Lower Portals

Location: Mount Barney National Park, South East QLD
Date: 14th March, 2015
Distance: 7.4 km
Time: 3 h 20 min

I'd never been particularly keen on visiting the Lower Portals, but it was about the only walk I had time to squeeze in this afternoon - so, after almost 6 years, I made a triumphant return to Mt Barney NP.

Things started off well - lots of people finishing the walk (about the best thing that can happen when the car park is full), some interesting rocky outcrops and a creek crossing within the first few minutes.

Unfortunately, 'things' took a turn for the worse from here on. The next hour was pretty boring, winding up and down along a dusty track, over dry creek beds choked with weeds, passing dozens of walkers heading the other direction. There were limited views of Mt Barney from the track.

Multiple Barney ridges in hiding

Exposed sandstone reveals some pretty patterns

One thing that struck me was the number of butterflies I kept running into (later I was corrected: apparently butterflies that don't fold their wings up when landed are actually moths).

Eventually the track meets Mount Barney Creek - with all the recent rain it was a small challenge to cross without getting wet feet. A few minutes from here the path abruptly ends at an old campsite with three means of reaching the Lower Portals: 1) wade through the creek 2) crawl through a hole in the rock 3) climb up over the ridge and down again. I thought the hole option would be a bit of an adventure, but there was a line up with all the folks making an egress from the other side... for a swimming pool that requires a 3 hour walk it's pretty popular.

Mount Barney Creek near the Lower Portals

Thinking I might be able to avoid most of the crowds a little later on, I decided to do some exploring. I went up the steep rough track to the right of the closed campsites (option #3 above), then just kept on heading up and up along a ridgeline. There was an obvious track, and several vantage points along the way gave some spectacular views.

Mount Maroon from above the Lower Portals

Mount Barney from above the Lower Portals

After about 45 minutes of exploring I returned to the Lower Portals to find them emptied of the noisy people from earlier, huzzah! It's a great spot to sit and relax when it's not swarming with people.

It was a short trip back to the car; I passed an old couple taking their time and saw a kangaroo bound down a rocky gully and leap over one of the creek beds. Not sure why nobody does this walk late in the afternoon. Given that dozens of people were finishing when I started, they must have done the walk during the hottest part of the day... weirdos.

Crossing at Mount Barney Creek