Kauri Creek Camping Area, Danbulla National Park and State Forest, QLD.

                            Our view in Kauri Creek Camping Area overlooking Lake Tinaroo.

There are plenty of open grassy areas to set up next to the edge of Lake Tinaroo at Kauri Creek Camping Area but due to the rainy conditions we chose a gravel site overlooking the lake. 

                                            We loved our private site overlooking Lake Tinaroo.

We went night walking and saw a couple of Northern Brown Bandicoots. When we returned we found a nice Brown Tree Snake next to our motorhome.

                                                                        Brown Tree Snake

Native Giant white-tailed Rats Uromys caudimaculatus live in the area. They have been known to chew through cables to make comfy nests in vehicle engine bays  and National Parks recommend leaving the bonnet up overnight. Some people also advocate leaving a light on under the engine bay to deter them. We didn't actually see any rats during our stay.

There were lots of birds in the campground. Several pairs of Bush-stone Curlews just stood around during the day and made their mournful call during the night. We were happy to see Victoria's Riflebirds as opposed to the Paradise Riflebirds that we usually see further south. One female Victoria's Riflebird spent quite a bit of time right outside the motorhome and we could lie in bed and watch it through the window. We also enjoyed seeing Macleay's Honeyeaters as they are an unfamiliar bird to us.

Bush-stone Curlews

Victoria's Riflebird, male.

Victoria's Riflebird, female.

Macleay's Honeyeater.

Jungaljungal Walk: 8.2 km circuit, Grade 3.

The Jungaljungal Walk leaves from Kauri Creek Camping Area. It is a fairly unformed track through moist rainforest that showcases the vegetation and extremely clear creek water that is found in the area. We startled a Rufous Bettong which quickly bounded away from us.

Jungaljungal Walk

Extremely clear creeks were a feature in Danbulla National Park.

Although we didn't manage to get good photos, we were very excited to see a family of Chowchilla alongside the track and to spot a Bower's Shrike-thrush.

Chowchilla

Bower's Shrike-thrush hiding behind a leaf.

We walked via the Kauri Creek Day Use Area on our return to camp. It is a  lovely picnic area on the bank of Kauri Creek which would be worth stopping at if doing a scenic drive along Danbulla Road.

Kauri Creek Day Use Area.

The Regeneration Walk also leaves from Kauri Creek Camping Area and I covered that walk in the Downfall Creek Camping Area blog.

Details for Kauri Creek Camping Area, Danbulla National Park and State Forest, QLD:

Where: 26 km north-east of Atherton, QLD. 9 km from the western entrance of the park.

Access: Suitable for conventional vehicles and has boat access. Danbulla Road is unsealed. Further east along Danbulla Road it becomes narrower and winding. The road is signposted as unsuitable for caravans. Care needs to be taken as the road is used by logging trucks.

Camping: National Parks QLD take bookings for all rig types, including caravans, at Kauri Creek Camping Area. Open grassy areas and some individual sites.

Bookings: Book online or phone 13 74 68. Some Telstra mobile phone reception at campground. Gets busy on weekends.
Fees: $6.75 per adult per night, $27 family rates (up to 2 adults and 6 children, under 18).
Facilities: Flush toilets. Shower room, bring own shower. Non-potable water taps. Fire rings. Walks. Scenic Drive.  There were industrial bins near the amenities block. Phone reception. Boating, fishing and swimming allowed.
Prohibitions: No pets. No generators. No smoking.

Caution: Danbulla Road is unsealed, narrow in parts and is used by logging trucks. It is advised to keep vehicle bonnets up in the campground as rats have been known to make nests in engine bays and chew cables. 

Wildlife seen at Dunbulla National Park in June 2020:

Ulysses Butterfly. Large Huntsmen Spiders. Brown Tree Snake, Northern Brown Bandicoot, Rufous Bettong.

Birds: White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Chowchilla, Little Black Cormorant, Bush Stone-curlew, Pied Currawong, Australasian Darter, Pacific Black Duck, Wood Duck, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Intermediate Egret, Grey Fantail, Rufous Fantail, Red-browed Finch, Brown Gerygone, Fairy Gerygone, Large-billed Gerygone, Yellow-spotted Honeyeater, Macleay’s Honeyeater, Laughing Kookaburra, Magpie-lark, Masked Lapwing, Spectacled Monarch, Victoria’s Riflebird, Pale Yellow Robin, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Large-billed Scrubwren,  Bower's Shrike-thrush, Little Shrike-thrush, Dusky Moorhen, Purple Swamphen, Eurasian Coot, Varied Triller, White-throated Treecreeper, Weebill, Eastern Whipbird, Golden Whistler, Willie Wagtail.

Downfall Creek Camping Area, Danbulla National Park and State Forest, Atherton Tablelands, North QLD.

Downfall Creek Camping Area

Downfall Creek Camping Area seems to be the most popular campground in Danbulla National Park and State Forest. It is only seven kilometers into the park from the west and has plenty of open space on the banks of Lake Tinaroo.

Danbulla Road.

                        Large rig at Downfall Creek Camping Area on the banks of Lake Tinaroo.

