Blackbutt and the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, QLD.

Parked up at Blackbutt Showgrounds.

Blackbutt is a great place to take a break while on a road trip. The Blackbutt Wood-Fired Bakery is deservedly famous for its pies and other goodies. Two doors down, Les Muller Park park is a convenient spot to consume your bakery purchases as it has picnic facilities, a playground, amenities and a Visitor Information Centre. 

Blackbutt is situated on the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (BVRT). On our latest road trip we decided to stay at the Blackbutt Showgrounds so that we could walk a section of the BVRT. The showgrounds has great amenities with clean hot showers. We loved the quirky way they have used up a variety of tiles in the amenities block. Jacky Winters were numerous about the grounds.

The self-registry station makes paying easy.                           Inside the amenities block.

Jacky Winter

Former World number one tennis player, Roy Emerson was born in Blackbutt. The Roy Emerson Museum and the entry to the rail trail are conveniently located just before the entry to the showgrounds. Grey-crowned Babblers were about; inspecting the newly planted gardens.

Statue of Roy Emerson.

Grey-headed Babbler.

Historic railway station: Blackbutt on one side and Nukku on the other.

Blackbutt to Nukku Road section of the BVRT: approximately 8 km return. This section is also part of the Ogilvie Trail which is a loop of 12 km. We picked up a brochure from the Information Centre in Blackbutt and set off on foot shortly after setting up our van. The rail trail is also suitable for horse riding and cycling. The great thing about rail trails is that they are mostly flat and any rises tend to be gradual. The first part of the walk runs parallel to the D'Aguilar Highway but is pleasantly shady and is home to a great variety of small woodland birds. 

Double-barred Finch.

Superb Fairy-wren and Red-backed Fairy-wren

The walk opened up into farmland and we progressed through several gates before returning the way we had come.

Stock Control gates on the BVRT

Horses watching us go by.

We only had time to walk one small section of the rail trail but we will definitely come back to the area to walk or ride on more sections of the trail. 

Bird List: Grey-crowned Babbler, Nankeen Kestrel, Galah, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Torresian Crow, Australian Wood Duck, Superb Fairy-wren, Variegated Fairy-wren, Red-backed Fairy-wren, Grey Fantail, Double-barred Finch, Red-browed Finch, Lewin's Honeyeater, Jacky Winter, Laughing Kookaburra, Rainbow Lorikeet, Australian Magpie, Magpie-lark, Masked Lapwing, Noisy Miner, Crested Pigeon, Welcome Swallow, Yellow Thornbill, Buff-rumped Thornbill, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Weebill, Eastern Whipbird, Golden Whistler, Willie Wagtail.