Paperbark Walk - May 2022

Conditions were about to get a bit damp underfoot! 

This little walk was really an after thought today. I'd been exploring the 1770 / Agnes Water area all day and was looking for something that would kill an hour, so that I could grab some dinner tonight when I motored through Bundaberg. After finishing off the Red Rock Trail I was sitting in the ute listening to the rain on the roof when I noticed a short (very short) walk on Alltrails nearby. A walk through a Paperbark forest sounded interesting and by the time I mucked around taking photos I could stretch it out a bit and at least use up a fair bit of that hour.

Leaving the car park the walk started off fairly normally. 

This little reserve is managed by Bush Heritage Australia.  

I took the right branch and walked the circuit counter clockwise. 

Like the nearby Red Rock Trail this Paperbark Walk looks like it's managed by Bush Heritage Australia and immediately after leaving the ute I arrived at a couple of information boards explaining both Bush Heritage and the Paperbark Forest. This is loop walk and I decided to complete it in a counter clockwise direction this afternoon - and straight away there was an issue. Yes, the track was flooded (who would of guessed - Queensland had recently gone through once in a hundred year rainfall events in both April and May). Not being easily deterred I decided to push on, I was wearing Tevas anyway and I was pretty sure I wouldn't be wading waist deep.

I was soon sloshing my way through the water.

I'd come prepared in my Teva's. 

The Paperbark Walk. 

This is a beautiful little parcel of native bush. 

Now I've got to say this was one of the best walks that I've done. Yes, it was really short and you could argue that it was barely even a walk, however wading along a flooded boardwalk and negotiating flooded stepping stones through an absolutely stunning flooded Paperbark Forest was a beautiful experience. If I really had to find a negative about this walk it would have to be the mozzies, they had a good feed on my legs as I stopped to take one of the numerous photos that I took. Thankfully I managed to make my way around this little circuit without falling off the boardwalks into the inky black water and after around half an hour I was back at the ute, scratching all my new mozzie bites, but thankful that I got to enjoy such a primordial piece of the country.

As you'd imagine the mozzies were pretty ferocious through here. 

While the teva's were handy for the water they didn't give my ankles much protection from the mozzies. 

Damp going in the Paperbark Forest. 

Back on the stepping stones. The track alternated between sections of boardwalk and sections of round stepping stones. 

The Paperbark Swamp.

The Dirt,

According to my GPS I walked around 670 metres (no, that's not a typo!) and climbed about 5 metres on this very easy walk. Assuming that conditions are a little more normal then I think this walk would be good for children, I'm guessing that they'd enjoy all the boardwalks and stepping stones. For photographers the inky black water in the flooded Paperbark Forest was stunning. I used my Alltrails App and my GPS topos on this walk today.

Relevant Posts.

Burnett Heads to Bargara Beach, Coral Coast Trail, 2021.

Once I was back on dry land it was only a few minutes back to the car park.

The Paperbark Forest.

Closer to the car park the bush dries out a bit.

There is a picnic table near he start / end of the stroll - byo Bushmans though!

Mossman Gorge Walk, Daintree National Park - May 2022

This small waterfall on Wurrmbu Creek was very pretty.

I'd been doing a fair bit of walking on my own so far on our 2022 North Queensland Roadtrip, so I was keen to find a walk that Sam would enjoy during our time in Port Douglas. I've never been to Mossman Gorge before although I've heard good things (and some bad!) about the place, so with the walk being a fairly short one - along with the chance for a swim or two I figured that it'd be a good one for Sam to enjoy with me. 

Our walk started with a short bus ride from the large visitor centre. 

This is a very easy and comfortable way for the average punter (ie, not a Feral Walker!) to get a good look at some great rainforest. 

