As a relatively new resident of the Sunshine Coast region and an avid bushwalker, I had been keen to explore the natural wonders of this little piece of paradise. A long time between hikes, we decided on an easy trail, part of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland 58km Great Walk, the Baroon Lookout. A 4.4km return walk with little elevation and to-die-for views, it hit our hiking sweet spot.
Just out of the tiny tourist town of Montville and down a steep road that has the impressive Lake Baroon (aka Baroon Pocket dam) as a big reveal, the hike starts at the Baroon Pocket carpark. Through the “Great Walks” wooden archway, the trail goes from an easy, surfaced rainforest path, to narrow and steep, climbing over 100m to the lookout.
The smell of the rainforest was heady, luring me beguilingly back to my happy place. The trail was gorgeous, a symphony of greens layered over earthy browns, with peek-a-boo glimpses of pristine waters gently cascading over river rocks, steep, rocky gorges punctuated with pretty falls, and esplanades of grass trees. You can side-track to Obi Obi Creek, and make sure to take the time to go off-piste to check out Narrows Lookout, with stunning views of Narrows Gorge, a taster of things to come.
The Baroon Lookout encompasses views over Baroon Pocket Dam, the Obi Obi valley, and the emerald green wall of dense subtropical rainforest of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. It felt very Bukit Lawang-ish and I half expected to see an orangutan loping through the canopy! With breathtaking vistas and a lofty view as far as the eye can see, you can just snort the serenity.
Post lookout, we ambled a little further down the trail and came across a sign that said, “Experienced walkers only beyond this point.” I figured flailing down the vertical Estate Spur in Lake Eildon National Park, ricocheting off trees, and executing a stuck landing gave me bushwalking gravitas, so on we went. The walk from Lake Baroon carpark to Kondalilla Falls is around 10ks each way, 20ks return. We once did an 8k hike in the Brisbane Ranges National Park in Victoria that ended up being 16k’s due to poor signage and even poorer signage interpretation skills, and I almost needed to be stretchered out! And let’s not forget the 10k Werribee Gorge circuit that had me horizontal trackside, praying for death! So yeah, nah. The kilometre or so we hiked from the lookout was more challenging than what we had just done, so we added this hike to our list, with the addendum to take two cars, parking them at each end of the trail.
As is our modus operandi, the strategically placed Flame Hill Vineyard was ripe (did you see what I did there?) for a hike recovery. A stone’s throw from Lake Baroon, perched on a ridge that has panoramic coastal and hinterland views, surrounded by cutesy cottages with names like Lovestone, Misty View, and The Spotted Chook, sits the picturesque winery.
Rows of aged vines, surrounded by viridescent vegetation, juxtaposed with an aquamarine, coral sea backdrop – is there anywhere else you would rather be? Lunch was on the sunny deck, and while we drank in the view, we also drank a couple of crisp whites and ate a charcuterie board that would have fed a small African village.
We couldn’t go home without a chill stroll through charming Montville. Perched on the Blackall Range, this quaint village has art galleries that laud local talent, handcrafted jewellery, antiques, German clocks, boutique clothing, award-winning restaurants, chic cafes, and much more. You can get your caffeine hit with a side of incredible hinterland views, have your chakras aligned, binge on handmade Belgian chocolates, or gorge on Montville’s famous fudge at fudgyboombahs. All the while, immersed in an interesting mix of architecture styles that include Tudor, Irish, and English cottages, Swiss and Bavarian chalets, and quintessential colonial Queenslanders.
All this in one day!
