Last time we were staying at Lake
Tinaroo, I walked the Torpedo Bay circuit and noticed an awful lot of
flagged trails, some in better, some in worse condition marked by
faded old signs tied to trees, and, in a couple of locations, a
laminated hand sketched trail map. I followed quite a few of these
trails but I didn't have time to explore the area marked “to Black
Mountain with connections to other trails.”
On Sunday, I went back to see what is
out in this unsurveyed area of the sketch map. This time I took the
“official” Torpedo Bay walking track up to the ridge top as this
is the only trail I hadn't walked before. It starts about 100 metres
before the Scout Camp (if you are driving from Tinaroo Falls). There
is an initial steep and slippery section where the trail goes up hard
dirt covered with ball bearing type granite crystals, but after that,
it's just a steady climb until you intersect the short-cut trail that
comes up from the information booth.
Pretty soon I got to Tackers Trail and
followed this across undulating terrain to another ridge-line. I
lost the trail here for a while and had to search all around not only
to find it, but to find myself. Eventually, I found the track
descending a short distance and then traversing to the left of
another little peak to reach a pass between two little peaks. Once I
found the trail again it was relatively easy to follow. A longish
descent down the valley on the other side of the pass followed and
then I came upon a campsite by a creek.
Trail map
From here, the trail roughly follows
the creek valley gently rising and falling about 80 metres above the
creek. At a couple of points the trail descends to the creek and
crosses to the other side at one point. Once across the creek I was
on a very old road which never got any more distinct, in fact it
faded out. I had only planned to be out a few hours so, after three
hours of walking, I had to turn around, non the wise as to where this
trail eventually leads. I was quicker on the way back as I didn't
have to search for the trail as much and I took “Platypus Trail”
down to Danbulla Forest Road which avoided some ups and downs. This
comes out on the road just past the Scout Camp. I was hot and sweaty
so I had a swim in the lake.
Waterhole by the campsite
Next day, on a very hot morning, I set
off to walk up Widow Maker near Mount Baldy in Atherton. Although I
was walking by 8.30 am, it was way too late on such a hot day and I
had to slow my walking pace right down or I felt a bit woozy in the
sun. The trail to Widow Maker can be accessed from the same parking
area as Mount Baldy – go straight where the trail sign points you
uphill from the old road – or you can park at the 90 degree turn in
the Rifle Range Road and walk down towards a property on a tarmaced
road and then veer off to the left at the private property onto the
track. I parked at the Mount Baldy trailhead and came back via the
other parking lot (a little less elevation gain).
Just what I need: A gentler alternative
I thought this was a nicer walk than
Mount Baldy as it is all on track and not on hard steps or cement
and, as a bonus, much fewer people seem to walk it. I didn't see
anyone else on the walk, although there were 4 or 5 cars in the Mount
Baldy parking lot. Basically, you walk uphill. At one point, a new
trail has been constructed which switchbacks up to the top instead of
going straight up. This is well signed. I took the “gentler”
alternative on the way up and came down the steeper option. There is
a nice bench at the overlook to sit on while you rest and enjoy the
view, the only problem being that there is no shade at all.
So there you have it. A couple more
walks on the Atherton Tableland. One longer and one relatively
short. If this heat keeps up, best to get out early.
Atherton From Widow Maker
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