Since I have next week off work I thought I would head off for a quick trip. At the last minute I threw some clothes in the car, some food in the fridge and quickly booked a camp site at Tamborine National Park, Green Mountain campground via the internet. On the way I dropped into Bunnings at Nerang to look for some plastic containers for the camper and picked up a few that would fit.
Then it was off through Canungra and out to Beaudesert before stopping in for lunch at Wyaralong Dam. There were quite a few tents set up here but not in the space that I think was set aside for them. Reading the regulations I wouldn't be able to stay there in the camper, only tents allowed.
After lunch I saw a few nasty looking clouds headed my way, so I took off to the south of Beaudesert and followed Christmas Creek Rd before turning north into Kerry road.
There was quite nice looking camping area beside a creek - Darlington Park. The sign said $8 per person per night and it looked like dogs were allowed and there was a little kiosk on the other side of the road. There was a large area for camping but it wasn't too crowded yet, although I expect that will change after Xmas. I continued onto Duck Creek Road and turned off there to head up the mountain to Tamborine National Park. There's a stretch of bitumen, followed by a good gravel road before the going gets tough. On the dirt road I chatted to some young tourists in a Ford Focus who thought they could get up the road to O'Reilleys, I indicated that they almost certainly wouldn't make it, so they would have to go back to Beaudesert, then onto Canungra before they could turn off to O'Reilleys. They sensibly chose the longer drive.
About a third of the way up the hill the track seemed much more washed out and rougher than the last time I had been up that way. A quick stop at a lookout showed some rain clouds approaching, so I continued up the hill, Blute and the camper handled it pretty easily even when the rain made the road and rocks a little slippery.
I then had to stop and help a motor bike rider get his bike back on the road and going after he had slid towards the edge. It continued drizzling most of the way to the top but there were no other problems. Up the top near O'Reilleys the rain had blown away and it had got quite chilly, 16-17 degrees. I found my campsite and set up quickly before walking up to the rainforest. I didn't go too far as there was some mist and light rain making things uncomfortable.
So it was back to camp for a warming drink and I settled down to do some reading. The wind hadn't let up but luckily, for dinner I just had to heat up some left over Chilli Con carne and rice. The tent sites were all pretty exposed and after talking to some of them about the wind I realised they weren't very happy campers. Then it was off to an early night in the nice warm camper while the wind continued to blow outside. All up a leisurely 180 kms for the day.
Sent from my iPhone
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