Dundas Road circuit walk via Goodes Road

This walk begins at the Mount Nebo Transfer Station and returns via a fire break. It should be noted here that this walk should only be undertaken by experienced bushwalkers, as there are some steep sections to negotiate up until Goodes Road.

Walk twenty minutes or so to the Dundas Road campsite and at the crossroads, do not detour but continue walking straight ahead along Dundas Road. About half an hour or so you will reach a fork in the road and a D'Aguilar Park sign, marking the region of Cabbage Tree Range. Take the right fork in the road and shortly after you will come to a gate. Turn right and begin descent down the fire break. The break has some very loose gravel and is very steep in sections, so extreme care is required until you reach the creek below. Allow at least a good half hour to an hour for descent.

At the creek the track picks up again and climbs steeply up the range. This section requires very good fitness. At the top the track widens to become Goodes Road. There are some great views here of the surrounding Park.

Be sure to turn right not left after you reach the pylons. Follow the remaining track which is an easy walk back to the campsite. Allow at least 3 hours to complete this walk.

Branch Creek via Cabbage Tree Range

This walk begins from behind the Mount Nebo Transfer station off Mount Nebo Road and includes the catchment area around Lake Manchester. This walk overall is not difficult but is rather long and can prove tiresome with some ascent required upon return. There are a number of hiking trails and explorative opportunities along this walk so a topographic map is recommended but not essential, as the routes described are well signposted.

Follow Dundas Road for approx 20 mins until you reach the campsite and crossroads. Take Cabbage Tree Range road and follow this for about 2 hours down to the upper section of Branch Creek. There is a few options to consider here; either take the much shorter "Job 6 Break" road back up to Light Line Road,which is also known as the "Cabbage Tree Range loop." There is also the opportunity to camp at the Light Line Road camping site or simply cross the creek and follow Branch Creek Road to Lake Manchester and stay overnight at the campsite there instead. I returned the same way I walked down to Branch Creek which I found a bit tiresome, being mostly an uphill climb back to Dundas Road, so it may be more ideal to do the Loop walk and leave another car at the gate, at the end of Forestry Road in Mount Nebo.

Another idea is for two walking parties to take two seperate cars, one group drive to Lake Manchester and the other park at the gate at Dundas Road. Both parties walk in towards each other and meet at Branch Creek.

Lake Manchester circuit walk

Lake Manchester is a water catchment facility situated in the south-western corner of Brisbane Forest Park (D'Aguilar National Park) It lies just North of Ipswich on the outskirts of Kholo. To get to Lake Manchester, simply follow Lake Manchester Road which is mostly sealed road.

Lake Manchester Dam was completed in 1916 and named after Mr E.J. Manchester, president of the Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board. Originally the Dam was called "Cabbage Tree Creek Dam." The Dam was reactivated in 2005 when the Brisbane drought was at a critical point and upgraded in 2007 for security and safety purposes.

Lake Manchester provides popular leisure activities such as bushwalking, mountain biking, horse riding and bush camping. There are a number of interesting features such as views of the Lake and surrounding mountains, including the peaks and ranges outside Ipswich. Cabbage Tree Creek and Branch Creek flow into Lake Manchester and are quite pleasant to visit.

The circuit walk is approximately 17km long and was completed in just over 5 hours. It begins at the car park and crosses the creek downstream from the Dam wall. The walk is accessed by a vehicular dirt track that winds it's way through bushland and traverses the surrounding foothills and ranges of Brisbane Forest Park. The route intersects with other Park Management roads, including Branch Creek Road and Light Line Road. There are many routes to consider therefore explorative opportunities in this region are virtually endless.

From the map at the carpark it is easy to assume this walking trail concludes at the car park, however it actually ends up at the T-intersection of Lake Manchester and Kholo Roads, therefore the remaining part of the walk is along bitumen road to get back to the car park. Overall the walk is fairly easy going, however there are some creek crossings to negotiate and steep sections of the track that can be tiresome. It is best completed in a clockwise direction, the route described is as follows:
"North Lake Manchester Road" - "Light Line Road" - "South Lake Manchester Road".

