After arranging to meet with Carly and her family at Binna Burra we arrived and were enjoying a cup of hot chocolate to find out Carly is on another mountain at O’Reilly’s – one and a half hours down and up another mountain. We decided that with the weather turned cool with a gusting wind that we would enjoy our cup of hot chocolate and read Sunday’s newspaper in the warm of Binna Burra Tea Rooms.
After finishing our chocolate and the newspapers, we ventured outside and the weather was decidedly improved. After checking the trails that were open we decided to take the Forest circuit and divert onto the Loop track – 2.1 klms in all.
Binna Burra is a parcel of private land and mountain lodge surrounded by Lamington National Park. It is also the name of a locality in the same area hemce the confusion about where we were to meet Carly. The lodge lies in the north-eastern corner of the Lamington Plateau, 75 km south of Brisbane. According to Wikipedia, Binna Burra means “where the Antarctic Beech trees grow” in a local Aboriginal language. You can visit the remaining Antartic Beech Forest on the way to Natural Arch.
Our walk commeced by passing through the gate to the Park where we encounter one of the locals – a small black snake sunning itself on the path. At only 1 foot long it did not present any danger.
The walk through the forest was cool due to the cloud and the light rain but the incline meant that we would work up a sweat.
The forest is filled with Satinash trees which seem to be very vulnerable to the Strangler Fig which grows up and around the trees eventually crushing it but creating this spectacular twisted natural sculpture. The wind had brought down some of the dead tress that are scattered through the forest.
High up in the trees are the crows nest ferns but thanks to high winds the ferns find their way to the forest floor .
Also on the floor of the forest are some amazing fungi.
The rain eventually built up to the point where we decided to return to the car and make our way home. Travelling down the mountain we stopped at one of the well known jumping off points for the para-gliders. It was far too windy today but you can still experience some fabulous views.
Travelling down the mountain we tried to get a view of the Hinze Dam which flooded Advancetown and the Upper Coomera Valley to provide water to the Gold Coast. We were unable to get a picture showing the whole of the dam but some parts of it and the views to the Gold Coast.
glendon1954 