Downfall Creek and Fong-On Bay campgrounds are the only campgrounds that allow the use of generators. 

Fong-On Bay Camping Area can be seen across Lake Tinaroo from Downfall Creek Camping Area.

There were plenty of Ulysses Butterflies in the campground. They are intricately brown on the outside and stunningly iridescent blue on the inside.

                                                                    Ulysses Butterfly

Regeneration Walk: 4.6 km return, Grade 3 walking track.

The Regeneration Walk links Downfall Creek and Kauri Creek campgrounds. We first encountered the wonderfully clear creek waters typical of the area on this walk.

We saw a great variety of birds along the walk.

 

Pale Yellow Robin

Details for Downfall Creek Camping Area, Dandulla National Park and State Forest, QLD:

Where: 26 km north-east of Atherton, QLD. 7 km from the western entrance of the park.

Access: Suitable for conventional vehicles and has boat access. Danbulla Road is unsealed. Further east along Danbulla Road it becomes narrower and winding. The road is signposted as unsuitable for caravans. Care needs to be taken as the road is used by logging trucks.

Camping: National Parks QLD take bookings for all rig types, including caravans, at Downfall Creek Camping Area. Open grassy areas and some individual sites.

Bookings: Book online or phone 13 74 68. Mobile phone reception at campground. Gets busy on weekends.
Fees: $6.75 per adult per night, $27 family rates (up to 2 adults and 6 children, under 18).
Facilities: Flush toilets. Shower room, bring own shower. Non-potable water taps. Fire rings. Walk. Scenic Drive. Phone reception. No tables. No BBQs. Quiet generators allowed between 8 am and 7 pm. Boating, fishing and swimming allowed.

Prohibitions: No pets. No smoking.

Caution: Danbulla Road is unsealed, narrow in parts and is used by logging trucks. It is advised to keep vehicle bonnets up as native Giant White-tailed Rats have been known to make nests in engine bays and chew cables. 

Henrietta Creek Camping Area, Palmerston Section (Doongan), Woonooroonan National Park, QLD.

We camped at Henrietta Creek Camping Area on Site 2 when several of the sites were closed due to Covid 19 distancing regulations and camping numbers were restricted to a maximum of 20 people, so it was unusually quiet. We enjoyed our time at Henrietta Creek but the campground isn't a typical national park back to nature experience due to its proximity to the highway and the number of people who drop in to use the picnic facilities and park on sites 1- 4 while they go for walks. On the bright side, it is cheap, has access to great walks, backs on to rainforest and is a good base to explore the area.

                                            Site 6

Nandroya Falls Circuit Track: 6 km for the full circuit or 1.7 km one way to Nandroya Falls. Grade: moderate.

The trailhead for this walk is a short distance west of the campground. Despite walking in the rain and getting a few leeches we really enjoyed this scenic waterfall track. We walked the circuit clockwise.

                                        Silver Falls

On the approach to Nandroya Falls there is a lower cascade section and a little bit further on Nandroya Falls drops 50 meters from the plateau above.

                                           Nandroya Falls

We saw a bandicoot and a juvenile feral pig along the walk. Before returning to the campground we encountered another pretty waterfall that we don't know the name of.

There is a traihead at the back of the campground that leads to an 800 meter one way walk to Gooligans Picnic Area. A short distance into this walk it is necessary to wade across Henrietta Creek. Walking tracks leave from Gooligans Picnic Area to Wallicher Falls and Tchupala Falls. We didn't do these walks this trip.

                                Henrietta Creek on the track to Gooligans Picnic Area

Details for Henrietta Creek Camping Area, Wooroonooran National Park, QLD:

Where: 37 km west of Innisfail, on the Palmerston Highway.

Access: Just off the sealed highway. 

Camping: Sites 1, 2, 3 and 4 are listed as suitable for RVs, they are small and adjoin each other. Site 1 is very small due to its odd shape. Site 5 was partially blocked by vegetation. Sites 6 and 7 are my pick if you don't have an RV. Sites 8 and 9 are tent sites and back onto the highway. Site 10 is listed as a camper trailer site but backs onto the highway and is up an embankment which could make it difficult to access. Site 11 is out in the open and the only one big enough for a large rig. 

Bookings: Book online or phone 13 74 68 before arrival as there is no mobile phone reception at the campground. 
Fees: $6.75 per adult per night, $27 family rates (up to 2 adults and 6 children, under 18).
Facilities: Composting toilets a short distance away from the campground. Two sheltered picnic tables. Two sheltered free gas BBQs. Non-potable water tap near picnic shelter. Some sites have tables. Walks. No phone reception.  Quiet generators allowed from 9 am to 6 pm.
Prohibitions: No pets. No fires. No smoking.

Jourama Falls: Walks & Wildlife, Paluma Range National Park, QLD.

Jourama Falls

Jourama Falls Camping Area to Second Causeway:
This short easy walk is great for spotting Saw-shelled Turtles in Waterview Creek. We startled a flock of Peaceful Doves on the walk.

Saw-shelled Turtle

Peaceful Dove

If you don't mind getting your feet feet you could cross Second Causeway and continue on the short distance to the excellent Day Use Area and swimming platform.

