Charlie Moreland Camping Area, Imbil State Forest, near Kenilworth, QLD.

Camping at Charlie Moreland Camping Area.

In December 2019, most National Park and State Forest campgrounds in northern New South Wales and south-east Queensland were closed due to fires or fire risk, but Charlie Moreland Camping Area in Imbil State Forest was open and surprisingly, there were only three other rigs in the whole campground. 

We walked the Little Yabba Creek Walk in the afternoon and next morning. This is one of our all-time favourite birding walks, but it was sad to see it so badly affected by both the drought and recent logging activity.

Dry crossing over Little Yabba Creek.

Logging beside the Little Yabba Creek Circuit.

We still managed to see some interesting birds. We had been listening for the distinctive call of the Paradise Riflebird but hadn’t heard any, so we were excited to see a female Paradise Riflebird on the walk. Not the best photos but a Riflebird is always an exciting find.

Female Paradise Riflebird, back view.

Female Paradise Riflebird, front view.

We were lucky to again see Black-breasted Button Quail. This time we saw three but our photos were even worse than when we saw five in July 2018

There are usually lots of Red-necked Pademelons at Charlie Moreland, especially around the horse yards area, but this time we only saw a few.

Red-necked Pademelon.

The next day felt extremely hot and we moved the van to the shadier Day Use Area. We shifted picnic tables about five times chasing the shade. Even so the air was hot; we thought it was probably about 39 C. Most of Little Yabba Creek had dried up but there was still water in the swimming hole. We didn’t swim as the water looked a bit green.

Swimming hole at Charlie Moreland.

We saw quite a few birds in the picnic area. Eastern Whipbirds are easy to hear but harder to see and photograph as they stay in the bushes and move very fast.

Eastern Whipbirds.

We noticed a stately looking Nankeen Night Heron quietly watching us from overhead.

Nankeen Night Heron.

We saw an Emerald Dove on the walk and near the swimming hole. Not a great photo but it is the first time I can remember seeing one at Charlie Moreland. 

Emerald Dove.

Some more bird photos:

Spectacled Monarch.

Olive-backed Oriole.

Brown Cuckoo Dove.

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: Online 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: $6.65 per adult per night, family rates.
Facilities: Flush toilets, non-potable water taps, fire rings, BYO wood, fires subject to fire bans. Swimming in Little Yabba Creek. Walks. 
Prohibitions: No pets. No generators. No fishing.
Cautions: Gets extremely busy and crowded at peak times.

Wildlife seen over two days in December 2019: 

Red-necked Pademelon. Lace Monitor. Birds: Black-breasted Button-quail, Regent Bowerbird, Australian Brush Turkey, Grey Butcherbird, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Little Black Cormorant, Great Cormorant, Channel-billed Cuckoo, Torresian Crow, Pied Currawong, Bar-shouldered Dove, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Emerald Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Spangled Drongo, Grey Fantail, Rufous Fantail, Australasian Figbird, Red-browed Finch, Noisy Friarbird, Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Brown Gerygone, White-necked Heron, Nankeen Night Heron, Lewin's Honeyeater, Azure Kingfisher, Laughing Kookaburra, Logrunner, Australian Magpie, Magpie-lark, Bell Miner, Noisy Miner, Spectacled Monarch, Australian King Parrot, Wonga Pigeon, Eastern Yellow Robin, Large-billed Scrubwren,  Yellow-throated Scrubwren, White-browed Scrubwren, Grey Shrike-thrush, Little Scrubwren, Russet-tailed Thrush, Eastern Whipbird, Golden Whistler, Willie Wagtail.