Bellthorpe State Forrest

23rd July

Attendees:
Brett and Declan Lynch Patrol Trip Leader
Stewart and Narelle Bishop Navara
Joe Elmore Patrol
Glenn and Kaye Taylor Patrol
Alan and Carol Goessler Patrol

Well up bright and early to meet up with everyone at the Caltex at Blacksoil. With all but the Taylor’s in attendance (who were meeting us later) we headed off up the highway passed the dams to Kilcoy. We stopped at the rest area on the way out of town heading to Woodford. A quick call to the Taylor’s to arrange to meet at the turn off to Bellthorpe State Forest. After going down to a dead end we realised we were on the wrong road and drove back to the highway to take the next turn off. Right track at last, I was surprised to find that where 3 years ago I had to use difflocks to drive up the hill over some ruts even stopping to help someone get towed over at one point, was easily traversed in 2wd. Continuing on up the track we found the turn off to a track through to a look out. Finding that track was cut short of a great descent as only a walking track now we turned around and headed back to the start to follow another track to continue around to the stony creek picnic area for lunch. This track had some nice puddles to drive through but not enough to wet more than the bottom of our tyres and through a bit of mud up on the sides that Stewart was quite happy about. Still only 2wd so far but still a scenic drive, nice and green from recent rain in the area. The Picnic area looked to be only fixed up in the last week or so with new turf on the ground and new tables and fire BBQ’s. After lunch we took a quick stroll down to the watering hole for a look and stone skimming competition won by Alan Goessler. We then hopped back in the cars and headed on up to where the ranger station is just to have a look as no one had been there. We then decided to find a different way out and followed Lee Harris’s memory from his trip last year to the Mary Smokes lookout area for afternoon tea and then on down the hill back to the highway. The Look out was good with great views of the Kilcoy area. Down the hills then and back to the highway, but not as easy as it seemed, just down from the lookout and finally using some 4wd gearing and across a gulley and we were presented with a big climb back up a recently graded hill which was quite powdery and steep. Well with the locker on and the go from the kids up I went, a few slips but with firm grip on the ground thanks to my new tyres, I finally got to the top with the others watching on with awe. Glenn next in line tried a go since I made it look so easy, but he only made it about a third of the way up. After trying a few times decided was not going to make it and not having time now to hook up 3 or 4 snatch straps to pull him up he decided to turn around and go back down and being late in the day made the decision to head back to the main track the way we came. Stuart was keen to give the hill a go in his new car but didn’t put up to much of a fight so he didn’t get the chance. Back to the highway and said goodbye to the Taylor’s who went to pickup their van to do some more touring. The rest of us headed back to Kilcoy for a 2nd afternoon tea at the Yowie park before heading back to Ipswich and our separate homes. Thanks to all for coming on the trip and enjoying the day even if was made up as we went along. Will try again some other time and give the hill climb a try again. The only disappointment from the day is the practise that seems to be happening more and more of trees being dropped across the start of tracks to keep 4wders off these tracks. While this might fix this cheaply for the state forests I wonder about the safety of doing this when bush fires are threatening local houses and farms when fire-fighters can’t access these tracks to help contain fires or rescuers need access to find lost bushwalkers. I guess they have thought of this as government departments do and maybe when all state forests are off limits to 4wders, bush walkers will be next to be excluded.
Brett Lynch.