Winter Camping in Charlie Moreland Camping Area, Imbil State Forest, Kenilworth, QLD.

Charlie Moreland Camping Area

We've lost count of how many times we have camped at Charlie Moreland Camping Area. We keep going back because it is a relaxing campground with plenty of wildlife. We avoid it at holiday times though as it gets very crowded.

Charlie Moreland Day Use Area

I was surprised to see a couple of guys swimming in Little Yabba Creek at this time of year. I called out to them and asked if they were from New Zealand. They replied that they weren't but they had dared each other to go for a skinny dip and they assured me that they were both freezing. I took mercy on them and moved on so that they could get out and no, I didn't take any photos of them.

Little Yabba Creek gets quite cold at this time of year.

While wandering around the 4WD tracks near the campground we saw what looked like a family group of Button-quails hurrying across the road in the distance. We only managed to get a couple of poor quality photos of one of these birds but these photos proved to be very important later when I submitted them to the Facebook page Australian Bird Identification. We have been looking for Black-breasted Button-quail for quite some time and these photos were identified as being a male Black-breasted Button-quail which proved that we had finally seen these coveted birds. 

Black-breasted Button-quail, male.

We usually see Pacific Riflebirds near the campground, however, this trip we only heard one. We did see a Green Catbird though and usually they are easier to hear than see. 

Green Catbird

As usual, there were plenty of Red-necked Pademelons about the campground and around the horse yard area. Bell Miners seem to have moved into the horse yard area too.

Bell Miner

Juvenile and adult Red-necked Pademelons.

We usually walk the Little Yabba Creek Circuit a few times every time we camp at Charlie Moreland because there is always something different to see.

Southern crossing on the Little Yabba Creek Circuit

The northern crossing on the Little Yabba Creek Circuit is still washed out in the middle.

The section of the walk on the bank opposite the campground is shady and moist which is good for sighting fungi and Diamond-shielded Sunskinks. Pale Yellow Robins seem to like the shady forest area as well.

Diamond-shielded Sunskink Lampropholis adonis 

Pale Yellow Robin

The banks of Little Yellow Creek have more sunlight and it is easier to photo a few birds there.

Golden Whistler, male.

Birds seen on this trip: Australian Brush Turkey, Grey Butcherbird, Green Catbird, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Pied Currawong, Crow, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Superb Fairy-wren, Grey Fantail, Red-browed Finch, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Lewin's Honeyeater, Laughing Kookaburra, Logrunner, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Australian Magpie, Bell Miner, Noisy Miner, Spectacled Monarch, Olive-backed Oriole, Australian King Parrot, Wonga Pigeon, Eastern Yellow Robin, Pale Yellow Robin, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Large-billed Scrubwren, Grey Shrike-thrush, Silvereye, Black-breasted Button-quail, Eastern Whipbird, Golden Whistler, Willie Wagtail.

Details for Charlie Moreland Campground, Imbil State Forest:
Where: About 130 km northwest of Brisbane. Southwest of Kenilworth on Sunday Creek Road. 
Access: About 5 km of 2WD gravel road to the campground. Past the campground Sunday Creek Road becomes 4WD and is a popular drive through to Jimna.
Camping: Suitable for tents and all rig types. Open grassy sites, some shade.
Bookings: https://qpws.usedirect.com/QPWS/Facilities/SearchView.aspx or phone 13 74 68. No mobile phone reception at campground. There is a booking phone at the rangers station on the drive in on Sunday Creek Road.
Fees: $6.35 per adult per night, family rates.
Facilities: Flush toilets, non-potable water taps, fire rings, BYO wood. Swimming in Little Yabba Creek. Walks. 
Prohibitions: No pets. No generators. No fishing.
Cautions: Gets extremely busy at peak times. Bookings are taken for up to 380 people.