Bushwalking Around Kenilworth

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I recently had the opportunity to camp for two nights at the Kenilworth Showgrounds and do some walks around the area I hadn’t done before. The weekend was organized by the Redland Bushwalking Club and involved a variety of members from bushwalking clubs around South East Queensland. Every year one club organizes a Pilgrimage. I’ve tried to go to one every year for the last five or so years and so far only missed one because I had COVID-19 a few years ago. The Toowoomba bushwalking club held the one I missed.





There was a variety of walks organized on Saturday ranging from easy, short ones to long hard ones. I chose a medium one which was a circuit around Kureelpa Falls. Other groups did Mt Cooroora, Artists Cascades, Mapleton Falls to Ubajee Lookout loop, Mt Allan from Booloomba Creek and Kondalilla Falls Circuit.

Some other short walks on Saturday included the Imbil Rail Trail, Baxter Falls and the Piccabeen Circuit track.
[IMAGE1203053 Heading to Kureelpa Falls

Some walkers did the more challenging walks on Saturday, which included Kenilworth Bluff, Upper Summer Creek and Gheerula Circuit.


I really enjoyed our Kureelpa Falls walk. It was in the Mapleton National Park, with water from the South Maroochy River cascading over boulders before falling 30m into a gorge.
We drove along the Mapleton Road from Mapleton and turned into Kureelpa Falls Road. We followed the road along the ridge to its far end (last section is on gravel) where there was room to park before the gated access to the Park.




After parking our cars we did a short walk to the creek crossing. There wasn’t much water so we were able to easily rock hop across. It could be slippery and dangerous after heavy rain.
We didn’t get our feet wet, but I’m sure after heavy rain, it would be a lot harder. There was a sign to the Falls near here, but we planned to walk up to Mapleton day use area first before visiting the Falls for lunch. The walk up to the day use area was on an old forestry road. It was uphill most of the way and we passed a few people on horses coming down. We had a short break on the picnic tables at the Mapleton Day Use Area before heading off down to the falls.



We had a nice leisurely lunch at the falls. I read there are 295 different species in this area including large monitor lizards, cascade frogs, and various birdlife such as finches, robins, wood swallows, honeyeaters, wrens, and lots more.



The whole circuit was around 10.6 kilometres. Some people were swimming in rock pools at the Falls.


It was a lovely walk with lots to explore around the Falls.


There was a great bush dance on Saturday night and a delicious dinner provided by the Redland club.



On Sunday there was one walk organized, so different groups left at different time intervals. I was in an earlier group leaving at 7.30am. We did the Piccabeen Circuit and Little Yabba Circuit.
The Piccabeen circuit traversed through cool rainforest, piccabeen palm grove and open eucalypt forest. There were also signs of plantation forests in this area. The walk was 3.3 kilometres.




The Little Yabba Circuit was only 1.5 kilometres. There were a few creek crossings on strategically placed large stones, which were very easy to negotiate. The walks were very interesting with a variety of birdcalls and nice plants around the creeks, including Piccabeen palms, hoop pines and riparian rainforest. We started the Little Yabba Creek walk at the Charlie Moreland day use area in Imbil State Forest by wading across Little Yabba Creek.



After we got back to camp, I packed up and headed for home.
It was a great weekend. There are so many nice walks around the Kenilworth area. Next year’s Pilgrimage is going to be organized by the Gold Coast bushwalking club. I’m looking forward to that one.




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