Booloumba Creek
Camping and 4wding paradise just inland of the Sunshine Coast
To get to Booloumba Creek camping areas you don’t necessarily need a 4x4, but you do need something with a bit of clearance. In saying that, when we were there this last weekend, a Nissan pulsar and a Holden Ute pulled up besides us at one point - both sausage dog like vehicles of car world, so it can be done. The reason high clearance is preferred is because there are 2 creek crossings on the way to the camping areas and the creeks can run quite high. The bottom is rocky and solid so getting bogged isn’t really a worry.
Camping Area 1 is a bollarded tent camping area only along the river.
Camping Area 3 is much the same, just further along the river.
Camping Area 4 is an open paddock that the trailers and caravans can roll on into. If you are bringing a caravan in, just realise the roads into Area 4 are quite quite steep and go from gravel to asphalt. So if you are bringing a trailer in, prep the trailer brakes.
Unsure what happened to Camping Area 2, methinks it might be the Day Use Area - which was also closed while we were there. I believe because of the hectic rains we’ve received in the last 6months, probably some form of slips or damage along the road to get there…..
Within all the campsites are non-potable (drinking) water and toilets. So self-containment for that is not an issue. The National Parks are all really good like that, you’ll get some form of pumped water and toilets, you just may need to hold your breath at some of them.
All the camping areas are situated within the bounds of the mountainous and tropical rainforest area that is the Conondale National Park. Honestly, after a bit of rain, with everything green you’ll be hard pressed to find a more epic camping spot. The wildlife - birdlife, lizards etc. are abundant and you feel like you are far form civilisation, even though you’re within 20mins from towns.
From Camping Areas 1 and 3 you can link in with the many hiking trails through the Conondale National Park, which for the most part then link into the Conondale Range Great Walk - being 56kms or so. I haven’t done a lot of these hiking trails yet (in the works) but for the most part, as the name suggests, they take you along the Conondale range and then also follow along some of the Park’s many creeks / rivers. Of which there are plenty of swimming rock pools and waterfalls.
Besides camping and hiking, there are some awesome driving trails through the park as well. Now if you are looking at doing any drives through here it is definitely worth sorting your maps first. The 4x4 tracks are long and can get quite confusing. For example you can drive into Booloumba from the Kenilworth side and then clear the range on the opposite side near Jimna. This is then a plus minus hour and a half drive back along the normal roads. Not to mention the other kilometres of 4x4 tracks inside the Park.
For finding and identifying 4x4 tracks and trails we are running with and testing Newtracs (not sponsored - but kinda wish I was…) which has been fantastic so far (check out our Favourite Apps Blog)
The trails generally range from pretty compact gravel roads, which most vehicles can drive along to more intense routes which you would want some recovery gear with you - just in case. As always, it is advisable to not go alone in case you do get into trouble. When we went, we didn’t get too far unfortunately as the other Prado we went with had it’s ‘Transmission Oil Overheating’ light turn on - which is quite a big issue. So we turned the vehicles off, let them cool down and then we headed back to camp.
We shall be going back to test out more of the 4x4 tracks and reporting on them as part of this Adventure Series of Blogs.
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Bookings: Qld National Parks (links below)
Fees: $7 per person per night (no vehicle fee)
No designated camp sites in Camp Area 4 (Area 1 &3 are designated and Area 2 is the Day Use Area
Access: 4wd vehicles only into camp
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