Monday, May 4, 2009

Mt Beerwah, South East Queensland

Mt Beerwah from the clearing 150 metres past the car park (as described in the last paragraph under LOCATION). The Northern Hiker's trail is clearly evident
The imposing northern face is commonly referred to as the Cathedral



The first 30 metres is the most challenging, especially during the descent. It is a good idea to ascend and descend this section first with everyone in your party to ensure you are all able to complete the scramble in safety.

Filming with Channel 9 in July 2006 before a major rock slide closed Beerwah in May 2008. Check the websites listed below for updates on closures and local weather condition prior to your attempt. It has since reopened but closed again in Sept 2011.


Scramblers descending one of two prominent gullies half way up the Hiker's track


From the base of the Cathedral the Hiker's Track veers right. The cliffs provide some of the best rockclimbing in Australia.

Near the summit the western sun casts an impressive symmetrical shadow over flowering spring shrubs


My wife and daughter on the summit.


My son on the summit on a moody day with Crookneck (Mt Coonowrin) to the left and Tibrogargen in the background



DESCRIPTION:
Mt Beerwah is not only the largest peak in the Glasshouse Mountains range at 556 metres [1824 feet] it is also the most fun to climb in our opinion. The Queensland EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) advise allowing 2 to 3 hours return for this track and rate is as a Class 5 meaning:

- Steep track with irregular surface and loose stones.
- Considerable exposure to the elements may be experienced.
- High level of physical fitness and flexible-soled shoes with good grip required.

In saying this we have guided people from 7 to 70+ years to the summit successfully. The Mt. Beerwah summit trail is a scramble rather than a walk as most people require the use of their arms and legs to summit.


In May 2008 there was a major rock slide on the northern face of the mountain covering the hiker's trail, which closed it for more than two years. Since then there have been several smaller slides causing the Department of Environment to close and reopen it on a number of occasions. Check their site to ensure the track is open as $400 fines have been issued to some hikers: http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/parks_and_forests/park_alerts/10906.html


Check local weather forecasts and conditions prior to setting out at www.weatherzone.com.au/ or http://mirror.bom.gov.au/weather/radar/. It is irresponsible to attempt to climb Mt Beerwah if there is predicted rain or high winds. Its steep rock faces require clear weather so do not take the risk of endangering yourself or emergency services personnel if you get into trouble. The locals are also sick and tired of bone heads who get themselves stuck on Beerwah after dark. The best time to go is early in the morning on your first attempt as it gives you plenty of time to have a good look around before the sun starts to get hot. I avoid being on Beerwah between 11am - 3pm in summer as it does get very hot due, especially on the western side (the upper 1/3 of the track).

LOCATION:
From Brisbane take the Bruce Highway north to the Glass House Mountains Road turnoff (newly renamed Steve Irwin Way) which is approximately 60 km north of the Brisbane CBD. You will pass the imposing Mt Tibrogargen on the left (8 km from Bruce Highway turnoff) and a Matilda Service Station on the right (10 km from the Bruce Highway turnoff). Track notes for Tibrogargen are also listed in the blog (under May 2009).

Approximately 1 km after the Matilda Service Station take a left hand turn into Reed Street which leads into the township of Glass House Mountains. Follow the road left around to the left over the overpass and turn left at the T junction onto Coonowrin Road. About 200 metres along Coonowrin Road offers excellent opportunity for photos of Mt Coonowrin (also called Crookneck) and Mt Beerwah.


Continue to the T junction at the end of Coonowrin Road and turn left. Take the first turn to the right into Mt Beerwah Road. After approximately 5km the bitumen road ends and becomes a corrugated dirt road. Proceed on the dirt road with caution for 400 metres looking for the car park turnoff on the left. The car park is a circuit road so enter out other end when you leave. Be sure to lock the vehicle and place valuables out of sight.

Past the car park turnoff the track decreases in quality but does offer an excellent photo opportunity of Mt Beerwah and other peaks in the area. Continue past the carpark for 150 metres to the top of the small hill. It is from this position that the first photo on this page was taken. It provides a much better photo opportunity than the picnic area at the base of the mountain and some added bragging rights of your journey.


