As was mentioned in the previous post we had come to the Crows Nest NP not just to sit around in the sun, but to also do a walk or two to stretch the legs. So, after our first night in the park we rose at the crack of dawn and set off for a walk at 8am. To get away at this time we had to skip the morning shower and managed with a piece of toast for breaky. It was going to be a hot day so we packed a flask of water and set off.

Decisions we went to the right and came back the left.

Bottlebrush pool

Decisions, we went down to the pool and came back, continued to Bottlebrush Pool.

The 2 km return walk to the ‘pools’ was attractive. It was a gentle start but not long into it various steps were encountered, not only on the main track but also on the sides down to the creek. The area has not had much rain since January and the stream was not flowing, some stagnant pools trapped by boulders. Certainly no swimming or lounging around in cool shallows.

Making steady progress along the track.

Crows Nest Falls fall into this pool.

Crows Nest Falls flows over here when it is wet! A chap jumped off the cliff here and killed himself.

We completed the ‘pools’ track and decided to continue on to the Falls Lookout. The creek here plunged over a cliff line into a deep pool below. No water though was making the plunge. Dry as a bone. Coming back to the main track we decided to continue on a further 900 metres to the Koonin Lookout. This section of track was considerably more demanding than the one we had just completed, mostly steadily uphill, with numerous steps until we reached the ridgeline looking down the gorge valley. Quite spectacular rugged wilderness. After some recovery time and admiring the view we turned around for the return trip. It was downhill mostly this time! Steps were a little tougher on the knees. Then a long uphill section to the day use car park where it all started.

Gorge of Crows Nest Creek

This fellow hang around our site waiting for something…

A happy wanderer, ran up a tree when I got too close.

All up we had completed 6.4 km, hot and sweaty, and arrived back at camp a little before 11am. A bit more than the 2 km we had set out to do. All our water had gone and glass of cold water was most welcome. After a sit down and cool off it was into the shower and a freshen up to face the afternoon sitting around recovering. Not a lot was done. Spotted a large goanna sauntering around the camp and a number of Kookaburras in residence. Late in the day a storm seemed to be brewing with great billowing clouds coming up the escarpment from the east. Nothing came of them, but they looked quite impressive.

Storm cloud approaching late afternoon, came to nothing.

We head off now for a few days in Toowoomba.