Other walks from BFP that connect Lake Manchester, among others, are via "South Boundary Road" and "Cabbage Tree Creek Road"(please refer to relevant posts on this site). To access the bush campsite, walk anti-clockwise starting at the T-intersection of Lake Manchester and Kholo Road and walk for approximately 6kms until you reach the campsite and Cabbage Tree Creek. For the first 100 metres or so the track is heavily eroded and extremely muddy.

The circuit route described is well signposted, however a map is recommended to assist with orienteering your desired route and calculating rate of travel. For those who want do a shorter walk but do not wish to complete the full circuit, simply follow North Lake Manchester Road for a few kilometres, then take one of 3-4 diversions that turn left from the main track. These meet with Cabbage Tree Range which eventually leads back to the carpark. If completing the full circuit, allow a full day for rest breaks and to explore the surrounding area.

Cabbage Tree Creek via South Boundary Road (circuit walk)

This walk explores the catchment area around Lake Manchester and was completed as a circuit walk, starting at the Mount Nebo end of South Boundary Road. It is approximately 17km in total and requires some basic map reading skills to track progress. It is not 'hard' in the bushwalking 'scheme of things,' however it is quite a long walk and there is some endurance required, therefore I have classified the walk as 'Moderate to Difficult.'

Follow the track from Mount Nebo for about 1.5km then turn right into Augies Road, following this downhill. After about an hour or so you will reach a water tank on the right, then a T-junction. Turn right here and descend to the main branch of Cabbage Creek. There are numerous creek crossings along this stretch of the track which may be difficult to cross if the creek is flowing well, however did not present any problem when I visited earlier this year. Several kilometres south the creek widens and meets with Lake Manchester.

Upon ascent, turn right at the T-junction into Creek Road which leads downhill to the East branch of Cabbage Tree Creek. After the creek crossing it is a relatively steep climb back to South Boundary road. There is also the option to camp at the intersection of Scrub Road and South Boundary Road after completing this walk. For more info on South Boundary Road, please refer to similar posts on this site.

An alternative walk is to start at Mount Nebo, finishing at Lake Manchester,two cars left at either end of the walk. There is also the opportunity to explore surrounding areas such as Mermaid Mountain and Gold Creek.

South Boundary Road to Jolly's Lookout (circuit walk)

This walk is an alternative to the circuit walks around "Boombana" and for those who wish to explore the surrounding area and don't mind the idea of walking off-track. Long pants and a long sleeve shirt would be recommended due to the 'scratchy' nature of this terrain.

The walk begins at South Boundary Road. After walking approx. 1.5kms turn sharp left. (opposite turnoff to Augies Road) where the remnants of an old track can be found. It is easygoing at first but then overgrown along sections. There are some obstacles to negotiate along the way,such as fallen trees and some lantana, but hopefully this will not deter exploration only thwart progress.

It is a great 'starter' walk for those wishing to get used to off-track walking, with the feeling you are safe following a track. It's also an ideal way to practice some basic bush navigation. The region of D'Aguilar Range is abundant with plant and animal life and is an interesting place to explore. Within a short space of time I observed a Lace Monitor, Wallaby, Green Tree snake and a rather angry and surprised Carpet Python which I nearly stepped on!

The track winds it's way through different vegetation types and crosses two tributaries of Enoggera Creek. A map and compass are required to locate the circuit track near Jolly's lookout, which virtually 'touches' the edge of the track on the BFP topographic map. Once located this can be followed to Jolly's Lookout or Boombana, the latter eventually intersecting with South Boundary Road.

Alternatively, continue along the track towards Mount Nebo Road. At the time of descent there was severe Lantana infestation on either side of the track, however the route was feasible. This is a very eroded and steep section to negotiate and stinging nettle can be found at the bottom of the track near Mount Nebo road, so care is required. Once at the creek crossing, simply walk up to the road and walk back towards Jolly's Lookout.