Yeppoon Parkrun, Yeppoon Lagoon and Upper Stony Creek (Yeppoon Trip)

Saturday 10 July 2021 – 311 950

This morning we drove to Yeppoon to do the Yeppoon Parkrun.  Unfortunately. not far on to the Byfield Road we were hit by a kangaroo.  The driver’s door is going to need to be replaced, as will the running board. The panel in front of the door may be repairable. Thankfully it hit the side of us rather than us hitting it front on. Yeppoon Parkrun was a really nice course but the first 2.2km is all up hill, making it tough going. It is a picturesque course on a sealed pathway through the bush, even though it is in town. 

https://www.parkrun.com.au/yeppoon/

After pumping up our tyres we headed to Yeppoon Lagoon for a swim and shower. Then to the Foreshore for breakfast. A walk along the Foreshore revealed some street art and great playgrounds.  The lagoon has an infinity edge and looks like you are swimming in the ocean.

https://www.visitcapricorn.com.au/service/yeppoon-lagoon

We took a drive around Keppel Bay Marina and admired the boats before heading to Capricorn Coast National Park Double Head Section to walk to Pebble Beach. This was a tiny, but pretty bay where we saw water birds and a turtle.

https://keppelbaymarina.com.au/

https://www.queensland.com/au/en/things-to-do/attractions/p-56b262d17b935fbe730e27d9-keppel-bay-marina

https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/capricorn-coast

Our next destination was Upper Stony Day Use Area in Byfield State Forest. It is a very popular area that many families were enjoying with weekend picnics and swims. We walked the Venusta Circuit, which is a pretty walk along the creek. We then crossed over the causeway and explored some of the other side of the creek.  As this was very pretty, I was quite disappointed to discover that the Stony Creek Circuit is closed until further notice.

https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/162936/byfield-sf-upper-stony-map.pdf

https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/byfield/camping/upper-stony

https://www.visitcapricorn.com.au/5-top-tips-for-visiting-stony-creek

Instead, we drove to the Banksia Carpark to walk the Banksia Robur Circuit but didn’t get far before reaching a creek crossing where the crossing was underwater from the recent rain.  We decided against wet sneakers and jeans, and decided to call it a day and head back to the van to read our books.

Byfield National Park - Waterpark Creek and Upper Stony Creek (Yeppoon Trip)

 Thursday 8 July 2021 – 311 769

Pack down, gas, fuel, and groceries; then off to Byfield State Forest. We are camped at Water Park Creek, and it is very peaceful. A note for others – the national park map of the campsite is completely inaccurate in terms of size and shape. We are in campsite 5; on the map this appeared large enough to reverse in but in reality, it was narrow and then van had to be parked parallel to the road.  Unfortunately, when we arrived someone was parked in our campsite; and it can easily be mistaken for car parking. Thankfully they returned to their car while we were trying to hand manoeuvre the van in, and we were able to re-hook the van to the car and move it.

https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/byfield

https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/byfield/camping/water-park-creek

After setting up and lunch we explored our campground. We walked the Bowenia Rainforest Circuit. I took photographs of the local plant, Zamia Palm, after which the walk to Mt Archer summit is names, and the Byfield Fern, which is not a fern but rather a cycad. We had a look at the water above the causeway as a possible swimming spot. It says you can kayak here, so it is probably safe to swim; however, below the causeway is says no swimming due to crocodiles.

https://www.trailhiking.com.au/bowenia-rainforest-circuit/

We then drove the twenty minutes to Upper Stony Creek and swam in this gorgeous but cold creek. It left my skin feeling wonderful. We would love to come back here to camp on another visit. I would enjoy taking photos from a variety of spots and at a variety of times of day.

https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/162936/byfield-sf-upper-stony-map.pdf

https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/byfield/camping/upper-stony

Byfield township consists of a school and a general store that is very easy to miss as it is set well back from the road and behind a garden.

https://www.queensland.com/au/en/places-to-see/destination-information/p-56b25fb02880253d74c47bdb-byfield

Big day planned for tomorrow!