Section information
S1: Booloumba Creek day-use area to Wongai walkers' camp
Grade 4
Distance: 11 km (one way)
Time: Allow 6 hours walking time
This section of the Conondale Range Great Walk takes you through lush rainforest, home to towering bunya pines, hoop pines, and the vibrant piccabeen palm. As you follow Booloumba Creek, the landscape transforms, with giant flooded gums emerging from the rainforest, and a variety of hardwoods, such as black bean and yellow carrabeen, forming the upper canopy.
Along the way, you'll pass the 800-metre gold mine detour, where you can spot delicate Christmas orchids and learn about the area's mining history. A side track leads to an impressive sculpture, the Strangler Cairn, created by renowned artist Andy Goldsworthy. This thought-provoking piece of art, made from hand-cut granite, will eventually be overtaken by a rainforest strangler fig, symbolising nature's reclamation of human creations.
Further along, you'll encounter the unique rock types of phyllite and greenstone, which add to the geological diversity of the trail. Artists Cascades marks a scenic rest stop, where day walkers can pause and enjoy the beauty of the flowing water. As you continue your climb out of Booloumba Gorge, the forest transitions from lush, wet sclerophyll to open forest with striking ironbarks and gums. The final stretch before the Kingfisher Falls viewpoint offers a stunning view of Mount Allan in the distance.
Keep an eye out for the lush epiphytes along the track, including birds nest ferns and king orchids. Near the track's end, you'll find another spur trail leading to the picturesque Booloumba Falls and The Breadknife rock formation, a striking natural feature carved by water over time.
S2: Wongai walkers' camp to Tallowwood walkers' camp
Grade 4
Distance: 17 km (one way)
Time: Allow 8 hours walking time
The walk from Wongai walkers' camp to Mount Gerald is the longest section of the Great Walk, requiring an early start due to its length. It begins on undulating terrain and gradually climbs in elevation. Along the way, hikers are treated to the sight of impressive bunya pines, strangler figs, and yellow carrabeens, with vibrant vines and wildlife such as pittas and rufous fantails darting through the forest. This area is home to important habitats for endangered frog species, including the giant barred frog and tusked frog.
The walk transitions from rainforest to open forest, widening as it follows an old logging track and joins the South Goods Fire Management Trail. Pay close attention to the track signs, as the Great Walk diverges from the fire trail onto a purpose-built walking track. The understorey is filled with rose myrtle, and the forest contains old snigging tracks and fallen logs, with the occasional sighting of the short-nosed echidna.
As you ascend above 600m, the environment shifts to higher, wetter terrain, where deeply weathered rocks and red and yellow-red soils dominate. The track climbs steadily alongside streams and ridges towards Mount Gerald, which serves as a watershed for both the Mary River and Brisbane River catchments. Regent bowerbirds may be spotted in this area.
The Mount Gerald Fire Management Trail offers expansive views of the surrounding rainforest and canopy, with glimpses of the coastline and, on clear days, the Cooloola Sandpatch. Mount Langley, the highest peak in the Conondale Range and Sunshine Coast region at 868m, is visible as you pass by. As you enter the uppermost part of the Mary River catchment, the track skirts the headwaters of Booloumba, Bundaroo, and Peters Creeks.
Beyond Mount Gerald Fire Management Trail, the vegetation shifts to wet sclerophyll forest. The area around Tallowwood walkers' camp is home to large eucalyptus species, including blackbutt, brush box, flooded gum, and tallowwood, creating a diverse and striking forest landscape.
S3: Tallowwood walkers' camp to Summer Falls walkers' camp
Grade 4
Distance: 15.2 km (one way)
Time: Allow 7 hours walking time
The track begins just past the walkers' camp, where you'll find a disused logging arch, a relic from the forestry era used to drag logs for processing.
As the trail descends through rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest dominated by brush box, you'll reach Peters Creek, with a short spur track leading to a viewpoint over Peters Falls. The track also passes through areas of black wattle regrowth, a result of past logging. Some trees are marked with the word "photo" to record the area’s regrowth over time.
The walk crosses Sunday Creek Road and continues through open forest along Summer Creek, offering brilliant views of the creek and abundant grasstrees. Along the track, you'll encounter various native plants such as rose-leaved brambles, molucca raspberries, and scrambling lily, as well as native yam and wombat berry.
The highlight of this section is Summer Falls, where water plunges dramatically over phyllite rock, displaying fascinating geological features, including white bands indicating former sandy layers. Summer Falls walkers' camp is situated near these falls, nestled among brush box, tallowwood, and white mahogany trees. This tranquil camp is home to a variety of nocturnal creatures, including the mountain brushtail possum and three species of micro bats: chocolate wattled bat, eastern long-eared bat, and eastern horseshoe bat.
