Hello and welcome to my LIKETHEHIKE blog. I’m PJ and I write about the hikes I take, giving you insights, photos, commentary, tips and tools so you can enjoy hiking and embrace the experience.

It’s Been A While…

Looking at my blog, it’s been a while since I’ve shared. That’s not to say I haven’t been hiking, but I’ve also been working and travelling, which unfortunately has cut into my blogging time.

However – I’m back and ready to share some of the great hikes I’ve done in the last couple of months.

Toolona Creek Circuit

What a stunning hike – and it’s all yours to explore. Hidden away in the Green Mountains section of Lamington National Park, Toolona is a half day circuit, starting and finishing at O’Reillys Rainforest Retreat. Strava advises that I hiked 18.6km that day and Fitness says 18.3km so safe to say, 18.5km is the distance.

The Toolona Circuit provides a shady and protected experience for hikers and is a true rainforest paradise sitting around 1,000m above sea level, complete with a plethora of waterfalls and creek crossings to keep you entertained. Along with the rainforest encounter comes the risk of creepy crawlies, but more on that later…

I departed obscenely early to get up to O’Reillys by 6 a.m. I realised that I was hiking on a weekend during the school holidays , so if I wanted a quiet experience on the trail, an early start was essential. It was a lot cooler up in the Green Mountains, I had packed my raincoat and a lightweight merino jumper, but left my gloves and headwrap at home – rookie mistake!

The track early in the morning was made cooler with a light drizzle. Happily, the mist dampened down the dusty track, and as I ploughed through cobwebs, I realised I was the first hiker on the track 🙂

The Department of Environment recommends Toolona to be walked clockwise, although now that I’ve hiked it, it can be walked either way. As with any circuit involving creeks and waterfalls, you will have a hike down, and then the corresponding hike back up. I started off on the Main Border Track and at 1.7km, took the signposted left hand turn to start Toolona proper. Once on the trail, it starts gently descending down through the forest.

Switchbacks start around 2.4km and the gradient got steeper. At 3km another junction appeared, and I had the choice of going to Box Forest Circuit or Toolona, so just follow the directions which are very clear and well posted. I started to encounter creek crossings and little secret waterfalls…it was just lovely. It was very obvious that the whole area is quite low on rainfall so far this season. Some crossings were completely dry and I didn’t get wet feet at all during the day.

Picnic Rock – and the Creepy Crawlies!

About 3.5km down the circuit I arrived at Picnic Rock. As the name suggests, this is one of the lower points of the hike and is a small enclave nestled against the hillside, with a picturesque waterfall and smooth rocks to perch on while you have morning tea and admire the surroundings.

I stopped here for coffee and a snack, and about 23 seconds after I finished this wee video, I found a leech who was attached to my sleeve and determined to find some skins to make his snack!!!!

CAUTION – Creepy Crawlies

Leeches, ticks and other fauna are a fact of life when hiking. The time of year does make a difference in Australia – ticks seem to come out during spring and summer, and leeches just love the wet, however both can be present any time of the year. Right now, both are present in South East Queensland. It’s important to be aware of the risks they pose – and prepare accordingly.

So there I was, flailing around Picnic Rock trying to dislodge the leech. First he suckered from my arm to my finger, and then as I flicked him, he suckered onto my other hand. It was all a bit frantic! I found my bug repellent and emptied most of the can onto my hand, and then sprayed a fog over every body surface. Backpack was hurriedly packed up and I made haste up the hill away from the leech infested Picnic Rock….

I really did think they were chasing me up the hill….I did the first 2km up in record time…..I really don’t like leeches :O

TIP – FIRST AID FOR CREEPY CRAWLIES

There are two main perpetrators when hiking in Queensland (apart from snakes and just steer clear of those). Leeches are the lesser ones and can be dislodged with either bug repellent or salt. They inject an anticoagulant and an anaesthetic so you won’t feel them but after a while you can certainly see them 🙂 Ticks are more treacherous and left in situ can cause problems. I haven’t been ‘ticked’ but people say it’s like a small bee sting. You will know when you have one. There are products which direct a jet of liquid nitrogen at them, they freeze and you wait for them to fall out, OR you can remove them, keeping the body and head intact. I’m told that you twist them out counter clockwise as they burrow in clockwise. If you can’t remove the whole tick, it’s off to the doctor to have it extracted. Preventative wise, I’ve found that a very thorough bug repellent spray before and after getting dressed works….

Moving Onward and Upward

After my leech encounter, I passed a lovely swimming hole which I imagine is very popular in summer. The track was becoming narrower and rougher as I wound my way up the other side of the gorge. As I crisscrossed the creek, the waterfalls, although gentle, were quite beautiful. For those of you who enjoy forest bathing, it was an absolute delight.

The misty rain had certainly come down the side of the mountain, and at the 10km mark I re-joined the Main Border Track. Up on the ridge it was windy and raining, my coat was on and I was moving to stay warm! There was time for a couple of lookouts, but I was keen to clear the ridge and the wind.

I made it off the eastern ridge after the turnoff to Bithongabel Lookout and once I headed west at 12km, the wind and rain stopped, and I was back in the calm forest oasis that is the beauty of the Gondwana Rainforest. Estimated to be over 100 million years in the making, this area of Queensland is a superb example of the forest mosaic that makes Gondwana a world heritage listed site.

No more wind, no more rain, just me and a glorious forest. Walking through the dappled sunlight with the delicious earthy loamy smell of the leaves underfoot is such a happy thing to experience.

Before I knew it, the O’Reillys paved path was in front of me, which means the end of my hike was near.

I completed Toolona in just under five hours. I hiked around 18.5km, climbed around 470m and my average heart rate was 137 (we aren’t counting the spike when I ran away from the marauding leech).

The fun bit about finishing at O’Reillys is they have a great café where I got hot chips for my drive home. I may have also picked up some O’Reillys wine, which is *chefs kiss*.

In Summary

Toolona is a half day trail, family friendly and a good beginner hike that can easily be achieved by all levels of fitness. I absolutely recommend this as a way to immerse yourself in a stunningly beautiful part of Queensland and hey – who doesn’t like hot chips as a reward for escaping the marauding leeches??!

See you out on the trails 😉

PJ