walk, so going on a weekday might be nicer to beat the crowds. I've done this walk 1 time.
Best Of All Lookout (Springbrook National Park)	4 Apr, 2021	Very Easy	700m return 30 mins
nice short walk to decent lookout, would do only if I was already in the area ie. doing Twin Falls
Purling Brook Falls Circuit (Springbrook National Park)	22 Jun, 2020	Medium	4km return 2 hrs
3.5/5 stars, 1.75hrs return at relaxed pace. Going clockwise (go to the left at the start of the trail) is definitely better as the trail in the clockwise direction goes down a few stairs to reach the base of the waterfall, whereas the anti-clockwise direction is more of just gradual slope elevation changes so it’s nicer on your knees to go clockwise. Both directions start off near the head of the falls, and go down towards the base. Clockwise, the path hugs the cliff edge with a view over the rainforest (can see all the way to the beach in the distance at some points) for a while before starting to drop in elevation down stairs. Once you start heading down the stairs, the atmosphere has very nice rainforest vibes with a well defined path. The temperature here is quite cool and shady as the path is shielded from wind by the trees on one side and the cliff on the other. You can cross over the creek to get closer to the falls, but the spray from the water can make a few rocks a bit slippery. The path around and behind the falls has been closed - too slippery/dangerous for the general public. A suspension bridge will lead you back on the trail to head back to the carpark. In this second half of the trail heading back up, the scenery is not as appealing, with more lantana and other common bush, but at least it’s a bit easier cardio-wise as well as distance-wise it's slightly shorter. This second half also passes by the head of the falls before it drops off the cliff. Would definitely recommend going after there’s been a lot of rain otherwise the falls aren’t as impressive, as well as on an overcast day for softer lighting if you want photos. I've done this hike 1 time.
Natural Bridge (Springbrook National Park)	21 Mar, 2020	Very Easy	1km return 30 mins
short family friendly rainforest walk
Mount Tibrogargan Summit (Glass House Mountains National Park)	31 Jan, 2020	Very Hard	2.7km return 2 hrs
4/5 stars, 3.5hrs return at slow pace - did in group with people not confident with climbing. The carpark has been moved further down the road so slightly longer walk to get to the climbing section. The first section after the carpark is the walking trail that goes around the mountain, which deviates at a well-marked sign for the summit trail. From here it gets rocky, with some bits requiring large steps up, a nice warmup. The rest is a pretty fun climb if you have some climbing experience, plenty of handholds. Steeper than beerwah, but an easier climb imo, on account of the plentiful handholds, but can still be dangerous if you aren’t careful. Pretty nice views on the way up of beerwah and the surrounding countryside. Climb up until you reach the peak. The peak is flat with lots of surrounding vegetation so you won’t get a clear 360 degree view, you won’t even really get a good view of beerwah (imo the best view of beerwah is slightly before you reach the peak). Walking across the peak for about 10-15 minutes following the track leads you to the actual end of the trail, where you get a view towards the east. Overall, it’s just a fun climb, if you’re confident in climbing and you can trust your shoes/bare feet for grip, you’ll have no problems. If you’ve never been before, just take your time. I've done this hike 3 times.
Roy's Peak (South Island NZ)	30 Nov, 2019	Hard	14.9km return 6 hrs
did it for sunrise which was worth the view, and also advantageous in that there is zero shade along the whole trail, so if you do this in the daytime definitely wear some sunscreen. view is amazing, but track itself gets quite repetitive.
Franz Josef Glacier Valley Walk (South Island NZ)	28 Nov, 2019	Easy	2km return 1 hr
nice 1.5hr return walk. clear borders at the end of the track for people to not go too close to the glacier.
Hokitika Gorge (South Island NZ)	27 Nov, 2019	Easy	1.7km return 1 hr
very nice short walk, water is quite turquoise. area is not too much of a detour from main road
Table Top Loop (Toowoomba)	22 Nov, 2019	Hard	2km return 2 hrs
3.5/5 stars, 2hrs return at relaxed pace. Fairly short distance but decently challenging, most of the trail (fairly straightforward to follow) involves walking on top of rocks, and uphill steep enough in some areas that using your hands to grab nearby branches/rocks to stabilize is probably a good idea, but possible to get away without using hands. Some portions are loose dirt, which combined with the uphill make some sections very slippery. Shoes with good grip would help, especially since most of the trail involves maneuvering on top of rocks (but not really scrambling or climbing). Shade dots the trail but I wouldn’t rely on it, the trail goes up the mountain from the west so if you go early enough in the morning the rocks shouldn’t be too hot to touch. There are one or two viewpoints along the trail but the views are mostly at the peak. Given that the distance is so short, I wasn’t too concerned about the slight lack of scenery on the way up. The peak itself is as the name suggests, large and flat like a table top, and is also mostly barren of trees, so be sure to bring a hat. The rock cairn at the peak directly ahead of the trail provides a good view of the land. Because the peak is quite large and flat, you can’t really get a good 360 degree view from this mountain. A decent hike given its proximity to Toowoomba (plenty of lunch options and toilets in the nearby suburbs). I wouldn’t mind doing it again if I was in Toowoomba, but I might be more inclined to check out some of the other nearby mountains instead of repeating it. I've done this hike 1 time.
