South East Queensland Adventure - CANCELLED
Date and Time: 20th May 2020 (in Queensland) - 10th June 2020 (Moreton Island)
Location: South East Queensland
Description: The aim of this trip is to explore South East Queensland, starting with Nth Stradbroke Island before coming back to the mainland and heading off occasionally dipping over the border into NSW doing a big circuit going as far west as Inglewood and north as Gympie and the Great Sandy National Park before heading down to Moreton island after which the trip will finish. It will be approximately 3000 kilometres over 3 weeks. People are more than welcome to dip in and out of the trip as they please. We will take five cars as well as ourselves. Although the itinerary seems busy, some of these destinations will be passing through day trips and some will be base camps and exploring. It is a go with the flow kinda trip and will be modified if we are running out of time or the weather is lousy.
We will meet at Cleveland at 9.00am with the aim of catching the 10.30 Ferry to North Stradbroke Island on the 20th May, we will have three nights return from Nth Stradie on the 23rd May catching the 8.00am or 9.00am ferry back to the mainland. From where we will head off to the Tamborine Mountains where there are a number of things to see and do including a Rainforest Skywalk and for the really adventurous there is another park that does ziplining, etc. The aim is to visit and do some of the short walks, see a lot of the sights and find out what makes these parks special enough to be National Parks.
1. Tamborine Mountains National Park
2. Springbrook National Park
3. Lamington National Park
4. Mt Barney National Park
5. Mooragool Peak National Park
6. Condamine River – Main Ranges National Park
7. Queen Mary Falls
8. Gambubal State Forest
9. Sundown National Park
10. Collmunda Dam
11. Bringalily State Forest
12. Bulli State forest
13. Wondul Range National Park
14. Dunmore State Forest
15. Lake Broadwater Conservation Park
16. Dalby Town
17. Bunya Mountains National Park
18. Coomba Falls
19. Tarong National Park
20. Nanango Town
21. Wandai State Forest
22. Cherburg Conservation Park
23. Winery visiting
24. Wrattens National Park
25. Oakview National Park
26. Grongah National Park
27. Gympie National Park
28. Goomburian National Park
29. Great Sandy National Park
30. Woondum National Park
31. Mapleton National Park
32. Bribie Island National Park
33. Moreton Island
Camper trailers shouldn’t be a problem except when we are doing beach stuff where there maybe some issues due to soft sand in places. If anybody would like to do some harder stuff, we will be able to visit a couple 4WD parks where I’m sure we will find a few hard tracks. All terrain tyres are advised as there will be a reasonable amount of sealed and dirt road driving as well as tracks.
Camping fees will apply in most places – in national parks this will be approximately $6.65 per person per night or $26.60 for a family up to eight. Nearly all campsites will have toilets, and some may have showers, we will also stay in the occasional private caravan park so we can get a hot shower, fees for these will be a bit dearer and subject to whether you want a powered site or not.
We will be passing through a number of towns so getting provisions regularly shouldn’t be a problem and we will also visit the occasional restaurant or pub for a meal, and we will also be passing through a couple of wine areas, so some wine tasting is also on the cards.
There will be some places where we will be able to swim so bring bathers if you are that way inclined like I am.
We will be finishing the trip after visiting Moreton Island on the 10th June to allow people plenty of time to get back home before the following Monday or of course head off in other directions if they want.
We will need to pre-book the ferries; cost for both Stradbroke and Moreton Islands is approximately $100 each way each trip plus we require 4WD access permits to drive on the islands for Moreton Island this is $52.75, and camping is $13 per night for two people. Stradie the 4WD access permit is the same as Moreton but unfortunately each island has a separate permit (two separate Aboriginal tribes control an island each) and camping on Stradie is a little dearer subject to where we camp for example beach camping is $20/night for 2 and Point Lookout at the top of the island is $37/night for 2 but there is also powered sites available from $53/night.
We will have a trip meeting 6 weeks before so we can organise firm dates and start the booking process especially for the ferries
Weather: The weather may vary between warm to hot days with cool nights and rain is quite possible so bring coats. In other words, cater for all conditions.
Equipment: The usual criteria of vehicles being in good condition, all terrain tyres in good condition, UHF radio, snatch strap and shackles, puncture repair kit, air compressor, winch is optional but as we will be doing quite a bit of sand/beach driving sands tracks are essential and for those without long range tanks a spare jerry can is advisable for Great Sandy and Moreton Island.
Communications: UHF radio (Channel 15) mobile phone (we will have mobile reception in most areas) – I will have the club Sat phone with me also.
Pets: No pets allowed
Trip standard: Medium with quite a bit of easy stuff including bitumen, dirt roads, dirt and sandy tracks and beaches.
Fuel: there will be plenty of places to fuel up but if you don’t have a long-range tank a jerry can is recommended for doing Great Sandy NP and Moreton Island
Duration: 4 weeks Melbourne to Melbourne – 3 weeks in Queensland.
Convoy Limit: 6 vehicles
Meeting arrangements: We will meet in Cleveland at 9.00am on Wednesday the 20th (Specific location TBA)
Trip leaders: Lloyd and Shanna Hetrick; Ph Lloyd 0418 336 156
