Calendar


Trip Diary

08-2012 Peel Island (An Ekka tradition)
08-2012 Moreton Island
07-2012 Rocky Point
06-2012 Blakesleys
06-2012 The Bedroom
05-2012 Breakfast on Karragarra
05-2012 St Helena
05-2012 Perigee Bedroom
02-2012 Queen Mary II
02-2012 Mud Island
11-2011 St Helena
11-2011 Shorncliffe to Redcliffe
10-2011 Weinam Ck to Dunwich
10-2011 Peel Island
10-2011 Breakfast on Karragarra
10-2011 St Helena and Green Island
09-2011 Wivenhoe Dam
08-2011 Fraser Island
08-2011 Canaipa Passage
08-2011 Karragarra
08-2011 Stradbroke Island
07-2011 St Helena
07-2011 So long, and thanks for all the fish.
05-2011 Green Island
05-2011 Wivenhoe Dam
04-2011 Upper Noosa River Weekend
04-2011 Easter at Woodgate
04-2011 Mud Island
04-2011 Karragarra for Breakfast
02-2011 Bongaree
02-2011 St Helena
01-2011 Weinam Ck to Blakesleys
10-2010 Moore to Blackbutt Rail Trail
10-2010 Whitsundays
09-2010 Mud Island
09-2010 Redcliffe
09-2010 Girraween
08-2010 Upper Noosa River
08-2010 Potts Point
08-2010 Peel Island
08-2010 Gateway to City Bike Ride
08-2010 Mud Island
07-2010 Blakesleys Afternoon Paddle
07-2010 Kedron Brook to Scaborough (and return)
04-2010 Colmslie Beach
04-2010 Brighton Park
01-2010 Nundah Creek
01-2010 Blakesleys
01-2010 Upper Noosa River (with a difference)
01-2010 New Year Paddle
12-2009 Potts Point
08-2009 Raby Bay to Peel Island
08-2009 Wynnum Creek to King Island
07-2009 Sandgate to Redcliffe
05-2009 St Helena
04-2009 Wellington Point to Peel
04-2009 Breakfast on Karragarra
03-2009 King Island
03-2009 Mission Point
03-2009 Mud Island
01-2009 Morning Tea at The Pin
01-2009 Circumnavigate Macleay Island
01-2009 New Year Recovery Paddle
12-2008 Caniapa
12-2008 Pine Rivers
11-2008 Coochie Night Paddle
10-2008 Breakfast at Karragarra
10-2008 Girraween
10-2008 Coomera Falls Circuit
09-2008 Hinchinbrook Island
09-2008 Manly Harbour Festival
09-2008 Linville to Blackbutt Rail Trail
08-2008 Weekend at Blakesleys
08-2008 Old Woman Island
08-2008 Circumnavigate Macleay Island
07-2008 Upper Noosa River
07-2008 Weinam Creek to Dunwich
06-2008 Scarborough to Bongaree
06-2008 Wellington Pt to St Helena
06-2008 North Stradbroke Jazz Weekend
05-2008 Point O'Halloran to Blakesleys
04-2008 Upper Noosa River
04-2008 Aquatic Paradise to St Helena Is
04-2008 Eprapah Creek
03-2008 Paradise Point to Moreton Island
03-2008 Wynnum Ck to Tangalooma Point
03-2008 Amity Point weekend
03-2008 Bremer River
03-2008 Brisbane River - Gregors Ck to Barneys Rocks
02-2008 Play Day - Coochie Mudlo
02-2008 World Wetlands Day Paddle
02-2008 Brisbane River night paddle
01-2008 Australia Day Week
01-2008 Blakesleys 3/4 Moon Paddle
01-2008 Shorncliffe to Nudgee
01-2008 Brisbane River - Barneys Rocks to O'Sheas Crossing
12-2007 Raby Bay to One Mile via Blakesleys and Potts Point
12-2007 Diamond Head to Tipplers
12-2007 Wynnum Ck to Green and St Helena Islands
11-2007 Bike Ride Bay Islands
11-2007 Tingalpa Creek
10-2007 Potts Point Night Paddle
10-2007 Return to Gilligans Island
10-2007 Salt Water Creek and Coomera River
09-2007 Elimbah Creek
09-2007 Scarborough to Caboolture River
09-2007 Fraser Island Whale Watching
09-2007 Circumnavigate Russell Island
08-2007 Pine Rivers Night Paddle
08-2007 Linville to Blackbutt Rail Trail
08-2007 Brisbane River City Reach
08-2007 Peel Island
08-2007 Brisbane River
08-2007 Green Island Day Trip
07-2007 Pine Rivers Night Paddle
07-2007 Mooloolah River
07-2007 USS Kitty Hawk in Brisbane River
06-2007 Black Tie on Peel Island
05-2007 Harrys Hut Camping Weekend
04-2007 Theodolite Creek
04-2007 Upper Burrum River
04-2007 Circumnavigate Big Woody
04-2007 Walkers Point to Toogum
03-2007 Boat Passage to Big Sandhills
12-2006 Woodgate to Mon Repos
10-2006 Fraser Island Whale Watching
04-2005 Keppel Islands
12-2004 Fraser Island
10-2004 Munna Point Camping Weekend
10-2004 Mooloolaba to Maroochydore
09-2004 Coochie Mudlo Island
08-2004 Karragarra Island
07-2004 Wellington Point to St Helena Island
06-2004 Noosa River Camping Weekend
05-2004 Brisbane River Night Paddle
04-2004 Budds Beach to Moreton Island
10-2003 Bulwer to Tangalooma
05-2003 Eatonsville to Harwood Island

