Russell Park Walks in the Bunya Mountains

Russell Park Walks in the Bunya Mountains

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Posted 2020-02-18 by Roy Chambersfollow
Just south of the Bunya Mountains National Park is a forest reserve with park areas, including Fishers Lookout, Russell Park and Munro's Camp. As part of a youth employment and training program, they have constructed several walks and a lookout which are well worth doing if you are in the Bunya Mountains Area.



About The Reserve

I can find very little information about this online and the official tourist information that I found on the location was fairly sparse. The area is referred to in different ways by different people. Some people will call them the Chutes Walks, others refer to them by the names of the places where the walks start, such as Fishers Lookout Walk, Russell Park Walks and Munro's Camp Walk.



The area has signs that explain that the construction of the walks is part of a youth employment and training program. The area is managed by the local council, so the signs have their own unique look, distinct from those in the national parks, and there is a lot of information about local indigenous culture and the history of the area.

Munros Camp to Carbines Chute Walk

This little walk starts at Munro's Camp along the Bunya Mountains Road. This walk is about 2 kms return and takes you to the top of one of the old logging chutes. There is nothing left of the chutes that were constructed to lower logs down to the valley, but you get a nice view from that location.



Russell Park to Fishers Lookout

This is sometimes referred to as a circuit because you can complete the walk by heading along the road back to the start to make a circuit of about 6 kms. At the time of writing this, part of the track from Fishers Lookout was closed, while a newer and better track for that section is being constructed.



Starting at the Russell Park entrance, the first part of the walk heads to Chute No 3. Once again, there is nothing left of the chute, but the top of the chute provides a great view.



The track then backtracks a little and heads to Little Mowbullan, a peak that is not quite as high as Mt Mowbullan. This peak is a steep but easily doable walk to great views of the area.



The next stop is the top of Cunjovoi Falls. There is no view of the falls from the top and little in the way of views here, but this area is very rocky and probably wasn't as logged as much as areas. So it is a great shady place to rest under an area of tall trees, while the chutes and Little Mowbullan are more exposed.

When the new track opens you will be able to walk up to Fishers Lookout. There is a large sheltered lookout there with plenty of seating and it is a nice place to relax and enjoy the view.



Grasslands in the Bunya Mountains

The reserve has several grassland areas. The exact origin of these open areas is not well understood, but they are an important part of the ecosystem in the Bunya Mountains as there is a lizard that only lives in the grassy spaces. It is understood that these grasslands were maintained by fire-stick farming by the local indigenous people over thousands of years.

Overall

The walks in this reserve will not be able to compete with the nearby Bunya Mountains National Park for beauty, views and waterfalls, but once you have done those trails, Russell Park is another great walking option in the area and it is becoming more and more popular as people discover it.

#aboriginal
#adventure
#darling_downs
#lookouts
#natural_attractions
#nature
#outback
#outdoor
#tourist_attractions
#walks
#waterfalls
%wnbrisbane
193651 - 2023-06-16 03:53:48

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