walks / hikes around Townsville

[NQBushy]

Hi, I am looking for walks and short 1 or 2 day hikes in the Townsville region. Any suggestions or ideas?

[nq111]

Hey NQBushy,

What sort of walking are you up for? Tracked walking in the area is fairly limited however offtrack walking there are many options, depending on your tolerance levels for scrub and being active in the heat.

Best day walk close to Townsville IMO is the Pinnacles / Frederick's Peak - there is a pretty good pad for the first part courtesy the rock climbers and then a bit less of a track towards the top and a little basic scrambling. Great views and sense of summiting from the walk.

[NQBushy]

Hi, thanks for the reply. I am after anything really, anything to help escape the ratrace and get me out in the scrub. How do you access the Pinnacles / Fredrick Peak tracks?

[nq111]

Hi, thanks for the reply. I am after anything really, anything to help escape the ratrace and get me out in the scrub. How do you access the Pinnacles / Fredrick Peak tracks?

For the Pinnacles head out on Herveys Range Road, turn left onto the only road just before Rupertswood. Head down the road onto the dirt, at the powerlines turn left and follow until a fence. Turn right into the track and head up as far as you can (until the trackhead). You will need a vehicle with clearance. Scope it out on google earth first.

Other walks close by: Many Peaks Range at the end of Pallarenda isn't a bad half day walk. Alligator Creek Falls to the south is mostly boring but the last quarter is not too bad. There are endless forestry tracks in the Bluewater Hills (drive straight out on bluewater drive and up the hill) but they aren't much interest for a good walk - forest, forest and more forest without much view. Paluma has a few good short walks (a few km) - great for kids and a range of other tracks that not too many know about in varying condition. Maggie Island has a few easy tracks too.

Other than that it is pretty much offtrack unless you go further afield. I pretty much just map out a route on google earth, load it to my GPS and pack an overnight pack (And lots of water ). Sometimes works out great, sometimes so-so, sometimes pretty crap.

[NQBushy]

Thanks for the details will get out there soon. Will try the pinnacles first.

[Aussiewicker]

Hey, NQBushy, How did you go on the Pinnacles walk?
Just interested as I'd quite like to get out there a look sometimes.

Cheers

[bauplenut]

Paluma and Mt Spec area there is network 60 km of bushwalking tracks - not well known or published (yet). You can do 1 to 3 days using various tracks. Mt Spec area can bush camp (hike in) at Johnstones Clearing and Shays Clearing.

Good creek walking in Mt Eloitt area depending on time of year - St Margerets Creek area is very good. No tracks though.

Agree that Pinnacles / Fredericks Peak is good - been twice there this year. Even just the rocky outcrops on side of range are good for a few hours exploring.

Cape Cleveland western ridge is good, no track, just park on Cape Cleveland road just past Cocoa Creek road junction, then ascend the ridge and follow the ridge line. Great views and landscape. Rough going in a few places but worth it.

[NQBushy]

Hey, NQBushy, How did you go on the Pinnacles walk?
Just interested as I'd quite like to get out there a look sometimes.

Cheers

Hi

Yes went and scoped it out but didn't go to far just a quick recon. Plan on a longer day walks over the holidays, thanks agin for the advice.

Cheers

[bauplenut]

I did Frederick's Peak on Sunday, dawn start to beat the heat

[dougwalters]

Anyone got a map/strava/tracking for the Fredericks/pinnacles walk? cheers

[BerryBoy]

Anyone got a map/strava/tracking for the Fredericks/pinnacles walk? cheers

I haven't yet walked Fredrick's Peak but came across pretty good walking instructions in this climbing guide... http://www.qurank.com/guides/Guide_Frederick.pdf

[BerryBoy]

For more Townsville area walk ideas, I found the book "Walks, Tracks & Trails of Queensland's Tropics" by Derrick Stone, to be a useful Guide. Published 2016 and available at the bookshop in Castletown.

