Up earlyish, a quickish breakfast and off to Blackdown Tablelands National Park - all in M&A's vehicle as it's a "no go" area for caravans with steep and narrow sections of road so it's a day trip. In reality to do the park justice you would need at least two days and there is a camping area (Munall camping area) in the park. For us we'll do the walk to the bottom of Guddo Gumoo Falls and the Goon Goon Dina walk. We'll miss out on a number of other walks and the 19km 4WD loop track.
The park supports diverse plant communities including heathlands, dry eucalypt forests and moist pockets of ferns, mosses and orchids. Being elevated, the tableland is often cooler and moister than nearby plains. Its isolation means plants and animals that are found nowhere else thrive here. These include the Blackdown stringybark, a macrozamia, red bottlebrush, the Blackdown “monster” (a type of underground cricket) and a Christmas beetle.
This is the traditional home of the Ghungalu people, who have visited this place for thousands of years and left behind rock art, vivid reminders of their special culture.
Gudda Gumoo (Rainbow Falls) lookout track and Gudda Gumoo gorge track
On the 3.6 kilometre return walk to the Gudda Gummoo lookout, walk through stringybarks and spiky grasstrees. Gaze across the gorge to distant plains and hills and learn about the significance of Moonda Gudda to the Ghungalu people. Retrace your steps, alternatively continue onto the gorge walk.
To complete the gorge walk, continue on another 400 metres to Gudda Gumoo gorge, where damp fern fronds glisten and colourful birds come to cool off. See water spill over sandstone ledges as it flows down and through the gorge.
Moderate fitness is required for the lookout walk, which involves short, steep slopes, some stairs and loose surfaces. A higher level fitness is required to complete the more difficult gorge walk, which 240 stairs leading to the base of the waterfall and loose surfaces. Allow 1.5 hours for the lookout return walk (or 2 hours for the gorge return walk).
Goon Goon Dhina (Cultural Circuit)
The Goon Goon Dhina (Culture Circuit) Track is located within the Blackdown Tableland National Park. In addition to the evidence of early european use of this land (remains of a stock yard and hut) this track features the life of the traditional Ghungalu people including their art work on rock faces along the track. The park supports diverse plant communities including heathlands, dry eucalypt forests and moist pockets of ferns, mosses and orchids. Being elevated, the tableland is often cooler and moister than nearby plains. Its isolation means plants and animals that are found nowhere else thrive here.
