Lamington

Nixon Ck

Start from the beginning of the Lower Bell-bird track. Walk down to Nixon Ck by walking to the start of the Bellbird track in the paddocks and then turning North along a grassy fire-break for about 100m. Turn east at the end down the hill and always make turns to the north when possible until in the creek.

Initially the creek is full of quite slippery rocks but this gives way to palm groves that can be followed most of the way up the creek avoiding to much slipperiness. Further upstream, Bohgaban Falls are very spectacular. There is a track that zig-zag's the east side through lantana and over to the top of the falls.

Another hour will lead to the shipstern circuit, balenjui falls and the lower bellbird track back to the car.

Fountain Falls and Mid-Ridge Traverse

Starting from Binna Burra

Follow the graded track to Gwongoorool pool. Cross the creek and head west until a ridge crest is gained moving south west. Follow the ridge until a cliff is encountered and traverse left until a break through the cliff involving a nice scramble is encountered. There were numerous seed ticks I picked up here I think. Ascend and then turn west at the next minor cliff until the crest of the Darlington Range is encountered. Follow the Darlington Range for half an hour and then head West. If you don't encounter an old graded track before the creek you are too far upstream.

Cross the creek between Curtain and Fountain Falls. Have a nice break. Follow the creek from Fountain Falls past the old camp site and over the hexagonal basalt pillars to find the tagged track heading up to the top of the crest. Follow the ridge north until the rainforest becomes very open and the tagged track should head west and down to Canungra Ck. Follow the creek upstream to Blue Pool and from here up Bull-Ant Spur to O'Reillies.

Coomera Gorge from Gwongoorool pool

The walk took a group of 8 reasonably fit people 10 hours to get to Coomera Falls and back again. People had divided loyalties between rock hopping or moving through the riparian rainforest and neither choice was easy. I prefer keeping out of the creek as inevitably the feet get saturated and rock hopping all day can take a toll on the knees. The rainforest is particularly easy when dominated by Picabeen palms Archontophoenix cunninghamiana, but Calamus muelleri or wait-a-while was quite abundant.

I felt the walk was worthwhile with spectacular cliffs towering above us and spray from elevated waterfalls made interesting viewing. Basalt organ pipes were experienced at one point. The last stretch above a tricky waterfall had to be achieved by getting saturated to the waist - there was no alternative. The views of Coomera falls from below are a great comparison with the views from the graded track walk.

Echo Point to Tweed Trig and beyond.

Many bitter lessons have finally taught me over years that you will always lose if you leave the track in this area. The scrub is so thick and the wait-a-while and barb-wire-vine so plentiful that travel speed is drastically slashed. If you lose the track it is better to go back to find it again. Do not use common sense principles like sticking to a ridge top because the track hasn't been built in this way and therefore avoids rocky outcrops and unnecessary knolls.

The Tweed Trig has a junction of tracks meeting at a clearing. The west track was extremely faint in June 2001. Count yourself lucky if you can follow it to Mt Nungulba without scrub bashing and compass dependence. From Black Snake ridge the old rabbit fence can be followed more or less to Mt Gipps. Once clear of the rain forest the going is very tough with lantana and scrub making progress very slow and tedious at times.

Black Canyon

Access is by Silver Falls from O'Reillies and return including 90 minutes of rests takes about 8 hours. There is a track that is good but finding it may not be easy. At the point of writing this (September 2003) there was a clearly marked red taped trail all the way avoiding the need for rope. This trail begins after the second sharp turn to the left from the Albert River circuit turn off. Bypass 1 gully, then an old sign with 1 M P on it then count 85 paces from the second gully.

The taped trail may be resumed if lost by maintaining the course and swinging left and right to pick up the trail again. Eventually a cairn is reached upon which the main ridge is left (the direction is now west south west)and the trail descends sharply to some cliffs. This is marked by tape. At the base of the cliffs the trail winds towards the creek(north) for about 50m before resuming a steep drop leading to a gully full of scree. About 100m further down the gully the trail moves back to the south parallel to the creek until the Albert River is met. A 50 minute rockhop is necessary to reach Black Canyon. The only time I found the pool warm enough for a swim was when Brisbane had a 40 degree heat wave.