Jack Smith Scrub Conservation Park, QLD.

View over the South Burnett Valley 

When we were at Boat Mountain Conservation Park we saw information about Jack Smith Scrub Conservation Park and drove the short distance to have a look around. We had a pleasant picnic overlooking the South Burnett valley before doing the easy 900 m Orwenia Nature Circuit.

Black-breasted Button-quail are found here and we saw large numbers of platelets on and beside the track. Platelets are circular depressions left on the ground by quails spinning around. We did see more Caper White butterflies and cane toads were out and about.

Caper White Butterfly

Cane Toad

Wildlife List on our short visit in October:
Many Caper White Butterflies. Black-breasted Button-quail are found here; we didn't see any but we did see large numbers of platelets. Australian Brush Turkey, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, White-browed Scrubwren, Magpie, Eastern Yellow Robin, Rufous Fantail, Golden Whistler. 

Details for Jack Smith Conservation Park:
Where: 16 km north-west of Murgon or 9 km west of Boat Mountain Conservation Park.
Facilities: Picnic table. Small car park with a short rough driveway off Smith's Road which may prove difficult for a small sedan or low vehicle.
No Camping.

Woowoonga National Park, QLD.

While staying at Biggenden in July, we drove to Woowoonga National Park for afternoon tea and a look around. 

Day Use Area at Woowoonga National Park

Summit Walk, 1.6 km return, Class 4, allow 3 hours.
We didn't have the time to climb to the summit of Mt Woowoonga but we did walk part of the way.

Trail head at Woowoonga National Park

Yellow-faced Honeyeater.

Birdlist: Australian Brush Turkey, Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Grey Fantail, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Brown Quail.

Details for Woowoonga National Park
Where: 14 km north of Biggenden, 42 km south-west of Childers.
Access: The Day Use Area is reached via Giles Road and Mt Woowoonga Road. Good gravel roads for the last few kilometers.
Facilities: Picnic shelter, open fireplace, tank water, bin. Walk to the summit of Mt Woowoonga.
No camping.

Coalstoun Lakes National Park, QLD.

Coalstoun Lakes National Park

At only 26 ha, Coalstoun Lakes National Park is Queensland's smallest national park. This small area protects an extinct volcano, Mount Le Brun, and it's two crater lakes. The lakes were dry when we visited recently but sometimes they contain water. 

The car park is only about 1 km off the Isis Highway between Ban Ban Springs and Biggenden on a narrow gravel track with limited room to turn around at the end. We stayed at Mountain Views Caravan Park in Biggenden for a few days while we explored the national parks in the area.

Excerpt from a sign near the car park.

The walk from the car park to the lookout and picnic table is a steep 350 meters. The views at the top are worth it. 

Views over the countryside towards the small town of Coalstoun Lakes.

Views of Mount Walsh National Park.

The walk along the craters rim is listed as a Class 4, 2 km return walk of approximately 30 minutes. The track has been damaged by cattle in some places and requires stepping over small volcanic rocks in other sections. We spent about three hours exploring the craters, checking out the interesting volcanic geology and bird watching.

Bird hide at the first crater lake.

The crater lakes are lined with volcanic rocks and rimmed by melaleucas and blue gums.

Edge of the first crater lake.

We saw a great variety of birds on our walk. There were Wedge-tailed Eagles soaring overhead and along the edge of Mount Le Brun. A Brown Falcon shadowed our every move and seemed to be playing peek-a-boo with us. We saw lots of Varied Trillers, Rufous and Golden Whistlers and Australasian Figbirds in the surrounding melaleucas. Dozens of Double-barred Finches were scrabbling about on the crater floor sharing the dead sedge grass with Golden-headed Cisticolas.

Brown Falcon

Varied Triller and Striped Honeyeater

Golden Cisticola and Double-barred Finch

After a full morning of exploring we headed back to the picnic table for a well earned break.

Coalstoun Lakes Lookout: our kind of picnic spot!

As we descended along the track we noticed that some cattle were crowded around our ute. It seems they love it has much as we do as on our return we found that it was covered in cow licks! 

Yum, a nice new ute to check out.

I've had Coalstoun Lakes on my bucket list for a while and it didn't disappoint. However, I've popped it back on the bucket list to return when the lakes are full of water.

Details for Coalstoun Lakes National Park:
Where: 105 km west of Maryborough, QLD.
Access: Turn off the Isis Highway, 20 km south of Biggenden. Entry road is a 1 km gravel track.
Facilities: Car park. Steep 350 m walk to a picnic table. 2 km walking track. Bring your own water.
No Camping.
Cautions: Cattle.

Bird List: Wedge-tailed Eagle, Brown Falcon, Varied Triller, Grey Fantail, Grey Shrike-thrush, Little Shrike-thrush, Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Willie Wagtail, Golden Cisticola, Double-barred Finch, Australasian Figbird, Striped Honeyeater.

Mount Walsh National Park, QLD.

Mount Walsh National Park has three different entry points. Coongarra Rocks is accessible by 4WD, the Waterfall Creek section is remote and can become inaccessible even by 4WD in the wet and the Mount Walsh Day Use Area which is accessed by a short 2WD dirt road.

It is well worth a drive to the Mount Walsh Day Use Area. There are beautiful views of Mount Walsh on the drive in.

The Bluff Walking Track, otherwise referred to as the Summit Walk leaves from the Day Use Area. Starting out as a Class 4 walk it quickly becomes a Class 5 walk. Good fitness is required as this is a tough steep walk. We slogged up and up for a long time but we did not make it all the way. There is little shade on this walk and we made the mistake of attempting it in the middle of the day. We were rewarded with great views over the surrounding countryside. We climbed high enough to observe Peregrine Falcons dart past and Wedge-tailed Eagles glide by. 

Looking towards Biggenden from Mount Walsh

The day use area is a nice spot for a picnic. We saw quite a few birds as we recovered from the walk.

White-throated Honeyeater

This Mistletoebird seemed reluctant to show his face.

Bird List: Black Kite, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Crested Pigeon, Laughing Kookaburra, Red-backed Fairy-wren, Noisy Miner, White-throated Honeyeater, Rufous Whistler, Golden Whistler, Grey Fantail, White-winged Chough, Mistletoebird.

Details for the Mount Walsh Day Use Section of Mount Walsh National Park:
Where: 84 km west of Maryborough, QLD. Turn off the Maryborough-Biggenden Road 2 km east of Biggenden, travel along a good 2WD dirt road for 5.3 km.
Facilities: Toilets, cold showers, tank water, sheltered picnic tables, parking area, walk access.
Cautions: The Bluff Walk requires a high level of fitness.
Camping: Remote walk-in bush camping is permitted in Mount Walsh National Park with a permit.