S4: Summer Falls walkers' camp to Booloumba Creek day-use area
Grade 4
Distance: 12 km (one way)
Time: Allow 6.5 hours walking time, including the Mount Allan fire tower walk (1.5 km return)
The walk from Summer Falls walkers’ camp to Booloumba Creek day-use area is a Grade 4 section, covering 12km with an estimated walking time of 6.5 hours, including the optional 1.5km return detour to Mount Allan fire tower.
The track begins with a steady climb through open forest to the ridge's summit, transitioning from dry open forest to wet sclerophyll forest. For a short section, the track is shared with horse riders and mountain bikers, so be mindful of other users. The track crosses Sunday Creek Road, where caution is needed for vehicles.
As you approach Mount Allan, you'll be treated to a clear view of Booloumba Gorge. Keep an eye on the map and track signs for the turnoff to Mount Allan fire tower. The track winds across the eastern side of the mountain, offering stunning views of the landscape and diverse plant species, including epiphytes like the autumn bulbophyllum orchid.
The peak of Mount Allan, formed by resistant pinkish quartzite, provides expansive views over the Conondale Range. From the fire tower, you can see a broad panorama and visually trace the Great Walk route within the larger landscape. The fire tower, built in 1954 and restored in 2008 and 2014, is an example of fire tower evolution, combining design elements from the 1930s, 1950s, and 1990s.
After the fire tower, the track descends through picturesque gullies and past scenic views to the Booloumba Creek day-use area. The vegetation shifts from wet sclerophyll forest to rainforest as you near the end of this section.
More information can be found here.
Additional information
Cooking: Campfires are prohibited on the walk and at walkers’ camps—fuel stoves must be used instead. The Conondale Range Great Walk is a Grade 4 track, while day walks within the Great Walk are classified as Grade 3 and Grade 4.
Water: Tank water is available at all walkers’ camps, but it should be treated before use. Walkers should carry enough water for each day’s journey, with a recommended amount of four to six litres per person per day.
Leave No Trace: When preparing for the walk, removing unnecessary packaging will help reduce what you need to carry. Keeping a small bag handy for food scraps and rubbish ensures waste can be carried out, as bins are not provided along the Great Walk. Solid waste and litter are not only unsightly but can also injure or kill wildlife. Rubbish must never be buried, as this alters nutrient levels in the soil, leaves behind waste that may take years to decompose, and can be dug up by animals.
Consider using a human waste disposal kit, available from camping stores, to pack out waste. Toilets are provided at all walkers’ camps, but when away from these facilities, all faecal waste and toilet paper should be buried at least 100 metres from creeks and 15 centimetres deep. Washing should be done well away from waterways, using hot water and scourers instead of detergent, soap, skin cream, insect repellent, sunscreen, or toothpaste, as these products can pollute water and harm aquatic life. Walkers should tread carefully to avoid damaging plants and small animals.
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6 Reviews on “Conondale Range Great Walk (56km)”
I completed the Connondale Range Great Walk in October 2022. I found it be a beautiful walk with a range of points of interest throughout.
As I don’t have a 4WD, I started the walk from Charlie Moreland Campground and Day Use area just to the North of the National Park. This was advised to be a safe place to leave my car and approximately 8km to the north of the designated trailhead. This variation did add a further 17km to my overall trip.
Once I’d traversed the top of Mt Allan the trail down towards the trailhead was easy to follow and well shaded. If you intend to commence the walk from Booloumba Creek, be aware that the Day Use area where the walk commences from has been damaged by storms and is currently closed. It is suggested by QPWS to use Camping Area #3 just up stream however, these can be busy.
Approximately two thirds of the walk uses Fire Trails and the remainder is on narrow footpads. Whilst a majority of the walk is well signed at intersections, some care is needed in the more remote sections of the forest as the trail does become faint at times due to the large amounts of leaf litter and tree falls. The section that I found the most challenging was the first few Kilometres of S2.
The campsites were neat with drop toilets and rainwater tanks. I used the water from these tanks with puri-tabs without a problem. The tank at the Tallowood Campsite seemed faulty, so perhaps try and keep some extra water handy. Peter’s Falls is about 1.5km away being the closest good water source. The campsites should be booked via the QPWS website but are not expensive. If you’re planning on using the Topo map, obtain one before setting out as I could not find one in Maleny and were advised they have not been available for some time locally.
My personal highlights were Artists Cascades and Summer Falls. I felt these were the most dramatic and accessible of the falls that I visited. Due to a late start and the extra time to traverse Mt Allan, I was late heading past the falls upstream of Artists Cascades.
Given that most of the Trail is on fire trails and well prepared foot pads especially either side of Booloumba Creek Day Use Area, the times for traversing the sectors are generous. Due to deteriorating weather I chose to do S3 and S4 (amended to Charlie Moreland Day Use Area) in one day. In total I completed the walk, 73km, in 3 days.
An alternative to completing the whole walk in one hit is to use the Booloumba Creek camping areas a base to do day or overnight walks to the various points of interest.