Sunshine Coast Council

Tackle this first part of one of our majestic multi-day walks in our mountainous hinterland.

SUITABILITY
Suitable for walkers with reasonable fitness and endurance.


HIGHLIGHTS
The 58.8km Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk (SCHGW) gives you access to some of the Coast's best scenery along with warm subtropical rainforest, tall open eucalypt forest and picturesque waterfalls.

The Walk is made up of 3 sections, namely the Baroon Section of walks, the Mapleton Falls Section and the Mapleton Section(Delica Road entrance).

The Great Walk was constructed with multiple access points to give visitors different walking experiences along the top of the Blackall Range. It meanders through three reserves that link up via sealed paths through hinterland villages, with a quite a few steep sections adding to the sense of challenge and achievement. You can walk the whole track in 3 - 4 days and camp in beautiful settings or do shorter sections as half-day and full-day options.

This fantastic 1st section of SCHGW is between Baroon Pocket Dam and Kondalilla Falls. In fact (Note: There are shorter walks to both listed in this adventure directory. In fact the Baroon Pocket Dam Obi Obi Lookout walk is the first 2 km or so of this trail).

On this section of the Great Walk there are scenic views of mountains and valleys to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east. Approximately half way along the walk you come to a wide stretch of the creek where there are great boulders and cliffs to sit while you take a snack break.

There is a fair amount of up and down on this walk, it is highly recomend you go to QPWS website for full trail information. Click link at the top of the page.

Allow a half day one-way and arrange a lift or car shuttle back to your starting point via the road to Montville. The walk could also be done in the opposite direction or as a there-and-back for extremely fit and experienced walkers.

AFTERWARDS
As you near the end of the walk, make sure you have a swim at Kondalilla Falls as you have well and truly earned it. (Carry your swimmers and towel with you)

Near the Kondalilla Falls carpark there is a large grassed picnic area, where there there are toilets, picnic tables, barbecues and shelter sheds – so pack a picnic or BBQ and have in the vehicle you left here. Or head to Montville for your caffeine fix!

HOW TO GET THERE
To the starting point: Travel on the Bruce Highway (M1) and take the Blackall Range tourist drive (23) – actual road is Landsborough Maleny Road. Turn right into Maleny Montville Road which eventually becomes Balmoral Road and then Main Street as you come into Montville. Turn left at Western Avenue and follow this road for about 3 km. Turn left down Narrows Road almost to the end. The Baroon Pocket Dam carpark is off to your right.

To the end point: This is a one way route. The route ends in the Kondilla Falls carpark, off of Kondilla Falls Road. That road joins the Maleny Montville Road on the northside.