New England Camping Trip Day 4

The Cascades Walk was probably the highlight of our camping holiday. Bereft of the stunning views on offer elsewhere in the park, this circuit more than makes up for it by offering a stunning rainforest walk along the banks of 5 Day Creek.

Initially the circuit runs high up on the valley slopes, crawling over mossy rocks and past long-fallen logs.

Soon the track turned downhill, and not long after we found ourselves sitting on a pebbly shore beside the cascade-laden creek. We spent some time just here enjoying the serenity before continuing upstream.

For the next hour we rock hopped our way over mossy boulders and through dense foliage alongside the creek. The whole circuit was enjoyable but this section was particularly beautiful.

When the track finally diverted from the stream, Emily had a hunch that we should follow the creek a little further, around the next bend. Luckily we did, as it took us to the base of a glorious waterfall.

To complete my roundup of the walking tracks in New England National Park I embarked on the Lyrebird Loop track this afternoon. Highlights included the ever-changing scenery, panoramic views to Wright's Lookout and luscious temperate rainforest.

Wright's Lookout in the distance

Wright's Lookout on the right

Mossy staircase... just awesome

More towering mossy cliffs

Dense raniforest overcrowds the track

To finish up, I took a quick trip to Point Lookout for one last view. The overcast conditions created an eerie mood, heightened by the absence of any other visitors.

Unfortunately we awoke to light rain on our final morning, ruling out a chance to summit Cathedral Rock in the nearby granite-rich areas. Instead we packed up and drove back to Brisbane. Somehow we had managed to avoid people along almost every walk we did, just bumping into a couple of other hikers on the Eagle's Nest track on day 2 - despite being the middle of school holidays. This certainly made our experience in New England National Park feel more like true wilderness.