In Queensland, a multitude of back roads lace their way through the country lending itself for some great 4x4 experiences. With a bit of know-how and a guide you can have an exciting and adventurous sojourn into the countryside.
Adventure on the back roads!
Once packed, your vehicle all prepped and your gear stowed the excitement starts to creep in. Your first 4x4 adventure awaits. You can do these as day trips or camp overnight.
Camping gear, food, bevies and cameras in hand take your copy of Brad McCarthy's
Dirty Weekends - your guide for the trip. Pick up a copy from any of the bookstores in the city or
online. Make sure you read up on how to 4x4 and what you need to know before you even consider going.
Pack all of your gear!
If camping don't forget to book your
site. Self registration is also in effect. The online campground map has not been updated so expect changes.
For this purpose you have taken a page from the book and are heading to Helidon, making your way into the Crowsnest National Park to camp for the weekend.
Take the Warrego highway and head into the Lockyer Valley. Pass Gatton and head to historic Helidon where you begin your tour. You can stop here for a break and check out their Heritage walk.
Make sure you follow the instructions to the letter in
Dirty Weekends and you will get to your destination without a hitch.
You are doing this drive in the dry season. The valleys, golden in color from the lack of rain have an almost desert like quality to them.
Dry Season!
The driving is easy, off the beaten track, a peaceful way to spend the day tooling around and taking in some spectacular countryside. There are views, farmlands, forests and in season a host of Jacarandas that splash purple all over the landscape.
Splashes of Purple!
Red dust sticks to your vehicle and you feel you have arrived. You are actually 4 wheeling through the back country roads. And you have the place pretty much to yourself.
This particular trip takes you through the Ravensbourne National Park. You hook back to Esk then make your way to the Crowsnest National Park. Here your road-trip ends and your camping trip begins.
The campsite itself is surrounded by forest, granite and sandstone outcroppings. Wallabies, bush turkeys, monitors and a host of koalas, sounding like marauding monsters in the middle of the night, all live here.
Once you are all set, go for a hike. It's an amazing photo opportunity. Take the track to the Valley of Diamonds. You pass dry waterfalls and cool swimming holes, a must on a hot day. The view from the lookout has you amazed at the amount of boulders and shapes and how time itself is here.
the Valley of Diamonds!
And you know you could come back again and depending on the season, the water will flow through the falls making it a completely different landscape.
The waterfall in the dry season!
Your first 4 wheel drive weekend is a success and you can drive home in relative ease back across the Lockyer Valley, already planning your next trip.