[dougwalters]

I went and had a bit of an explore today. Pretty cool area. However from the campsite, are there any access trails to the highest peaks on the western part? Was on my own so wasn't particularly keen on exploring recklessly too much, so would appreciate some direction

[bauplenut]

There is a faint trail that would be overgrown this time of year. The only place it is really marked is in the dry creek gully between 2nd and 3rd rocky outcrops. To get to the summit of Fredericks Peak you climb up a gap at rear of the peak, not the front. There is stinging tree in the gap. I do not have gpx file, but attached is rough trail location.

[nq111]

The far peak whilst a fraction higher from memory I don't think is worth it. Fredericks is much nicer and more interesting.

Alternative to going around the back as Bauplenut suggests it is possible to scramble through the rocks right at the far southwest corner than scramble around the first peak into the top of the gap Bauplenut mentions. Then straight up from there. I believe i have a gps file somewhere if you would like. Looks like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m97LJVPxQD0&t=14s

[NQBushy]

Hi
It has been a while since I first went up to the pinnacles and thought today would be a great day out to scope out more of this area. I have followed the driving instructions from nq111 and at the turn off near the powerlines there is a private property keep out sign. Not sure if I noticed this last time but is it for real? has anyone else seen this? Is this the only way into the hike? I did not want to break any laws here and decided to turn around.

[luenwarneke]

I've been up Freds Peak several times over the past 10 or so years and many other hikes around Townsville. Joining the Townsville Bush Walking Club is a great way to start out but if you prefer to hike alone or with your own friends (and have experience) then have a look at the articles below:
I've had so many people ask me about hikes around Townsville that I started a blog and have written articles on these hikes:
Fredericks Peak (Pinnacles) https://wanderstories.space/frederick-peak/
Hiking up to the top of Jourama Falls https://wanderstories.space/jourama-falls-hike/
and many others including several in Paluma Range National Park, Bowling Green Bay National Park, Magnetic Island National Park, ...
My aim is to have all the information (how to get there, what to take, the route gpx files) on all the hikes covering almost every possible hike within 100km of Townsville.
I have a few articles in the pipeline soon to be published.

[bigkev]

I've been up Freds Peak several times over the past 10 or so years and many other hikes around Townsville. Joining the Townsville Bush Walking Club is a great way to start out but if you prefer to hike alone or with your own friends (and have experience) then have a look at the articles below:
I've had so many people ask me about hikes around Townsville that I started a blog and have written articles on these hikes:
Fredericks Peak (Pinnacles) https://wanderstories.space/frederick-peak/
Hiking up to the top of Jourama Falls https://wanderstories.space/jourama-falls-hike/
and many others including several in Paluma Range National Park, Bowling Green Bay National Park, Magnetic Island National Park, ...
My aim is to have all the information (how to get there, what to take, the route gpx files) on all the hikes covering almost every possible hike within 100km of Townsville.
I have a few articles in the pipeline soon to be published.

Loved your blog, very slick and professional looking, I'll definitely be dropping by again. Only issue is now I'm thinking I'm going to have to start lugging a drone around to get some of those great shots for my blog

[owlrigh]

Last week I did the Alligator Falls track in a day (17km return, ~4hrs trip taking it easy), which is south of Townsville by about 30 minutes. A lot of it follows fire trails, pretty exposed, but it also follows creeks with some crossings which is rock hopping. Lots of butterflies! Very pretty.

There's a bush camping spot at Alligator Falls, if you want to make an overnighter with it. I would be inclined to doing that just for the spot alone, as there was water flowing and you could have a swim. Few people doing the track. (There were two guys when I did that day, leaving/arriving different times.) Take lots of insect repellent with you! This was definitely the one time that I was happy that I took it with me: usually never use the stuff. Mosquitoes galore at the falls, but not at the bush camp.

[nq111]

I've had so many people ask me about hikes around Townsville that I started a blog and have written articles on these hikes:
Fredericks Peak (Pinnacles) https://wanderstories.space/frederick-peak/

Thanks Luenwarneke.

Really enjoying seeing these writeups and the work put into them.

There are really good walks in NQ but so many were hidden for so long. Please keep it up.