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

Australia Day Week
Date: 23-01-2008
Launch: Woodgate
Distance: 120km (total)
Conditions: Wind 20-30kn Southeast
Tom's repeated quip 'Just remind me, why do we do this ?' might be turned around and question why more people do not paddle. Finishing the week shoe horned into a caravan park over a long weekend makes me selfishly grateful for the low profile of the sport. Without it our beach camp and moonlight swims may have not been so secluded.

The idea for the first part of the week was to make the most of the king tides and explore the creeks of the Kinkuna Section of the Burrum National Park. After a two nights we would paddle south to Burrum Heads on the incoming tide to join forces with the Brisbane Bushwalkers. They were here to have a look at the area and get some more experience in kayaks before paddling the Able Tasman National Park.

Temporary retirement might have been starting to have a wayward influence on Tom. Instead of meeting at the Caboolture BP Service Station, the phone rang on the dot of 9:30 with an order for a flat white. However Tom clearly needs more practice at doing 'a Brian' as he just pre-empted the three coffees on the counter.

Strung out on a caffeine hit we headed north with another pit stop outside of Gympie having missed the turn off to Tin Can Bay. Taking the short cut to Woodgate the UHF commanded the next stop be Mamminos so Tom could find out whether the icecream really was a world beater. Out the back under the patio we had our packed lunch and icecream (not necessarily in that order) whilst a rain squall passed. On the way up we had been unable to find a lemon to go with the lime bought at the Howard Service Station for the promised fish, so next stop was the Hollow Log. Here a long chat was had, a few freckles collected in the sun before leaving with the gift of some early Meyer lemons.

Driving into Woodgate the white caps out front indicated a firm blow. The wind was forecast to hold up around 25Kn and a recce to Theodolite Creek had it shaping up as the chosen camping spot. Back to Mark's Mum's for afternoon tea where the gold fish were sized up as catch of the day. Having been plied with yet more scrummy nutritional supplements we all piled in and headed down to the creek. With the kayaks packed Ann and John took the cars back and we headed up the creek in search of yabbies to tempt the promised fish. Well, tempt if there had been any yabbies pumped.

The sheltered area behind the dunes under the casuarinas on the northern bank of Theodolite Creek was deserted as it was last time. Not much had changed, including the pile of rubbish with chair remnants. There were a few more considerate collections of bottles. Our saving grace from 4WD yobs might prove to be the king tides in the middle of the day as these could render One Mile Creek an unattractive crossing. We pitched tent as the sun set and then waited. Waited for the moon. Full and rising around 7:30 it was an invitation for a gorgeous silver swim, something we enjoyed the following night as well.

Ann paddled across the following morning to check out the camp site. She delivered some fresh homemade biscuits, rum and apricot balls for morning tea. After escorting her back we took the flooding tide up Theodolite Creek. Sailing and paddling it was an easy wander brought to a conclusion by a tree across the creek. Whilst the highest tide had been the day before, the volume was still impressive and flooded grassy areas. We munched on our morning tea and waited for the tide to slow and turn before heading back with Tom trailing his worldwide fish adverse lure. It came to an ignominious end when he went bush amongst the mangroves.

Arriving at the camp site around mid tide with the wind still blowing and the bay choppy with small surf. We went for a walk in the direction of One Mile Creek on the 4WD track shadowing the foreshore. There are plenty of beaut places to camp with One Mile Creek turning out as good, if not better that what was eluded to on Google Earth. A triad of pelicans stood in the mouth for a spot of casual fishing. If you arrive at the mouth of the creek on the top of the tide you can paddle in. The creek is sheltered from the ocean by sand dunes covered in casuarinas. These dunes get wider the further north you travel so you could paddle as far as needed to shelter from the prevailing wind. You would then have a creek and ocean side paddle option.

We walked back along the beach as the tide continued to recede exposing the vast sand banks characteristic of this section of coastline. More success with yabbies out the front of the campsite although they appeared to be offerings to the Toad God and did not bring in the promised fish.

Ann paddled across in the morning to catch the tail end of the gear pack and bring another batch biscuits for morning tea. After seeing her back to the Theodolite Creek boat ramp it was decided to head out the front and paddle down to the boat ramp on the beach. While it was windy, the paddle to Burrum Heads would have been 'do-able' although somewhat trying. Coming in for a small surf landing was captured on home video. I looked like I had sat on a bee given the speed with which I leapt out of the cockpit after landing. Two boats needed a pump out (not mine).

The expectant lemon and lime had us head for a tackle store in Childers for a small rod, a couple of lures then onto the upper (freshwater) section of the Burrum River for a quiet paddle, a flick of a lure and tips on how to catch a bass. The lilies continue to line the banks and make a reliable catch, although haul of the day was Tom's 80lb log. The lilies have become very thick and now clog the waterway beneath the dam making it a difficult and sludgy paddle to get anywhere near the wall. As we were about to take a plunge and cool off in the murky freshwater the place was invaded by a station wagon of small children. With the mossies moving in we thought better of it and made out way to the Hillcrest Caravan Park to stake our place for the next four nights.

Next Page
Leaving Theodolite Creek
Awaiting yabby hunters
Tardy sundowners
Setting the theme
Pushing Ann off
Swamped by a king tide
Poking amongst the mangroves
One Mile Creek - mid to low tide
Pumping yabbies
Upper Burrum River (fresh)
Predominant lilly
Choked waterway
Catch of the day
 
Australia <strike>Day</strike> Week Map
GPS Trackfile (OziExplorer .plt)
 

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