Karuah, New South Wales.

Karuah Jetty

As we were attending a funeral in Newcastle we decided to stay in a Garden Unit at BIG4 Karuah Jetty Holiday Park. We found the location ideal as it was a shorter drive for us from home and an easy drive to the airport and Newcastle. 

Garden Units BIG4 Karuah Jetty Holiday Park

Powered sites (L) and unpowered sites (R)

The caravan park has direct access to a scenic jetty, small boat ramp and a short mangrove boardwalk.

Karuah Jetty and small boat ramp.

Mangrove Boardwalk 

Quite a few Welcome Swallows have made the jetty their home and pelicans seem content to hang around the oyster shacks.

Welcome Swallows on the jetty.

Pelicans snoozing in front of an oyster shack.

In both the caravan park and the town of Kuruah there were large numbers of lorikeets. There were plenty of Rainbow Lorikeets but these were outnumbered by huge numbers of Musk Lorikeets.

Musk Lorikeet

Longworth Park is a pleasant picnic area in town on the Karuah River between an oyster outlet and the Karuah Bridge. We were informed by a local that this is a good location for dolphin watching but we didn't manage to see any. The park has an enclosed swimming area, toilets and a children's playground.

Specialist oyster boats on the Karuah River.

Enclosed swimming area.

We noticed a large nest in an electricity pylon across the river. There was an Eastern Osprey perched near the nest and later we realised that there was a juvenile in the nest.

Eastern Osprey in the nest.

Manna Gum Camping Area, Goomburra Section of Main Range National Park, QLD.

Dwarfed by the Manna Gums at Manna Gum Camping Area.

The Goomburra section of Main Range National Park is one of our favourite places and we return there whenever we get the chance. It is so relaxing to sit in a camp chair and have ringside seats for such a great variety of wildlife.

Satin Bowerbird invading our kitchen.

Red-necked Pademelons are common at Main Range National Park.

We didn't see any snakes or Southern Angle-headed Dragons while at Goomburra in June 2019 which is perhaps not surprising as it was only about 1 C at night and 16 C during the day. On previous visits we have seen an old Manna Gum with a nesting hollow being used by Glossy Black Cockatoos but this trip the tree was nowhere to be seen and we fear that it was cut down as we could see a lot of cut down tree debris. We did still see a pair of Glossy Black Cockatoos fly over the campground in the late afternoon so hopefully they have found another nesting tree nearby.

We always enjoy sitting beside our tent and watching the local bird life. There are always plenty of Satin Bowerbirds and Superb Fairy-wrens about. This trip we were pleased to see three Paradise Riflebirds stripping bark off the trees behind our tent.

Pacific Riflebird.

Satin Bowerbird, male.

Superb Fairy-wren

We noticed a bit of a commotion amongst the Satin Bowerbirds and were lucky to witness a courtship ritual involving the males twitching violently while offering females a nice tasty green leaf. A couple of the males were successful so it seems the population of Satin Bowerbirds is secure for the future. This activity occurred in low vegetation and not at a bower as might be expected.

Courtship Ritual

We were keen to walk the Winder Track because it was the only walk we hadn't yet done in the Goomburra Section of Main Range National Park. It is a 12 km return, Grade 4 walk. The walk starts from a car park at the end of Lookout Road. Although the track is along a ridge line there are only limed views. However, there are a couple of stunning lookouts along Lookout Road that are well worth doing.

Limited views on the early part of the Winder Track.

We very quickly discovered that there is a lot of damage caused by feral pigs along the track. We soon passed a pig trap that had been freshly baited by national park rangers. Of all the creatures that can be encountered in the Australian bush, pigs are my least favourite so we were glad that we didn't actually see any.

Pig Trap

We did see a few Lyrebirds in dense bush alongside the track but were unable to get any photos as they sent out strident alarm calls as we progressed along the track.

The Winder is an old piece of forestry equipment and was quite overgrown.

The Winder

As there is no seating and no view we took a few photos and headed back the way we had come. Overall, this walk is a bit underwhelming and I wouldn't put it on my list for a return visit, but hey, nothing ventured nothing gained.

Wildlife: Red-necked Pademelon, Red-necked Wallaby. Bird List: Satin Bowerbird, Australian Brush Turkey, Grey Butcherbird, Glossy Black Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Pied Currawong, Superb Fairy-wren, Red-browed Finch, Brown Gerygone, Lewin's Honeyeater, White-napped Honeyeater, Laughing Kookaburra, Albert's Lyrebird, Australian Magpie, Bell Miner, Noisy Miner, Australian King Parrot, Paradise Riflebird, Crimson Rosella, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, White-browed Scrubwren, Grey Shrike-thrush, Bassian Thrush, Brown Thornbill, Eastern Whipbird. Heard: Green Catbird, Pheasant Coucal, Common Koel.

Details for Manna Gum Campground:
Where: Goomburra section of Main Range National Park, QLD About 195 km south-west of Brisbane. From Brisbane drive up Cunningham's Gap. Turn right at Gladfield or Clintonvale. Turn right at Goomburra and drive along Inverramsay Road to the very end. 
Access: Unsealed roads. Some pot holes. Suitable for tents and all rig types, however, there is a very short section between Poplar Flat Camping Area and Manna Gum Camping Area that is narrow and uneven and sometimes has overhanging vegetation so if you have a high or large rig it might be better to book into Poplar Flat Camping Area.
Sites: grassed area, no designated sites, some shade.
Fees & Bookings: Bookings must be made by phone or internet before arriving as there is no reception at, or anywhere near, the campground. Ph 13 74 68. $6.55 per person per night, adults and children. Has single rate. Family Rate: $26.20 per night includes 1 to 2 adults and a maximum of 8 people (ie up to 2 adults and up to 6 children, extra adults $6.55)
Facilities: Non-flush toilets, fire places, BYO wood, some non-potable water taps throughout campground. No showers, no power, no phone reception.
Prohibited: No pets, no generators.