Cooloola Great Walk - Rainbow Beach to Freshwater Campground

 

https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/great-walks-cooloola

Day 1 Statistics

Distance: 27.25km

Total time (including breaks): 9 hours 4 minutes

Total Ascent: 467.2m

Total Descent: 463.7m

This morning we were packed up and on our way before 7am.  As we were choosing to do the extended version of the Cooloola Great Walk, including Double Island Point, today was always going to be a big day.

When crossing Carlo Sandblow, we could see two other multiday hikers ahead of us. At the far side of the sandblow, you are incredibly high above the ocean.  

https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/cooloola/journeys/carlo-sandblow-walk

Then on into the bushland, where I found a few interesting Fungi.

The track emerges onto the Rainbow Beach side of Double Island Point.  The beach here was smoother and wider than I have previously seen it.  The coloured sands were, as always, beautiful.

We climbed up to Double Island Point, where we stopped for lunch. It was quite cool as there was a strong wind blowing.  

https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/cooloola/journeys/double-island-point-lighthouse-walk

Once we got down onto the beach on the Noosa North Shore side of Double Island Point, we discovered the wind was very strong.  Walking South along the beach was hard work and very cold.  I had on my jumper even though we were in full sun in the early afternoon.  The beach was also quite narrow here from the erosion, combined with an incoming tide.  Twice I needed to stop to rinse my glasses of salt spray as I could not see where I was going even with my glasses on – not great when you are mixing it with 4WD’s.  According to the Bureau of Meteorology the windspeed got up to 61km/h today – a very solid and tiring headwind.

We set up camp for the night at Freshwater campground. When we arrived, I was done – I did not think I even had the energy for a shower.  However, after a bit of food and setting up the tent, I felt up to a nice hot shower (worth carrying a $2coin for).  As predicted, it was a big day!

https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/cooloola/camping/freshwater

Cooloola Great Walk Day 1 - 39 km

CGW has been on my bucket list for around 5 years, however between life commitments and constant closures of the walk, I haven’t made it happen. A mate of mine JP, put the hard word on me to compete this walk, so after some rushed planning I booked in a date. I could only justify 3 days, so JP made a wise choice to join me for one section of the trail.

At Rainbow Beach I woke early around 05:00 on the Friday morning. I packed up camp, organised myself for hiking and set off. I had to be at the first campsite Kauri by 10am to meet with JP whom had walked in 5 km’s from Freshwater campground. I realised later in the morning that I had not allowed the 30 minutes from Rainbow Beach to the start of the CGW, so I had a little time to make up. Once out of town, and onto the walk you cross Carlo Sand blow. I have had the pleasure of crossing this sand blow a number of times, as it is on the Rainbow Beach Trail Marathon course, an event I have completed 3 times (2021 was cancelled due to Covid.) The walk was then on moderately undulating paths through woodlands and some rainforest sections. The last 500m or so is quite a steep climb. I arrived at 10:05. JP showed me around the campsite and then I filled up with water and ate a little.

JP then joined me on the walk to campsite Litoria where we would be staying the night. The walking had more elevation changes in it than the first section. The forest was becoming more big gums. In the higher parts of the section, you started to glimpse the low-lying land to the west, however there are no great vantage points. Again, the last km or so was all up hill, and I was glad to make camp on the first night. To me this was the second most difficult day of walking. The campsite was spaced out well, however a number of tent sites where not overly flat. Again, there was plenty of water in the tank. We ate dinner and JP shared desert with me, then we and the entire camp went to bed around 7pm.

https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/cooloola/journeys/cooloola-great-walk

Rainbow Beach Trail Festival

Today we participated in the Rainbow Beach Trail Festival by RunQld.
 https://www.runqld.com.au/rainbow-beach/
I did the marathon, as I think this is one of the most beautiful running courses available.  If you are not a runner, this route could be done as a two day hike from Rainbow Beach with an overnight stay at Freshwater Campground.  It is a beautiful loop.
 https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/cooloola/camping/freshwater
The map of the route can be found at https://152094c3-7a5b-44a9-b564-064affc268cd.filesusr.com/ugd/d9e3e8_c2a2019cdcc54984a5c56e40a9026bea.pdf?index=true. 

We began from the park opposite the caravan park and headed up to the Carlo sand blow, this is seriously large.
https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/cooloola/journeys/carlo-sandblow-walk  https://www.queensland.com/au/en/things-to-do/attractions/p-574793ba1a7a85bb5be02bc9-carlo-sand-blow

Then through some lovely bushland to Poona Lake.
https://www.aussiebushwalking.com/qld/carlo-sand-blow-to-poona-lake  http://www.wildswimmingaustralia.com/locations/poona-lake/

From Poona Lake we headed back into the forest toward Freshwater camping ground.
https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/cooloola/camping

From Freshwater campground the trail headed down to the beach and we ran a beautiful 8km along Teerwah Beach at lowtide.  The weather was mercurial, raining on and off, with the sun coming out briefly at times, but overall pretty good running weather.

All the way up to Double Island Point.  On turning around to look back the way I had come, there was a rainbow!
https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/cooloola/journeys/double-island-point-lighthouse-walk

Once I was up onto the top of Double Island Point, the sun came out giving a great view of the lighthouse and surrounds.

 The trail then descended onto Rainbow Beach, and the sun disappeared, limiting the view of the spectacular coloured sands.  There were still plenty of 4WD out enjoying the beach though.

 And then back into the bush on the telegraph track, heading back toward the Carlo sand blow.

 And just like that the sun popped out as I was crossing the sand blow. Hard to believe these two photos were only taken minutes apart.

Next up, the pool to ice our legs, unpleasant but makes a world of difference.  After a well deserved shower and feed we all had a good stretch.  We spent a bit of time chatting to fellow runners, from a COVID safe distance.

Late in the afternoon we headed down to the playground with some friends where our 14 year old thoroughly enjoyed helping their 1 year old use the equipment.  We finished the day with a delicious meal at the Rainbow Beach Surf Club Bistro. 

https://www.rainbowbeachsurf.com.au/bistroandbar