Hiking in summer in Queensland isn’t usually a good idea, but the recently upgraded Cooroora Trail had been on our radar since it re-opened in April this year and early December was our first chance. After parking across the road from the Lions Club we started the walk from Pomona at about 10.30am. (Stan Topper Park in Pomona could be your start or finish)
Despite starting so late on a day forecast to be 32° we were pleasantly surprised by how lovely and shady the trail was.
Leaving Pomona, two flowering Illawarra Flame Trees on either side of the path welcomed us to what proved to be a delightful hike through eucalypts and alongside Jampot Creek, deeply shaded, cool rainforest. The Cooroora Trail is mainly a natural surface which doubles as a fire trail. Despite a big storm the previous day the trail showed no damage or muddy areas. Signage was clear with information panels explaining history and one about the Glossy Black Cockatoo, unfortunately not spotted on our hike.
The first half of the walk was hilly, but towards Cooran it levelled out. There were several bench seats not far into the hike at the Pomona end and a lovely park with picnic facilities at Wirruna Drive Bushland Reserve Lake not far out of Cooran. We were keen to stop for a rest and snack about halfway but there was no seating here.
Note to Noosa Council; providing a bench seat between 4 and 6 km out would be welcomed should more upgrades be considered.
Wildlife seen was mostly birds with a riot of kookaburras sending up a peal of laughter as we sat on the ground having our snack. Sections of the trail were recovering from bushfire damage and though late in the season for most flowers there were still some blooms around.
This enjoyable 2.5 hour 10km hike through bushland and some grazing land was a pleasure to complete, made even better by a meal at the Pomona Pub with our local friends who generously picked us up from Cooran and drove us back to our car.
Denise Fisher.
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The Cooroora Trail, a 10km track connecting Pomona to Cooran in the Tuchekoi National Park, has reopened after a $1.68 million upgrade. The trail (formerly known as Trail 5) has been realigned, resurfaced, widened, and provided with new drainage, and new wayfinding and interpretive signage. Recycled asphalt has been applied to improve durability, and new trail head facility works have been completed at Pioneer Park, Cooran, Cooroora Mountain Park, and Stan Topper Park, Pomona. Priority upgrades of Trail 7 (Yurol Trail) will follow soon.
Resources.
And here’s the Translink bus timetable to get you back to your car.
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The walk is still on my Bucket List! However, just asking about the pink flowers photographed in the article – Are they an introduced species? I have in my (suburban) garden the same-looking flowers, known to me as “Cape Crocuses” which I believe are South African originally??