North Arm

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STARTING from where I had left off at the junction of Brown's Creek Road and Bottle and Glass Road (track), I followed the gravel road gradually descending and leaving the national park in about twenty minutes. As I hiked the sun rose colouring the clouds a strange purple colour before they faded into the normal grey colour. I've now hiked then entire length of Mapleton National Park and now come off the Blackall Range.

Shortly after leaving the entrance of the national park, The gravel ended changing to a narrow sealed road. I could see houses in the trees, a somewhat lifestyle residential area on the far outskirts of Yandina, although this was technically the suburb of Bridges, a farming area.

I reached a junction and turned left walking along Lees Road descending out of the forest into lowland farmland. Initially this road was sealed but turned back into gravel as I headed across the flat land with views back to the Blackall Range and to the distinctive volcanic plug peak of Mount Ninderry a little to the right. From the 306 metre high Mount Ninderry, a low range extended northwards the Eumundi Conservation Park where I was heading towards today, and hoping to explore tomorrow. Cloud covered much of the sky with wisps clinging to the sides of the hills. The occasional rainy squall would obscur different hills.

The road ascended over a low hill before dropping to a partially damaged bridge crossing Brown's Creak, one of the main streams of the upper part of the Maroochy River, draining the ranges behind me. Once across the bridge, the road rose to meet Bunya Road which I followed through more farmland for a couple of kilometres before reaching the little village of North Arm.

I turned left following a footpath along Running Creek Road which crossed a bridge over the busy Bruce Highway and railway line before continuing and crossing over the Maroochy River, now little more than a large stream. Once across the river, the road rose to North Arm State School from where I turned left following North Arm Yandina Creek Road with spectacular views across to the pointed Mount Eerwah.

The road gradually turned around to the right and started climbing up the hills through a gully passing the dense rainforest of Eumundi Conservation Park. I followed this road through what should be peaceful countryside, but for the loud echoes of persistent gunfire from a shooting range in one of the nearby gullies.

Upon reaching the top of the saddle, and decending a little down the other side to near the entrance of the main track going through Eumundi Conservation Park, I turned around and followed the roads back towards where I was parked on Brown's Creek Road as the cloud started clearing.

From Browns Creek Road I headed up to Eumundi, largely retracing the road I had walked along this morning. I spent the afternoon exploring Eumundi Village in its relative quietness though the main street was very busy and there was a local musical concert going on in one of the parks. I stayed here until after sunset capturing the change of the village from day to night.