Buaraba Creek

Location: Ravensbourne National Park, South East QLD
Date: 14th November, 2014
Distance: 6.2 km (return)
Time: 2 hours 10 min

Ravensbourne National Park Map

In all my time spent exploring south east Queensland I had never visited Ravensbourne National Park. Feeling an urge to fill this gap, I took Emily for a short afternoon trip to escape Brisbane over the G20 weekend.

Ravensbourne NP protects a tiny patch of the mountainous region between Esk and Toowoomba, and the DNP has done a pretty good job of summing it up:

"This small national park conserves a mere remnant of vast forests that once covered the slopes and crest of the Great Dividing Range. Surrounded by cleared farmland, Ravensbourne's towering trees, tiny jewelled fungi and birdsong from the canopy help us to appreciate the little that is left."

Hoping to leave behind the politicians and heat enveloping Brisbane, we were fairly disappointed to be welcomed by a hot furnacy blast at the Blackbean day-use area (but fortunately, no presidents). If anything it felt hotter and drier here than at home, even at 4pm.

A thick layer of dry leaves lay before us as we crunched our way downhill through the rainforest on the range's eastern slopes. We ignored the two circuit options and took the shortest route towards Buaraba Creek, our destination today.

We passed this big Sydney blue gum, apparently unchanged in the last 60 years (compare with photo at the bottom of this page).

Sydney blue gum adorned with an oddly symmetric pattern of bumps

We were welcomed by the sweet sounds of many birds during our rainforest rambles, a reminder that the park harbours an astonishing diversity of birdlife given its small size (more than 100 species have been recorded). The strained screeching of the familiar catbird calls were mixed with other, unfamiliar voices. Some, like the rufous fantail that we managed to get a (somewhat grainy) shot of, flitted about before our eyes on the forest floor.

One of the many rufous fantails that flitted in and out of the bushes

Sadly, we noted the presence of the ever-pesky weed lantana, particularly after the thick foliage disappeared into open eucalyptus forest about halfway to the creek. As the forest opened up we also encountered some large rocks and interesting outcrops on the side of the track.

Emily shares her musical talents with this rock

There were several short sections of stairs to descend, some carved right out of the rock, as we made our way down to Buaraba creek. As all of the other creeks we had passed so far were dry, there was some concern between us that we would find no water here either.

Piccabeen palms lining Buaraba Creek

But there was yet some substance to this creek, as we spotted some pools of water in the rocky creek bed. It was a nice place to sit and relax, between the eucalypt forest on the south and the thick palm forest on the north bank.

However, the heat was hardly any less potent down here so it wasn't long before we began our return journey, barely stopping for a pause until we reached the picnic area.

Returning to the Blackbean day-use area

We had timed it pretty well, so that we could make a quick visit to Gus Beutel Lookout 1 km up the road, with the sun still barely above the horizon. We were greeted by sweeping views south and east to the distant Scenic Rim.

...and left just in time to see a glorious sunset over the Great Dividing Range.