CURRUMBIN

Currumbin with its picturesque white beaches and sandy creek banks is one of my favourite places to visit. This superb destination have several well located cafes that offer fabulous ocean and creek views. Currumbin is a suburb on the Gold Coast, a one hour and 40 minutes drive from Brisbane southern suburbs. To get there, drive along the Pacific Motorway and exit at 93 or 95 to arrive at Currumbin.

Currumbin has several popular hot spots; the  Currumbin Alley, the Sandy Bay, The Curumbin Rock , Wildlife Sanctuary and the Currumbin Rock Pools and Mt Cougal National Park located further down the creek.

The Bay is a cracking place for a little sunbathing and swimming. Children are easily entertained by the reasonable sized playground and shallow waters of the bay area. The park amenities include public toilets towards the edge of the lagoon, and contain changing rooms. 

Looking towards the Gold Coast from the far north beach

Located on the northside of the lagoon is a fairly decent cafe providing outside seating for people to relax and enjoy the fresh ocean breeze and the scenery of the bay.

Around the bend of the bay is a delightful boardwalk that winds its way through the mangroves and the sandy creek bank.

High tide is when this boardwalk is at its most spectacular. Fish can be seen swimming in the clear water of the mangrove forest. 

The boardwalk also has special built shelters for fishing enthusiasts. These shelters are also great places to rest and admire the placid creek and the surrounding wildlife activity.

Venture down the Currumbin Creek and you will find a place that hires out boats, canoes and kayaks for a few hours. Next to the boat hire store is a reasonably price cafe that is ideal for a quick bite and a nice coffee or a thick shake!

A popular swimming spot for locals and tourist is the Currumbin Valley Rock Pools.

The Rock Pool is located along Currumbin Creek Road at the intersection of Reynolds Road. If time permits travel further to the end of the road and you will find Mt Cougal National Park. Explore the old Saw Mill and the Currumbin Natural Rockslide.

The Currumbin Alley is a popular surf break often crowded throughout the day. Located at the mouth of the Currumbin Creek, it offers a great place for longboard surfing.

A PATHWAY SLIGHTLY HIDDEN

In the suburb of Mt Ommaney, tucked away along the bank of the Brisbane River is the Mt Ommaney Bushland Reserve. The entrance is located at Summit Place, a short side street which has hardly any car parking. 




The Mt Ommaney Bushland Reserve walkway starts it way winding through scrub land at the back of the local's properties then climbing over a hill to the view of the river.

The Mt Ommaney Bushland Reserve is relatively a short walk taking approximately 15 minutes one way. 

 A great track for a stroll, walking the dog and even jogging. Plenty of bird life activity to keep the keen photographer occupied.

Across the Brisbane River, cattle can be heard lowing in the distance. One could almost imagine being in the countryside.

 Unfortunately the muddy river does not make the greatest picturesque views but nevertheless the walkway is quite peaceful.

JC TROTTER MEMORIAL PARK

 JC Trotter Memorial Park is located on the south east side of Brisbane. The park is accessible from Cherbon Street, off Mt Cotton Road, Burbank. The drive takes about 40 minutes from South Brisbane. Unfortunately, there are no bus services to the park.

The park has a sheltered shed equipped with an electric BBQ but strangely there are no public toilets. 

The gates at the entrance of the park is open at 8am and close at 6pm. The car park is approximately 50 meters from the road entrance.

JC Trotter park is named after a European landowner in the area who donated 28 hectares of bushland in 1958 to help establish the core of the reserve.

JC Trotter Park is part of the Brisbane Koala Bushlands, a important eastern wildlife corridor that stretches its way to Daisy Hill Conservation Park. There are two walking trails in the park, both follow the banks of a water reserve lake that is part of Tingalpa Creek.

JC Trotter park consists mainly of eucalpyt forest with melaleuca or paperbarks trees growing amongst the bushland.
The paperbark trees are more common on the water's edge of Tingalpa Creek.

The paperbark tree was very useful for the Aboriginal people who used the bark as bandages, medicinal purposes, cradles, sleeping mats and wrapping food when cooking. It is also known that the paperbark tree is highly flammable because of the paper-thin bark.

The path I explored was the 2.5 km circuit Tingalpa Creek Trail. The trail offered many beautiful views along the creek. This part of Tingalpa Creek is a water reserve so swimming, fishing, or any water activity is not allowed.

The place is rather isolated and does not see many visitors during the week. On one occasion when a friend and I visited this park there were a couple of creepy people wondering around, so explore this park with a number of people by your side and not alone for your own safety. With camera in hand I had a strange guy following our movements when he stopped us and asked us what we were doing? I thought it was obvious so I answered 'taking photos'. "Of what" he responded. "The bush" I explained. When we thought he had gone he suddenly reappeared out of the bush and stopped next to us again while we were taking photos of a butterfly. We decided to head back quickly to the carpark.

 Can you see the Goanna in the Paperbark Tree!

JC Trotter Memorial Park is a peaceful place to visit to venture and explore around the  tracks to see natural Australian bushland. Sadly it is not recommended as a touristy place to visit but rather a quiet bush walk with a few friends and family. 


This map gives a rough guide on the two bush trails. The black trail is the 2.5 km Tingalpa Creek Circuit. The white trail is the 7.5 km Venman Circuit that starts along the Tingalpa trail, go straight ahead after crossing the small bridge.