Toolona Creek Circuit LDW 4C

The Toolona Creek Circuit, O’Reillys, Lamington National Park.
This walk is part of the base camp at Lamington for people who come early on Friday. If you’re not camping then meet us at O’Reillys car park at 8:30AM. This is listed as a 17.4 km walk with creeks, cascades, waterfalls and pools, all on track with a few small rough areas and creek crossings.

From the Green Mountain trailhead, walk along the Border Track for 1.7km to the intersection with the Toolona Creek and Box Forest circuits. Continue downhill, 400m past Picnic Rock to the Toolona Creek circuit junction and follow the circuit beside Toolona Creek. Enjoy the cool spray from the many waterfalls—such as Chalahn and Toolona falls—as you journey up through Toolona Gorge. The narrow gorge creates a protected, moist and shady refuge for many ancient flowering rainforest plants. The giant king fern Todea barbara is a relict of one of the oldest fern families, Osmundaceae, evolving even before Gondwana formed.

From the gorge, emerge at Wanungara lookout and enjoy endless views down the Limpinwood Valley and to Mount Warning, Point Lookout on Stradbroke Island, Murwillumbah to the sea and as far south as Byron Bay. This is a great spot for lunch before returning along the Border Track past Mount Bithongabel. Many large clumps of Antarctic beech Nothofagus moorei trees are found in the area.

The scenery on the walk is well worth any effort though, with views down to the creek from the ridge in one section, and then there are a couple of really beautiful little falls on the way to the Box Forest Circuit.

The last part of the walk joins onto the Box Forest Circuit, The shortest way out is to turn right and you will head directly back up to O’Reilly’s. If you turn left you will continue along the Box Forest Circuit past the various cascades and waterfalls. This option is the more scenic.

Bring snacks, lunch, poles if you use them, hat, sunscreen, insect spray and the usual day pack gear