Introduction to today's journey
Today's journey starts peacefully at Fig Tree Point before following the track along the firebreak and quite a rough section back onto Harry's Hut Road. From here I follow the road reaching Harry's Hut on the western bank of the Noosa River. From here the Cooloola Wilderness Trail continues following the river upstream through distinctive everglade forest before turning along an old sand road, then continuing northward following a low ridge to the remote and beautiful Wandi Waterhole.
Distance hiked today: 18.6km
Total distance hiked: 541.2km
Today's Journey
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The morning dawns clear and still over Lake Cootharaba, but cloud quickly covers the sky as I pack up to continue hiking along the Cooloola Wilderness Trail. |
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The track heading out of Figtree Point camping ground is initially an easy going four wheel drive track heading through the everglade forest. |
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The track then cuts across the everglade being quite swampy and ankle deep over about two hundred metres as I pass Lake Como hidden unseen through the forest. This section of track is even slower than yesterday with even the dry parts of this track a bit overgrown. Fortunately this only lasts about an hour before I reach and follow Harry's Hut Road. |
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After following the dirt road for two kilometres, I reach Harry's Hut on the bank of the Noosa River. This historic hut was built in the 1950s to support the timber industry that once occurred in this area in the hills above the everglade. The timber was floated down the river to a sawmill in Tewantin. After the timber industry finished in the 1960s the hut was purchased by Harry Spring, a pharmacist from Cooroy, giving its name. I rest here for a while before the rain starts falling. |
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From the large Harry's Hut day use area and camping ground, the Cooloola Wilderness Trail once more becomes walking track heading through the thick undergrowth following the Noosa River upstream. Although a little boggy, this section of track is well maintained in much better than the previous sections of the track allowing faster progress. |
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The track occasionally comes right to the water's edge, with the peaceful Noosa River flowing almost inperceptibly through the everglade forest. This is a popular area for adventurous kayakers with several campsites further upstream. This is one of two forest swamp everglades in the world, the other being in Florida. |
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The now disused Eurobi Road leads the track away from the river across the forested everglade plain until reaching this point where the track heads off along the tops of the low forested ridges. |
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Over several hours the narrow track passes through the relatively dry higher land of the open forest woodlands and grasslands. I head northward followign a couple of low ridges above the everglade here in the remotest part of mainland Great Sandy National Park. The the Cooloola Wilderness Trail follows the route Eliza Fraser took in 1836 after the ship she was sailing in was wrecked on what is now Kgari - Fraser Island and later left the aboriginal people who had looked after her to return to civilisation, stopping at Fig Tree Point before a convict helped her cross over to Noosa North Shore and up to Double Island Point to meet a rescue party. |
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I reach Wandi Waterhole Walkers' Camp in the late afternoon and pitch the swag tent as the rain clears. This is a very peaceful spot here deep in the middle of nowhere. |
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About a hundred metres below the camp is the pristine Wandi Waterhole along an unnamed tributary of the Noosa River. I am quite some distance away from the main river now in this remote corner of the Great Sandy National Park. |
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