Header image: On the banks of Emu Creek, Benarkin.
Benarkin State Forest
Saturday, April 18th 2015.
HEMA App Track Stats: No track recorded.
We met at Yowie Park in Kilcoy, a popular meeting point for many groups and one that our group had used before. We were on the road within minutes of our scheduled departure time of 9am. At the meeting point were Robert and Suzanne Price, Greg & De Tanzer, and Kate and myself of course.
We were to meet up with John & Mandy Weeks & their Daughter at our first stop at Linville where we had a look at the historical things on offer. For more photos of Linville, refer to the Kilcoy to Kilkivan trip we did last year. Click "here" to see that report.
Another member, Robyn Sargent, who could not come on the trip but was kind enough to stop by and say hello and wish us well. It was a very nice surprise and very nice of her to make the effort. In just on 30 minutes we met up with John & Mandy, looked around, took photos etc.. before heading back to the D'aguilar Highway and further west to Benarkin.
The area was well sign posted and we found our way to the Emu Creek Camping Area easily, passing the Clancy's Camping area on the way. For details on camping in this area, see the National Parks website page "here". After choosing a spot we all set up camp in close proximity to one of the many "fire ring/BBQs" provided. Robert and Suzanne were kind enough to bring some firewood along so that we could enjoy sitting around a fire after dark.
We were thinking about an afternoon drive on some of the tracks in the State Forest but ended up just relaxing for the afternoon and chatting instead. Greg & Dee got to christen their new camper trailer, their first time setting it up, and had it sorted pretty quickly for their first time I thought. Suzanne & Robert also brought their off road camper trailer along where as John & co and Kate and myself had a foxwing style awing & tent set up. It's always good to see other people's camp set ups and share ideas.
Evening came and we each did our own thing for dinner over the next hour or two. As for Kate and myself, we had marinated pork chops, mashed potato (made the night before & vacuum packed) mixed winter vegetables & gravy. We eat well when we camp. The rest of the evening was spent sitting around the campfire and chatting, as you do, before we all hit the sack for the night.
In keeping with the custom i started on the very first trip, we had a lucky door prize raffle which was drawn by John & Mandy's Daughter Emma. Instead of doing a prize for each day and drawing one each day we did both. Robert Price won the smaller prize and Dee Tanzer won the larger prize. One prize being a Waeco Dometic stubby cooler, stickers, and a packet of Monte Carlos and the larger prize being a double size pack of TimTams and a 5pk of "Cast Iron Boys" reusable pouches. Used for sauces, marinades etc. Very handy.
Sunday morning was crisp and cool but not uncomfortable. Kate and Suzanne disappeared down to the creek, each armed with their DSLR cameras, the results of which you can see below. This was more of a camping trip than an off road 4wd'ing trip so they are 90 % nature shots. We did get off the bitumen some more later in the day however. After breakfast and a somewhat lazy start to the day we all packed up and went in search of "The Bar Falls".
While in search of these falls we entered a nature reserve which said "No Through Road" but that often just means it's not an official road on a map. We did however come to a closed gate and I made the call to turn around. On leaving the reserve we were approached by some locals who said they had heard gunshots and thought that we were out shooting. After a chat, we found out that the falls we were looking for were not accessible without entering private property.
The locals were kind enough to point us in the direction of a nice spot to stop for lunch. This was a road that John had planned to take on his trip home anyway so it worked well for him. Tony and Kim Wilson had arrived just after breakfast and were on the drive with us and when we stopped for lunch, it was a bit hot and not much shade so we chatted, took some more photos and headed back to Benarkin. John carried on down the road and later came out somewhere behind Esk.
The rest of us parted company back in Benarkin, with 3 vehicles heading East and Kate and myself going further West to visit friends. By the time Kate & I got home it was around 10:30pm. Possible showers were forecast for Sunday but we got all the rain on Saturday afternoon and it wasn't enough to ruin the day, or the weekend. Overall it was a great weekend and we met new people, told bad jokes, had a drink or two, and looked at the stars.
Our thanks to those that came and made the weekend special.
As usual, photos without the watermark may be purchased in various sizes by visiting the shop page "here" and quoting the image number that appears on mouseover or in the caption. If the image belongs to a member, you will be put in touch with that member. Any money raised from photo sales goes back into the group in the form of free raffle prizes.
HEMA App Track Stats: No track recorded.
We met at Yowie Park in Kilcoy, a popular meeting point for many groups and one that our group had used before. We were on the road within minutes of our scheduled departure time of 9am. At the meeting point were Robert and Suzanne Price, Greg & De Tanzer, and Kate and myself of course.
We were to meet up with John & Mandy Weeks & their Daughter at our first stop at Linville where we had a look at the historical things on offer. For more photos of Linville, refer to the Kilcoy to Kilkivan trip we did last year. Click "here" to see that report.