Links

SEQSK Discussion Group
SEQSK Newsletters
Adventurer Anthony Malloch

Upper Noosa River
Date: 24-04-2008
Launch: 17:00 Elanda Pt
Distance: Paddle 15km - Walk 18km

We have paddled from Elanda Point to the Upper Noosa River in fog, by a full moon, new moon, in torrential rain but we were yet to take the wrong turn. That was until tonight. We made reasonable time in the long weekend traffic and arrived to find the beach had shrunk. With recent rains Lake Cootharaba was over metre higher than usual. The boats were packed by the time darkness fell. Accompanied by an unsuspecting and trusting Carol we headed off at 600 across a silent lake punctuated by the unpredictable splash or thud of friendly mullet. Turning to 300 the direction was was affirmed by guiding loo light at Kinaba.

By now the stars were settling in the still water and it was like paddling in the fourth dimension as we headed to Figtree Point. Well not quite, it was a recce up Kin Kin Creek with Carol happily gliding along in the depths of the milky way. That was until a grumpy call pulled the trackless leader up. It all seemed wrong, even to one who could not navigate out of a paper bag, a suspicion confirmed by an unfamiliar sentry of dead branches leaning out from the right hand bank. With Carol spaced out in the heavens we completed a 1Km detour before heading onto Figtree.

Just before Harrys Hut the moon rose through the trees illuminating the paperbarks with a strong silvery light. It was cool enough for the river mist to be rising and breath to huff. At camp the hot soup was a welcome warmer and it was not long before Carol was happily asleep. She did not stir when a creature with a fetish for banana skins managed to get its way into a plastic bag hanging from a tree, eat one, wrestle its way back out, to return several hours later for seconds. All accomplished without damaging the bag.

We woke to a cool fine morning, a great day to go and find this Wandi Waterhole. After paddling 150m downstream the kayaks were hauled out at an informal landing marked by logs and placed out of sight of both river traffic and people walking from Harrys Hut. On reviewing the track, according to the GPS we were a mere 50m from the turnoff before calling it quits last time. The camping area was cleared of regrowth and large trunks encircled the place where a fire had been. Further down the track was the waterhole. Carol and Mark were soon in and swimming declaring the water to be great. Liars. It was freezing. After basking like lizards and lunch it was back along the track which at many times was very wet and mildly muddy. Along the way swamp banksias had exquisite dark green flowers, small shrubs were smothered with seed nuts and the grass trees sprouted fresh growth.

Back at the log entry we came across Noel and Murray on their way to Camp 1 where Chris and Ray had already set up. It was not long before it was time to celebrate sundowners on the jetty under a softening sky with pink clouds drifting in the water.

Next Page
Setting out from Elanda
Morning sun
View from the jetty
Getting ready to walk
The Cooloola Trail
Sun jewels
Wandi waterhole camp area
The waterhole
Heading back
Along a trail
Nuts with one seed each
The Cooloola squelch
Swamp banksia
Muddy shoes and soaked socks
Last leg
Noel arriving
Landing Murray's giant Roscoe
Day's end
 
Upper Noosa River Map

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