Author & Photos: SOPHIA AULD

The summit of Mt Coolum is home to a montane health grove Track Notes: Mount Coolum

TRACK NOTES TRACK MT COOLUM NATIONAL PARK

QUICK FACTS e stand astride the summit, absorbing the salty State air and 180-degree vista of aquamarine ocean. It’s Activity Hiking Wonly when a low-flying plane intrudes upon our Total Distance 1.6km return view that I remember we’re just half an hour from home. The Estimated hiking time 2 hours plane is making its landing approach to air- Difficulty Medium (Grade 4) port, and we’re on Mount Coolum, midway between Noosa Elevation gain 180m and on the Sunshine Coast. Nearest accommodation Coolum Cost or permits None INDIGENOUS HISTORY Date completed August 2017 The first inhabitants of the Maroochy district were the Aboriginal people of the Gubbi Gubbi/Kabi Kabi language group. A Dreamtime legend tells of a young warrior named Coolum, who fell in live with Maroochy, a beautiful girl from his tribe. One day while Coolum was out hunting, Maroochy was stolen by a mighty warrior named Ninderry from a fierce and warlike tribe. Seeking her back, Coolum crept into Ninderry’s camp while he was asleep and set Ma- roochy free, before fleeing back to their tribe’s territory on the coast. Ninderry was furious when he awoke to find Maroochy gone, and followed the couple’s tracks from the camp. When Ninderry caught sight of the couple, he threw a nulla (club) at Coolum, knocking off his head, which rolled into the sea and became Mudjimba Island. Coolum’s headless body fell and turned into stone, becoming Mount Coolum.

GETTING THERE Mount Coolum is roughly 110 kilometres, or 90 minutes

November/December 2017. WILD | MOUNT COOLUM |

drive, north of Brisbane. rina thalassoscopica, which is found only in this area and has The park is accessed off David Low Way. Several major a known population of approximately 21,000 individuals. access roads, including the , Maroochy- This species forms a low, dense closed heath and is closely dore Road, Bli Bli Road, and Yandina-Coolum Road link the related to the endangered Emu Mountain she-oak Allocasu- (M1) with the David Low Way. arina emuina, also found in the park. Turn off the David Low Way 6km south of Coolum The summit is home to a montane heath community with Beach township or 3km north of Marcoola township into many rare and threatened species. On the Sunshine Coast Tanah Street West. The car park entrance is at the junction of this plant community only grows here and on a few peaks in Tanah Street West and Jarnahill Drive. Roads to the car park the Glass House Mountains National Park. Montane heath are suitable for all vehicles. plants are dwarf species that rarely grow above one metre in Bicycle and pedestrian access is also possible via a wide height, surviving in harsh conditions, including exposure to pathway running beside sun, strong winds and high David low Way. evaporation. A bus stop is located Visitors are request- close to the park entrance ed to keep to the walking on David Low Way, near its track and defined viewing junction with Tanah Street areas to avoid damaging East. vulnerable plants. Wheelchair access is Mount Coolum is not available in Mount great for birdwatchers— Coolum National Park. many honeyeaters can be Toilets are not provided in seen in the heath, and birds this national park. Public of prey soar above. A pair toilets are located nearby of nesting peregrine fal- at: Birrahl Park—1.8km cons (Falco peregrinus) north of the walk entrance have made their home on via David Low Way, turn the cliffs. They are one of right onto Goongilla Street, only 25–35 known pairs in and Felix Parry Park— south-east Queensland. 87 3.2km south of the walk Ground mammals entrance via David Low living in the park include Way. Turn left onto Tama- the echidna (Tachyglossus rindus Street, then left onto aculeatus), yellow-footed Marcoola Esplanade. antechinus (Antechinus flavipes), grassland melo- CAMPING mys (Melomys burtoni), While camping is not per- northern brown bandicoot mitted in the national park, (Isoodon macrourus) and private camping areas are the grey-headed flying-fox located at the nearby coast- (Pteropus poliocephalus). al resorts of Mudjimba and During winter and Coolum Beach. spring, Mount Coolum Being a tourist hotspot, provides an ideal vantage Zig-zag stairs make their the area also provides a way up the steep sections point for watching migrat- wide range of other accom- of the mountain ing whales out at sea, so modation options. See bring your binoculars. https://www.visitsun- shinecoast.com for more GEOLOGY information. Mount Coolum is visible from many parts of the Sunshine Coast, jutting abruptly upwards from the low-lying land sur- FLORA AND FAUNA rounding it. Geologically, it is a laccolith, an isolated volca- With its diversity of plant life in such a small area, Mount nic dome formed by a mass of igneous rock intruding and Coolum is one of the most unique square kilometres in Aus- cooling between rock strata. At 208m in height, it is roughly tralia. Due to its ecological importance, the site has been circular in outline. studied extensively, with more than 700 plant species doc- Mount Coolum is largely composed of sodium- and umented. This includes 590 flowering plants, 49 ferns and potassium-rich rhyolite with some sandstone surrounds. over 100 species of plants such as mosses and lichens. The southern and eastern slopes are graced by tall cliffs. Many rare and threatened species grow in the park, in- One of its most spectacular geological features is the co- cluding the endangered Mount Coolum she-oak Allocasua- lumnar / crystal jointing patterns visible both on the main

