Warner

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IT IS still dark when I arrive at Forgan Cove, with the first light of the sunrise appearing over the dark forested hills. From my vantage point on top of the nearby causeway I watch the light of dawn fill the vista with colour, firstly the still waters of the lake placidly lying between the forested ridges, then the sky above filling with blue as the stars quickly diminish, revealing the towering hills of the D'Aguilar Range in the distance.

A ranger arrives opening the gate to the Forgan Cove carpark, and a couple of waiting vehicles slide in before their drivers unload their kayaks for an early morning paddle in solitude.

With the park open, I pass the day use area and follow the trail towards the first point. From here I watch the sunrise over the causeway before continuing along the trail above the water, heading into a narrow arm through which a small stream would seasonally flow before the lake was formed in 1976. The track is deserted aside from the occasional runner making the most of the cool and calm conditions of the early morning.

After rounding another headland, I reach a firebreak trail weaving its way between pylons carrying much of Brisbane's electricity in from some distant power stations. I follow this firebreak up the hill, cleared a hundred metres on either side before crossing a road at the top of the ridge.

Once across the road, I descend continuing to follow the power lines dropping to One Mile Creek which I step over before climbing over another hill and dropping to a small park in a residential area hidden in the hills. From here the dirt fire trail is now a sealed path which I follow through these residential areas of Cashmere and Warner as the sun quickly climbs high in the cloudless sky.

After crossing another hill, following a road for a while and entering another park crossing a short bridge over the headwaters of Four Mile Creek, I reach another new residential area at Warner Lakes. Here I continue following the path under the pylons crossing a low grass-covered hill before descending to the lakes giving this area its name. Once arriving at the lakes I reach a large wooden platform from where I watch the waterbirds.

After resting here I follow the string of lakes until reaching the point where they flow into Four Mile Creek. From here I hike the sealed paths following the creek downstream through Warner and Strathpine until eventually reaching a new subdivision at what was until recently a large pineapple farm strangely located on top of a rise in the middle of endless suburbia. Here I look at the progress of the construction of the houses before calling it a day.