Second Causeway

Jourama Falls Walking Track: Moderade Grade.
3 km return from the car park.
4.4 km return from the campground.

It is a pleasant 700 m walk from the campground to the car park at the end of the road.

Car Park and Trailhead for Jourama Falls Walking Track

The walk has interesting scenery criss-crossing Waterview Creek before climbing the last 600 meters to the lookout.

Waterview Creek

Crossing Waterview Creek

It is hard to capture the huge scale of Jourama Creek Falls. In my photo it looks like a trickle, and no doubt it wasn't in full flow when we were there, but in fact each fall is like a regular waterfall and there are several of them descending the rock face. We were very impressed and stood at the lookout for some time taking it all in.

Jourama Falls

We descended and explored Waterfall Creek for some distance but we didn't venture all the way to the bottom of the falls.

Rock formations with Jourama Falls in the distance.

We saw lots of Northern Fantails and Dusky Honeyeaters on the walk.

Northern Fantail

Dusky Honeyeater

We were attracted by the  distinctive trees with tessellated bark. I would hazard a guess that they are Corymbia tessellaris commonly known as Carbeen but trees aren't my strong point. Ant nests in trees were also a common sight.

Tessellated Bark.

Ant nest.

Information about Jourama Falls Camping Area is here.

Birds and Wildlife seen by us in June 2020:

Butterflies: Orange Plane, Evening Brown (winter form). Heliotrope Moth. 

Sugar Ants, Fish, Saw-shelled Turtle, Kangaroo.

Birds: Orange-footed Scrubfowl, Grey Fantail, Northern Fantail, Emerald Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Brown Cuckoo Dove, Peaceful Dove, Australian Brush Turkey, Dusky Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater, Graceful Honeyeater, Little Shrike-thrush, Spectacled Monarch, Spangled Drongo, Pale-yellow Robin ssp nana, Azure Kingfisher, Forest Kingfisher, Welcome Swallow.

Jourama Falls Camping Area, Paluma Range National Park, QLD.

Jourama Falls Camping Area

Jourama Falls Camping Area has sites placed around a ring road. Each site is grassy and bordered by trees. Many sites had a table and there were a few non-potable water taps scattered through the campground. There are flush toilets and one shower cubicle with cold water. It is now necessary to book before arrival as there is no longer onsite self-registration available and there is no phone reception.

Our campsite at Jourama Falls Camping Area

Many sites have tables.

Emerald Doves walk through the campground in the afternoons. As we come from south-eastern Queensland we were happy to see a few north Queensland birds such as Northern Fantail, Pale Yellow Robin ssp nana, Graceful Honeyeater and Orange-footed Scrubfowl.

Emerald Dove

Northern Fantail

The walk to Jourama Falls starts 700 meters from the car park at the end of the road. There is also a short, easy walk from the campground to Second Causeway. I will cover the walks in the next blog.
Access to the campground is suitable for most vehicles with the last four kilometers being unsealed. However, there are two causeways which can become flooded. 

First Causeway

Second Causeway

The road was being graded and rolled when we were leaving.

The access road being graded and rolled as we left.

Between First Causeway and Second Causeway there is an excellent day use area with barbecues and tables. Waterview Creek is crystal clear and looked perfect for swimming with easy access in and out of the water from the swimming platform.

Jourama Falls Day Use Area

Reflections on Waterview Creek at the swimming platform in the Day Use Area.

Details for Jourama Falls Camping Area, Paluma Range National Park, QLD:

Where: 91 km north of Townsville or 24 km south of Ingham, turn off the Bruce HWY onto Jourama Road. Continue on to Jourama Falls Road past the Day Use Area to the campground.
Access: Suitable for most vehicles. However, there are two causeways that can flood and about 4 km of unsealed road.

Camping: Suitable for tents, camper trailers, caravans and motorhomes. Sites probably a bit small for big rigs. Grassy sites with shade.
Bookings: Must book before arrival; no longer has self-registration. Online or phone 13 74 68. No mobile phone reception at campground.
Fees: $6.75 per adult per night, $27 family rates (up to 2 adults and 6 children, under 18).
Facilities: Flush toilets, cold water shower, non-potable water, free gas BBQ. Many sites have a table. No bins. Swimming in Waterview Creek. Walks. Day Use Area about 1 km away.
Prohibitions: No pets. No generators. No fires. No swimming in restricted area near waterfall. No soap in the water.
Caution: Access may be restricted in wet season due to flooding over causeways.

Birds and Wildlife seen by us in June 2020:

Butterflies: Orange Plane, Evening Brown (winter form). Heliotrope Moth. 

Sugar Ants, Fish, Saw-shelled Turtle, Kangaroo.

Birds: Orange-footed Scrubfowl, Grey Fantail, Northern Fantail, Emerald Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Brown Cuckoo Dove, Peaceful Dove, Australian Brush Turkey, Dusky Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater, Graceful Honeyeater, Little Shrike-thrush, Spectacled Monarch, Spangled Drongo, Pale-yellow Robin ssp nana, Azure Kingfisher, Forest Kingfisher, Welcome Swallow.