Since our trip up the Burrum Coast, we haven’t been out and about again (wow, seriously?!!), probably largely due to end of semester stress and just a tad too much work.
I think I’m pathologically incapable of working less… I love working part-time but I keep looking for jobs. Something’s not quite right…
So on the spur of the moment, we decided to drive up north to Gympie last Sunday, doing another 4WD trek close to Brisbane, this time into Gympie’s western forests.
LOW EXPECTATIONS FOR GYMPIE’S FORESTS
My expectations were low and rightly so since this drive was easily one of the most boring ones we’ve ever done.
I feel like I keep saying this about the drives from this book but this one is definitely one of the most uninspiring routes known to man. Boredom guaranteed, at least as far as two thirds of the suggested 86km trip are concerned.
BROOYAR STATE FOREST
We started off some 20 km north of Gympie and headed into Brooyar State Forest. The only thing Brooyar may have going for it is that you can do rock abseiling! Quite a few sites and some nice drops but in terms of 4WD-ing or even AWD-ing, not so flash.
Maybe with some serious rain or in winter, the track becomes more interesting but I can’t quite see that… Limited imagination and all that (though perhaps there are some hidden treks so all may not be lost for Brooyar).
Btw, the whole day, the sun was not my friend so my photos aren’t particularly flash. Plus the fact that there wasn’t all that much to see.
Here’s the one waterhole we came across. I normally love creek crossings but even this puddle couldn’t get my excitement up… 🙁
Lunch spot… if only the cows hadn’t left so many patties, I could have actually sat down. 🙂
GLASTONBURY STATE FOREST
The second part of the trek took us through Glastonbury State Forest, and from there onto Amamoor State Forest, home of the Gympie Music Muster. The 3-day festival sounds like it’s a serious country music spectacle! I think they get several thousand visitors there every year…
MOUNT WILWARREL
From there, we did a side trip via Mount Wilwarrel, which was classed as ‘difficult’, i.e. steep sections, erosion, washouts, bog holes, etc. That part was quite nice with some pretty views but certainly not difficult or exhilarating, at least not in the dry conditions we encountered.
However, I am a bit of cow fan, well, baby ones, so I at least got to look at lots of cows since they get to roam so incredibly freely in Queensland… I’ve never seen as many cows in my life than I have in the last 10 months here. And most of the time, they’re not even vaguely interested in clearing the path for you…
Next week it’s time to visit the Gold Coast. Look out, Gold Coast, here I come! 🙂
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