Old Tewantin Road

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I HEADED back up to Lake Macdonald up to the junction where Old Tewantin Road Crosses. Here I entered the bush following a well graded track through the boggy undergrowth. The track descended to a junction where I turned right to reach the crossing at Six Mile Creek that had been flooded last time I arrived here (on the other side). Today the water was a lot lower and I was able to cross and return.

From the crossing, I returned to the junction and followed the number 4 Noosa Trail (Wahpunga Trail) heading towards Tewantin. The track continued through the forest for about half an hour with a couple of shallow creek crossings before reaching the gravel road servicing the nearby dam.

The track followed the road through the tall forest rising to a junction with a couple of huge water tanks storing the water pumped up from the dam. A couple of sun chairs were set up at a fire evacuation point across the road. From here I continued following the road which began quite a steep descent from the Mary River catchment area into the much lower Noosa River catchment. I could see out to the coast through gaps in the forest as the road steeply descended.

The road came to a sudden end at the intersection of Old Tewantin Road. A firebreak continued heading straight ahead. To the right the gravel road had a pile of gravel and a Road Closed sign blocking vehicle access. To the left a rough track followed what had been a section of Old Tewantin Road. I followed this old track through the dense forest, crossing a couple of streams including one where I could see the stumps of an old road bridge crossing a short distance upstream. I continued following the track until it ended with the gravel road continuing. This is where I had parked last time I was up here, and about two kilometres from where I was parked at the junction today.

Having already hiked this section of road, I returned along the track, then followed the firebreak through dense forest for about two kilometres. Seeing it was heading towards a dead end, I followed this track back to the junction.

Once back at the junction, I followed the closed Old Tewantin Road, initially descending before reaching a stream which the floods earlier this year had carved a large cutting under the culvert wiping out about two thirds of the width of the road. Fortunately the downstream side of the road was still stable and I was able to cross safely. Once across this damaged section, the rest of the road was fine. I continued hiking through the forest until the road reached a junction with another closed sign blocking the road I'd just hiked along from vehicles.

I started following the wider combined road, passing a small clearing from where the Mount Tinbeerwah Goat Track ends. I am hoping to do this track tomorrow. After the junction, I started passing a few farms before reaching the end of the road at the junction of McKinnon Road - a major sealed road. After briefly stopping here, I turned around and hiked back along the road and track back to where I had parked. The clouds had completely cleared by now for a sunny return through the dense forest.

Upon reaching the end of the track, I headed around to the Noosa Botanical Gardens where I walked up to the crossing across Six Mile Creek, back to the dam, then back to the gardens where I watched a spectacular red sunset over the lake.