Beautiful Byfield Natural Attractions

by Nadine Cresswell-Myatt (subscribe)

Every once in a while, you have one of those magical days where your life is drenched in sunshine and you seem to move from one scenic wonderland to the next. That is what my day spent in Byfield was like.

It wasn't quite planned as I assumed visiting the Capricorn Coast was all about the ocean— swimming, snorkelling, kayaking and catching boats out to the Keppel Bay Islands.

But fortunately, a local host who knew more about the area than I did, drove me the 25 minutes north from the Salt Apartments in Yeppoon where I was staying to Byfield, a stunning area surrounded by a national park.

The change of scenery was almost immediate. Gone was the brightness and newness of the multi-million dollar developments that now define Yeppoon as an important holiday destination. Instead, there we were in the cool, soothing, and scenic world of dappled sunlight, lush forests and tinkling streams.

My host took such delight in pointing out the plants and attractions in the area that even though I am 'such a city person' I found myself awestruck by all the scenery and serenity of this pristine area.

It slowly began to sink in that this is one of the largest unspoiled eco-systems on the east coast of Australia and I was highly fortunate to be there.


Byfield National Park and State Forest

Our time was short, just one afternoon, but my guide made sure I at least had a stroll through the Byfield State Forest.

Here she pointed out the rare Byfield Fern (Bohemia Serrata) that is only found in the Byfield area. Once you recognise this special fern, you begin to see how the locals have adopted it as their emblem.

We only did a 1km walk. But the sight of the towering rainforest trees, the bloodwoods and the visions of flitting colourful birds, and Water Park Creek which reflected nature's beauteous face like a hand mirror, would last a lifetime.








Byfield General Store



Byfield General Store is a welcome find with cooling drinks and delicious food. The store is in a natural setting with a courtyard decked out with wooden seating and shady umbrellas.



We started with one of their refreshing juices. My order was pineapple with fresh lime. Whizzed with ice it was like a slushie on a hot day but far healthier.



The menu sounded basic such as wraps and hamburgers but the dishes were far from ordinary. There were homemade sausage rolls, and wraps stuffed to the hilt with crisp salad and burgers so high they hit the rafters.



As this is a general store, campers can stock up on supplies but this includes gourmet items. They sell the locally famous Rosella jam for example.

They also sell local crafts such as the Nob Creek Pottery lightweight pottery mug shown below.

The address is 2234 Byfield Rd, Byfield and for more information click here.


Nob Creek Pottery



At Nob Creek Pottery, you can visit a world-class pottery on 10 hectares of land in the heart of the Byfield Forest making it a haven for both nature lovers and those who enjoy arts and crafts.

Steve Bishopric (professional potter for 35 years) and Sue McBurnie (a ceramic artist and art teacher) run this working studio. The couple also often have visiting potters who live and work on the property and they come from all over including the USA, Europe and Japan.

There are three large galleries and rustic firing kilns. And everywhere you will see how they incorporate the beautiful image of the Byfield Fern into their work.

They also display hand-blown glass, jewellery, sculpture, paintings, lacquerware and woodwork.







216 Arnolds Rd, Byfield.
P: 0428 192 601
E: info@nobcreekpottery.com.au
Open Thursday - Monday
10 am to 4 pm. Daily during School Holidays
Also by Appointment - (07) 4935 116
Website: Click here.

Raspberry Creek Homestead

On the way home, we dropped in at Raspberry Creek Homestead in the grounds of the Byfield and District Historical Society.

The building contains a small library and local history depository but the librarian was happy to show us through the old homestead.

This heritage-listed building is a wonderful example of an early pioneer construction built from pit-sawn timber.

It is historically important to the local area because of its associations with James and Mary Hutton, early pioneers in the Shoalwater Bay area.

The couple moved with their children to Central Queensland, taking up the Raspberry Creek run, north of Rockhampton, in 1863. Their simple home grew with their increasing family resulting in various extensions over the years

Later the historic homestead ended up within the grounds of The Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area and was therefore off limits. It shows the tenacity of the locals that in 1988 by working with the army they managed to transport this historical building to the present site where more people could enjoy it.



It was none the worse for wear despite its perilous journey and a few bullet holes.



I loved seeing the old photo of Queen, the antiquated wood burning stove and retro laundry and even the gaps between the floorboards give this place a feeling of historical authenticity.

Ferns Hideaway Resort, Byfield

There are a number of places where you can stay in utter peace and tranquillity around Byfield. My host showed me Ferns Hideaway Resort as we were passing by.



We wandered around a secluded setting with quaint log cabins and spaces for caravans nestled beside a rainforest creek. Guests often make good use of the free kayaks to explore this waterway.



Again there was evidence of the Byfield Fern as it grew along the walking tracks. I even found a design of one embedded in a washbasin I was using.



Friendly wildlife was everywhere going about their daily routines. I thought it best to give way to this family of guinea fowl out for their daily walk.



The main building at Ferns Hideaway has a restaurant and bar with a large open fireplace. People come from all over on Saturday nights for the live music and guests also join in and have a rollicking good time. For some, this is one of the highlights of their stay in the area.







Website
Ph. 0408351235
e. genevieve.martin@bigpond.com
67 Cahills Road Byfield


There is more for you to explore in the area

While I only had one day in Byfield, you could base yourself here to enjoy even more of what this scenic area has to offer.

The National Park and Byfield Conservation Park extends over 15,000 hectares and you can enjoy the wonderful scenery, including massive sand dunes, beaches, swamps, rainforest-edged creeks and rugged granite pinnacles.

There are a number of spectacular swimming holes and rewarding walking trails. You will find 2WD accessible picnic areas with barbecues and toilets. Places such as Upper Stony, Red Rock and Water Park Creek are quite accessible and within 11km of Byfield Road.



There are also remote 4WD coastal camping areas. If you are after something off the beaten track, head to Five Rocks visitor area. There is a good guide here.

But you don't have to rough it. There is accommodation at Ferns Hideaway Resort, Rainforest Ranch, Waterpark Getaway, and Byfield Getaway to name a few.



For other tips on what to do in the surrounding area click here and if you love natural attractions, make sure to check out the local Capricorn Caves.

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Why? A beautiful unspoilt area to visit

When: Anytime of year.

Website: www.capricornholidays.com.au/destinations/byfield#

Where: Byfield is located in the midst of the Byfield National Park in Central Queensland, 717 kilometres north west of Brisbane and 78 kilometres north of Rockhampton. If staying in the lovely coastal village of Yeppoon it is only a 25 minutes drive north.

Cost: Nature costs nothing

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