The first thing you need to know is that you can't actually drive to the trail head, the options here are a $14 shuttle bus trip or a 4ish kilometre road walk or ride - we went for the shuttle bus! The bus dropped us at the start of an elevated boardwalk that we then walked up into the gorge, the elevated path meant that we were passing through the lower canopy of the rainforest and it made for an easy and interesting way to start off the walk. After bypassing the popular swimming hole in the Mossman River, Sam and I continued climbing our way up stream, passing a good lookout and then shortly after crossing a substantial swing bridge that was built by the Australian Army.

We started our walk along an elevated boardwalk.

There are plenty of Staghorns up in the canopy. 

The Mossman River from the first lookout.

Shortly after leaving the lookout we crossed Rex Creek on a big swing bridge. 

Shortly after crossing the swing bridge over Rex Creek we arrived at the start of the circuit track. The walk got a little rougher now as we headed around the circuit track in a clockwise direction. Not only is this part of the walk a little rougher but it was also a lot quieter, it seems that most of the tourist don't venture onto this dirt track. We climbed a bit now as the track followed Rex Creek upstream before eventually leaving Rex Creek and crossing over the watershed to drop down to Wurrmbu Creek. There is a beautiful waterfall and sandy plunge pool at the end of the side trip down to Warrmbu Creek that was well worth the side trip, having worked up a decent sweat I enjoyed a quick dip here although the pool is only very small and there were already a couple of people enjoying it so I didn't stay for long.

Looking up towards the Mt Lewis National Park.

I'd come prepared today in my hiking Havaianas.

The western extremity of this walk was more of a typical bush walk. 

Daintree Rainforest, Mossman Gorge. 

This one was right in the zone of aggravation. 

Dropping down towards Wurrmbu Creek.

Wurrmbu Creek

Wurrmbu Creek - it's not always about the size.

Here's a shot from water level. 

It didn't take a lot of convincing for me to decide to jump in with my waterproof camera. 

Leaving Warrmbu Creek we completed our circuit track, crossed the swing bridge and then headed to the main swimming area. This area was also pretty crowded however there was a lot more real estate here to spread out on. We have had a lot of rain here recently so the Mossman River was running strong this afternoon which meant that the swimming was hard work once my feet left the sand, still the cool water was a perfect way to end what had been a very nice little walk. Somewhat reluctantly we eventually emerged from the water to drip dry in the sun for awhile (and watch the scrub turkeys helping themselves to the punters lunches). On our return to the bus stop Sam and I took the sealed river side path, this path gave a the chance to check out another couple of nice lookouts over the Mossman River along the way.

Dropping back down through some Buttress Figs to re-join our outward route. 

After one last rougher section...

... we arrived back at the suspension bridge over Rex Creek and the harder walking was over for the day.

The Rex Creek swing bridge was built by the Australian Army. 

Back down at the Mossman River lookout in Mossman Gorge. 

Down at the main swimming hole in the Mossman River.

The main swimming hole is a very popular spot.

The view back up the river from the rocks in the middle of the river was pretty rugged.

The Dirt.

According to my GPS we walked 4.7 kilometres and climbed 184 metres on this easy walk. This walk follows good sealed and unsealed paths and would make an enjoyable stroll for most people. The circuit walk part of the walk is a bit rougher and features a bit more climbing however it also doesn't have as many other walker along it - the sealed elevated boardwalk and the swimming spot in the Mossman River can get very busy. This walk has been written up in a few walking guide books over the years, I used the notes and map out of the Woodslane book Best Walks around Cairns & the Tablelands as well as my Alltrails App and my GPS topos today.

Relevant Posts.

Four Mile Beach & Flagstaff Hill Walk, 2022.

Instead of retracing our way back to the bus stop along the elevated boardwalk we took the sealed path beside the river.

We were a bit wet and bedraggled but super happy with our day out. 

The elevated boardwalk / sealed path loop at the beginning and end of our stroll would be suitable for wheelchairs and prams. 

This Hercules Moth at the visitor centre was about the size of a dinner plate - I actually though it was a fake.