Another member, Robyn Sargent, who could not come on the trip but was kind enough to stop by and say hello and wish us well. It was a very nice surprise and very nice of her to make the effort. In just on 30 minutes we met up with John & Mandy, looked around, took photos etc.. before heading back to the D'aguilar Highway and further west to Benarkin.
The area was well sign posted and we found our way to the Emu Creek Camping Area easily, passing the Clancy's Camping area on the way. For details on camping in this area, see the National Parks website page "here". After choosing a spot we all set up camp in close proximity to one of the many "fire ring/BBQs" provided. Robert and Suzanne were kind enough to bring some firewood along so that we could enjoy sitting around a fire after dark.
We were thinking about an afternoon drive on some of the tracks in the State Forest but ended up just relaxing for the afternoon and chatting instead. Greg & Dee got to christen their new camper trailer, their first time setting it up, and had it sorted pretty quickly for their first time I thought. Suzanne & Robert also brought their off road camper trailer along where as John & co and Kate and myself had a foxwing style awing & tent set up. It's always good to see other people's camp set ups and share ideas.
Evening came and we each did our own thing for dinner over the next hour or two. As for Kate and myself, we had marinated pork chops, mashed potato (made the night before & vacuum packed) mixed winter vegetables & gravy. We eat well when we camp. The rest of the evening was spent sitting around the campfire and chatting, as you do, before we all hit the sack for the night.
In keeping with the custom i started on the very first trip, we had a lucky door prize raffle which was drawn by John & Mandy's Daughter Emma. Instead of doing a prize for each day and drawing one each day we did both. Robert Price won the smaller prize and Dee Tanzer won the larger prize. One prize being a Waeco Dometic stubby cooler, stickers, and a packet of Monte Carlos and the larger prize being a double size pack of TimTams and a 5pk of "Cast Iron Boys" reusable pouches. Used for sauces, marinades etc. Very handy.
Sunday morning was crisp and cool but not uncomfortable. Kate and Suzanne disappeared down to the creek, each armed with their DSLR cameras, the results of which you can see below. This was more of a camping trip than an off road 4wd'ing trip so they are 90 % nature shots. We did get off the bitumen some more later in the day however. After breakfast and a somewhat lazy start to the day we all packed up and went in search of "The Bar Falls".
While in search of these falls we entered a nature reserve which said "No Through Road" but that often just means it's not an official road on a map. We did however come to a closed gate and I made the call to turn around. On leaving the reserve we were approached by some locals who said they had heard gunshots and thought that we were out shooting. After a chat, we found out that the falls we were looking for were not accessible without entering private property.
The locals were kind enough to point us in the direction of a nice spot to stop for lunch. This was a road that John had planned to take on his trip home anyway so it worked well for him. Tony and Kim Wilson had arrived just after breakfast and were on the drive with us and when we stopped for lunch, it was a bit hot and not much shade so we chatted, took some more photos and headed back to Benarkin. John carried on down the road and later came out somewhere behind Esk.
The rest of us parted company back in Benarkin, with 3 vehicles heading East and Kate and myself going further West to visit friends. By the time Kate & I got home it was around 10:30pm. Possible showers were forecast for Sunday but we got all the rain on Saturday afternoon and it wasn't enough to ruin the day, or the weekend. Overall it was a great weekend and we met new people, told bad jokes, had a drink or two, and looked at the stars.
Our thanks to those that came and made the weekend special.
As usual, photos without the watermark may be purchased in various sizes by visiting the shop page "here" and quoting the image number that appears on mouseover or in the caption. If the image belongs to a member, you will be put in touch with that member. Any money raised from photo sales goes back into the group in the form of free raffle prizes.
Kate's Photos
A few photos from John & Mandy Weeks.
A few photos from Suzanne & Robert Price.
A few photos from Kim & Tony Wilson.
All photos may be purchased for a nominal fee by going to the "shop" page and filling out the form. Please be sure to quote the image numbers exactly as they appear when you mouseover the image. eg; the last image above is "BSF-L83". Fees and ordering instructions can be found on the shop page. Any and all profits from photo sales go toward prizes in the "SEQ Overnighters 4X4" facebook group.
HOME | ABOUT | UPDATES | TRIP REPORTS | GALLERY | SPONSORS | FORUM | LINKS | SITEMAP
contact | prize winners
All content on this site is © Copyright and may not be downloaded, saved or used in any way without permission.
If I do not own the image, I will put you in contact with the person that does. Please use the form on the contact page.
contact | prize winners
All content on this site is © Copyright and may not be downloaded, saved or used in any way without permission.
If I do not own the image, I will put you in contact with the person that does. Please use the form on the contact page.