WILD November/December 2017. Mount Coolum is clearly visible from many parts of the Sunshine Coast

November/December 2017. WILD | MOUNT COOLUM |

cliffs and the face of the disused quarry on the eastern aged it walking with a crutch. foothills. Over time, several gullies have formed on the The steps are also narrow in places, meaning walkers summit, becoming waterfalls that cascade down the cliffs must give way to others coming from the opposite direction. during rainy periods. There are ample shoulders beside the track where you can The mountain itself is part of Mount Coolum Nation- stop and admire the view while giving way. As elevation in- al Park, which extends south and west across flat lowlands creases and soils change, the forest opens out to woodlands, housing wallum, paperbark wetlands, open eucalypt forest shrublands, and then low montane heath at the summit, with and rainforest remnants—plant communities that are now single track in sections as you pass through the scrub. The rare on this part of the Sunshine Coast due to urbanisation. rocky summit boasts stunning 360-degree views of the Sun- ® shine Coast, taking in Point Cartwright and the Glass House THE WALK Mountains to the south, the Maroochy River cane fields and Microfiber ReversibleThe summit walk is just 1.6Hat kilometres BUF longF (return), starting wetlands below, the Blackall Range to the west, and Noosa from the carpark on the corner of Tanah Street® (West) and Heads® to the north. Jarnahill Drive. Allow about two hours. The track is popular The walk is classed Grade 4 due to the steep, rocky sec- MicrofiberMicrofiber Reversiblewith visitors and locals; ®Reversible we encounteredHat BUF peopleF ranging Hat from BUF tions.F It has some loose gravel surfaces and exposed natu- Originallycra-clad BUF fitness Fenthusiasts to young mums with bubs in rally-occurring lookouts. During very dry weather, the track backpacks. One heavily-packed woman was in training® for can become dusty and slippery. It also becomes extreme- Microfiberher trip to Kokoda theReversible following® week. Hat BUF® F ly slippery when wet, so walking is recommended in fine OriginalThe walk BUFOriginal beginsF on a wide track BUF throughF open forest. weather only. Children will need to be closely supervised. Next, you come to a series of steps, which® quickly get steeper The area gets very hot in summer, so walk during the cooler and zig-zag theirOriginal way up the BUFslope.F Many of the steps are nat- parts of the day to avoid heat stress. W ural, formed by the large hexagonal cooling columns lying Madealmost for horizontally Cool across the path. Others have been built into the rock. Parts of this section are quite steep, necessitat- CONTRIBUTOR ing aMade moderate level of forfitness. IfCool you have problem knees, Sophia Auld is a freelance writer and editor living on the Sunshine Madethis may not be the walk for you,for although myCool husband man- Coast. She loves doing (almost) anything outside. JustMade right for cooler days on thefor trail, BUFF® Cool head- and neckwear keeps you warm,Just right fordry cooler and days stylish. on the trail, BUFF® head- and neckwear keeps you warm, dry and stylish. Just right for cooler Justdays right on the for trail, cooler BUFF® days head-on the and trail, BUFF® head- and neckwear keeps youneckwear warm, dry keeps and stylish.you warm, dry and stylish.

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Look for the hat & neckwear matching in design. Look for the hat & neckwearLook for the hat & neckwear matching in design. matching in design. Distributed by: are registered trademarks property of Original Buff, S.A. Buff, (Spain) Original of property trademarks registered are www.buff.eu ® and Flat is Boring ® [email protected] www.buff.euBUFF ph 02 9966 9800 www.buff.eu www.spelean.com.au WILD November/December 2017.

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