From Jimboomba, five Vehicles ventured off on the Border Ranges Trip on a cool and beautiful sunny morning. First stop the Spiral Loop Lookout platform.Unfortunately the Brisbane to Sydney train schedule has changed and the train now passes the loop daily at 7.30 am. No one sounded too enthusiastic to rise that early for a train spotting venture! We decided the Sergeant at Arms would be a group effort and the “dobbing in” began almost as soon as we set off. The farms and paddocks on the way to Rathdowney and all along the valleys were lush and green, the cattle and horses in prime condition. We squeezed past a huge extra wide vehicle with a bunch of cyclists hot on his tail, passed a large well fenced horse property “Glenlogan Thoroughbred Stallions” (can’t help wondering, ....and the mares?) Everything was lush and green along Running Creek Rd and onto the official start of The Lions Rd into NSW. Shortly after came the first welcome tea break at the Border Loop Lookout, by now cloud was forming over the Pacific Rim. Ivan fixed the problem on his radio so we were all in clear radio contact with one another. (Ivan was tail end Charlie but his CB wasn’t working well - turned out that when his car was broken into a few weeks
ago the thief had unscrewed the antenna connection from the radio before giving up on it!) Running Creek lived up to its name, plenty of water gushing along and quite a few creek crossings to splash through. Along Simes Rd we noticed strange road signs -Truck Passing Bay no 1, 2 ,3 ,4 etc “What the…?” At the junction of Sheep Station Creek Campsite and the Tweed Range Scenic Drive we were stopped by an official sitting in his parked vehicle. The road was closed while trucks carried soil from the quarry to repair sites on the track. At least two more loads were expected and the road wouldn’t be open until approx. 3pm! First an about turn and into Sheep Station Creek Campsite for a strategic planning exercise. Once all in agreement, we set off
again. Now we are off on an Adventure Trip instead! Hema Maps could take us back up into the National
Park via another route put the signs on the road we tried would not! (Road Closed) Turn around and try
again. Past Hanging Rock Falls, exquisite stone house and Hanging Rock Falls themselves with water gushing down into the creek. Plenty of water everywhere and water marks of the recent floods at least 2m up into the trees and embankments. Yay! We’ve found Creegans Rd that will take us up to the National Forest and the Tweed Ranges Scenic Drive, travelling in the opposite direction to the planned route. Up, up, up and into the clouds and a great lunch break at Blackbutt Lookout. Next off up to the Pinnacles Lookout but Oh Dear, the road is once again closed. Fortunately we could park at the lookout and do the Pinnacles walk. Mt. Warning was half buried in cloud and a light drizzle in the air. Back to the cars we found the gate had at last been reopened but workers with the grader said the road down was quite slippery. The
Queenslanders in the group were beginning to haul out the winter gear, and as time was running out and the weather closing in further the vote was not to proceed, covering the part we missed, but to retrace our steps and stop off at The Sphinx Rock Cafe for a very welcome hot cup of coffee (and cake). By now the rain was increasing steadily along the Tweed River and once we were on the Pacific Motorway the group began
splitting up and heading
for home, with just two
cars stopping off at Yatala
Pies for the traditional take
home dinner.
All in all a super adventure
and a lovely day for all on
the trip.
Christine Braun
ago the thief had unscrewed the antenna connection from the radio before giving up on it!) Running Creek lived up to its name, plenty of water gushing along and quite a few creek crossings to splash through. Along Simes Rd we noticed strange road signs -Truck Passing Bay no 1, 2 ,3 ,4 etc “What the…?” At the junction of Sheep Station Creek Campsite and the Tweed Range Scenic Drive we were stopped by an official sitting in his parked vehicle. The road was closed while trucks carried soil from the quarry to repair sites on the track. At least two more loads were expected and the road wouldn’t be open until approx. 3pm! First an about turn and into Sheep Station Creek Campsite for a strategic planning exercise. Once all in agreement, we set off
again. Now we are off on an Adventure Trip instead! Hema Maps could take us back up into the National
Park via another route put the signs on the road we tried would not! (Road Closed) Turn around and try
again. Past Hanging Rock Falls, exquisite stone house and Hanging Rock Falls themselves with water gushing down into the creek. Plenty of water everywhere and water marks of the recent floods at least 2m up into the trees and embankments. Yay! We’ve found Creegans Rd that will take us up to the National Forest and the Tweed Ranges Scenic Drive, travelling in the opposite direction to the planned route. Up, up, up and into the clouds and a great lunch break at Blackbutt Lookout. Next off up to the Pinnacles Lookout but Oh Dear, the road is once again closed. Fortunately we could park at the lookout and do the Pinnacles walk. Mt. Warning was half buried in cloud and a light drizzle in the air. Back to the cars we found the gate had at last been reopened but workers with the grader said the road down was quite slippery. The
Queenslanders in the group were beginning to haul out the winter gear, and as time was running out and the weather closing in further the vote was not to proceed, covering the part we missed, but to retrace our steps and stop off at The Sphinx Rock Cafe for a very welcome hot cup of coffee (and cake). By now the rain was increasing steadily along the Tweed River and once we were on the Pacific Motorway the group began
splitting up and heading
for home, with just two
cars stopping off at Yatala
Pies for the traditional take
home dinner.
All in all a super adventure
and a lovely day for all on
the trip.
Christine Braun
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