Mt Cooroora (Sunshine Coast)	9 Nov, 2019	Hard	2.6km return 2.5 hrs
4/5 stars, 2hrs return at a slow pace - did in a group with people that are not confident hikers. After about 10-15 minutes of walking the rest of the trail involves low scrambling with short sections of metal stairs every now and then, as well as metal chains running along parts of the scramble that you can hold on to. The rocks for the scramble are slippery in some sections due to being covered in a fine dust so shoes with good grip help. Most of the scrambling is also exposed to the sun with minimal shade so bring sunscreen. The peak isn’t quite free of trees, only a few spots offer clear views of the landscape (not 360 degree view at the peak), but fairly decent nevertheless. Overall, a nice shorter hike that involves more than just walking; somewhat comparable to tibro in that regard. I've done this hike 1 time.
Mt Greville (Moogerah Peaks National Park)	9 Oct, 2019	Hard	6km return 3 hrs
5/5 stars, 3hrs return at relaxed pace. Going via. Waterfall Gorge route is one of my favourite SE QLD hikes, the trail involves mostly rock hopping through the gorge (pretty much devoid of water) most of the way. The gorge is fairly spacious in terms of width, with tall palm trees having grown throughout. The walls of the gorge are quite high; combined with the shade from the palms the temperature in the gorge is quite comfortable (the sun won’t be shining directly into the gorge). Changes in elevation are fairly gradual and aren’t too difficult. Exiting the gorge and following the narrow dirt trail for a few minutes will take you to the Rock Slab, providing a clear view to Lake Moogerah. If you follow the trail and reach a small clearing (where it seems the trail dead ends) that has a view of the mountains on the opposite side of Mt Greville (compared to the Lake Moogerah side), you’ve gone too far. The turnoff to the Rock Slab is on the left side of the trail if you’re coming from Waterfall Gorge and is easy to miss due to the slightly overgrown vegetation, but still follows a definite trail. I've done this hike 2 times. 3.5/5 stars, 3.5hrs return at relaxed pace. The SE Ridge route is easy to follow when ascending, with relatively clear dirt trails through the bush sections and small arrows drilled into the rock plain sections where there are otherwise no tracks. Even if you can’t find the small arrows on the ground in the open rock plains, if you keep heading in a straight direction (not turning too far left or right) then you’ll eventually find the dirt trail again. However, descending the rock plains can get a little tricky as going downhill, it's not as easy to spot the markers from your elevated angle. Scrambling and climbing is not really necessary, it’s mostly just walking. Scenery in the bush sections is quite mundane, but the views from the rock plains of the surrounding mountains are decent. The true summit (marked by a pile of rocks about 1.5m high) view is blocked by trees, and does not offer a great view. Would recommend ascending and descending via. Waterfall Gorge instead - scenery and ambience is far superior and very hard to get lost since it's mostly just a straight trail through the gorge; there aren’t many branches off to the sides. I've done this hike 1 time.
Mt Cordeaux (Main Range National Park)	5 Oct, 2019	Medium	6.8km return 2.5 hrs
3/5 stars, 2.5hrs return at relaxed pace. A fairly easy walk, the uphill is mostly constant on the way up but not too steep (hence 1.5hrs up, 1hr down). The trail is mostly shaded so heat isn’t a big problem. Most of the trail is through rainforest, this combined with the length being fairly short keeps the trail fairly interesting. The trail is pretty popular and well-defined, although be sure to follow the signs to go to the right trail, as there are a few forks for different trails. Also, make sure the trail you take is on the far right-hand side of the carpark (opposite side to the toilets). Peak of the trail isn’t the true peak of the mountain, and views are restricted by vegetation so you can only see towards Lake Moogerah, which is still decent. Decent walk but I think Mt Mitchell (across the road from the carpark) is the better of the two mountains, as well as both being beaten out by Mt Greville. I wouldn’t mind going again but there’s better hikes out there. I'd probably combine this and try Bare Rock extension next time if I go again. I've done this hike 1 time.
Flinders Peak (Ipswich - Flinders Goolman Conservation Estate)	27 Sep, 2019	Hard	6.5km return 3.5 hrs
3.5/5 stars, 4hrs return at moderate pace. The majority of the trail is uphill on a dirt trail so prepare your quads; some parts in particular are steep dirt which makes walking quite slippery, shoes with good grip really help for these bits, especially when going back downhill. Maybe 15-20% of the trail involves maneuvering over and around rocks - these sections are marked with orange triangle markers, so it isn’t too hard to find the right way. Most of the trail is only partly shaded, so if you’re going on a sunny day then be sure to bring sunscreen and a hat. The peak has a helicopter landing pad, so you’ll know when you’re there (there’s a couple of fake ‘peaks’ along the way). Scenery is alright, on a clear day you can see the city in the distance. The peak has a view in pretty much each main compass direction so take your pick, but the actual walk up isn’t amazing for scenery/interest. Overall a decent hike, given that it’s not as far as most of the other mountains. Try to park right up at the picnic area where the toilets and hut are, and the start of the hike is on the right side of the clearing area. I've done this hike 2 times.
Mt Mitchell (Main Range National Park)	11 May, 2019	Medium	10.98km 3.5 hrs
3.5/5 stars, 3hrs return at relaxed pace. Quite easy, the increase in elevation is very very gradual making it seem more like a bushwalk than a hike. Gets a little steeper near the top but the steeper sections mostly have stairs to make it easier. Trail is very clearly marked out. Around half of the hike is through rainforest which has a cooling effect and a nice atmosphere. Lots of moss covered rocks and plants makes for a very refreshing section. The other half is not as nice and consists of drier, mostly brown coloured bush. However, this drier half feels a little more open in terms of space and you can catch glimpses of the nearby Mt Cordeaux and Lake Moogerah in the distance. The peak provides almost 180 degree views; towards the east to Lake Moogerah and its surrounding mountains, as well as the winding road leading down from Mt Mitchell, whilst the west view is of the inland. A few short plants populate the peak and are slightly in the way of a full and clear 360 view. I've done this hike 1 time.
Mount Beerwah (Glass House Mountains National Park)	12 Dec, 2018	Very Hard	3.6km return 3 hrs
4.5/5 stars, 4.5hrs return at slow pace - did in group with beginner hikers/people not confident climbing. The first half is mostly 'climbing' which people can find tricky due to the smoothness of the rock in some portions without many handholds. Bring shoes with good grip, or go barefoot. If you are experienced enough and have good shoes, some sections are doable without using your hands at all. Second half from the caves onwards is more like regular hiking but large variety of interesting views, both in terms of the surrounding landscape and the mountain itself. Great 360 view at the summit of surround. Harder than tibro in my opinion, due the first ‘climb’ section, but more rewarding views. Would suggest doing tibro first before beerwah. Going with someone who has done it before to guide you is probably a good idea if you've never done it before. If you’re concerned with the climb back down, bum-shuffling/sliding down is feasible if you follow the easier/flatter sections, though I have seen many pairs of pants ruined by this. Also bring thin gloves if going on a sunny day, the rocks heat up during the day and can make the climbing very difficult. I've done this hike 2 times.
Mt Maroon (Mt Barney National Park)	22 Sep, 2018	Hard	6km return 4 hrs
5/5 stars, 5.5hrs return at slow pace. After leaving the small carpark, a short 5-10 minute walk will transition into mostly uphill, so prep your quads. This continues on for about an hour, or maybe about an hour and a half if you’re going at a relaxed pace. Steep enough to make it feel like good exercise, but with the trees being relatively spread out, there is usually a good breeze blowing to cool you down (dense enough to provide decent shade, but spread out enough that you can see the hills in the distance down below. The trail is also relatively clear (small arrows hammered into the rocks every now and then), and a good mixture of dirt and rock set into the ground, so you can have a balance between walking on the rocks to rely for balance, but also softer dirt ground to ease the legs a little. After continuing upwards for a while, the track will loop back down for maybe 50m and around some rock, so try to stick to the track and not rely on scrambling over the large rocks. A short scramble section follows, going mostly upwards. Afterwards, if you continue on along the trail for another half hour, you’ll peak. The summit is fairly large, with several small slight elevations along the rocky plain that could each be called a ‘peak’. Could easily explore the peak and take photos of each view for an hour (going around the edges of the summit will give the 360 degree views of the land). Nearby mountains, a lake, and small hills make for a great landscape. Would definitely recommend if you have decent physical ability. I've done this hike 1 time.