TRACK NOTES:
The summit trail is only 2.8 kilometres [1.75 miles] return at an average of 1 km/hour which seems painfully slow however Beerwah is not your average walk. At 556m it is equivalent to walking up a 110 storey building. Queensland Parks and Wildlife have rated walking tracks in their parks on a scale of 2 – 5 with 5 being the most difficult and Beerwah is a Class 5.


From the car park proceed on either of the tracks near the information hut to a clearing housing composting toilets and a well placed pergola which also offers good photo opportunities of the mountain. The 5 minute approach from the pergola to the newly constructed deck at the base of the mountain should be able to be negotiated without stopping. This section is a reasonable indicator of fitness as if you or someone in your party has to stop a couple of times on this approach, be prepared for a slow walk up the mountain and consider carrying extra water.

From the deck look for chiseled holes in the rock slab which provide hand and feet aids to negotiate the first 30 metres of the mountain. Be aware that the rock surface is sometimes slippery in this section as 99% of people scramble up this route thus smoothing out the surface. This first section can be intimidating for the inexperienced and is also a good indicator of the capability of your group. That said, Beerwah is a honest peak in that its greatest challenge lies in this first 30 metres and there is nothing further up that is more difficult. If wet weather sets in or a someone becomes intimidated in this section during the descent, walk 10 metres to the right of the ascent route at the top of this section, looking for a 30 centimetre wide crack in the rock which provides an alternate descent route. The advantage of this route is that it provides more hand holds for someone who may not be confident to negotiate the smoother ascent route taken. Care must be taken on whatever route is chosen. (Note: A rockslide in 2011 wiped out most of this route however it is still worth investigating).

After the first 30 metres look for faintly painted yellow lines on the rock face indicating the recommended ascent and descent route. At the top of the next section the 'track' becomes more evident by proceeding 10 metres to the right of the well trodden dirt footpad to a prominent crack. Continue up the north face rock slabs following the feint yellow lines or obvious track until you gain a dirt track which continues for 100 metres and leads to an expansive flat section at the base of the north face cliffs.

The regular summit route from this point is to turn right and walk along the base of the cliffs following the clearly evident track as it wraps around the western side of the mountain and up to the summit. The northern face summit route which is gained by turning to the left at the base of the cliffs is very exposed for a 20 metre section and should only be attempted by very experienced scramblers or climbers using rope.

Mt Beerwah is a spectacular coastal plains experience with a wonderful mix rock scrambling surfaces awaiting you. The 360 degree uninterrupted views form the summit combined with the spectacular cliffs and basic scrambling skills required make Mt Beerwah our favourite hill in the Glass House range. The mountain is home a variety of rare and endangered plant and animal species, open eucalyptus woodlands, tall turpentine trees and a lot of volcanic rock.

As in all bushwalking RESPECT is the key word. Beerwah is a grand old lady but can bite. There have been various injuries there over the years ranging from general cuts to head gashes and the odd broken arm or leg. Show some respect and be sensible and you should be fine.


PROVISIONS:

To Wear:
* Hat
* Sunnies (optional)
* Good quality walking or running shoes in good condition. Dunlop Volleys are ideal (the

original soft sole lace ups or Velcro - not the new slip on street style as the sole is hard and
slippery).
Hiking Pack:
30 – 45 litres is an ideal sized day-pack. Do not plan to carry anything in your hands.
To Carry in Hiking Pack:
* 2L Water (minimum or more if you drink a lot).

* Food (for a snack on the summit):
- Muesli bars
- Fruit (fresh or dried)
- Chocolate

* Basic First Aid Kit including:
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent
- Bandaids
- Pressure bandage
- Paracetamol
- Personal medications

* Mobile Phone (fully charged)

* Camera & Batteries
Optional Equipment:
* Change of shirt / clothes for the return car ride (to leave in the car)

* Wet weather gear:
- Spray jacket
- Gloves


* Head light and Batteries


HISTORY:
Aboriginal legend of the Glass House Mountains recalls Tibrogargan as the father, Beerwah as the mother and the other peaks in the region as their children. One day when Tibrogargan was gazing out to sea (he faces east) he recognised the huge ocean swell and a great flood that would endanger Beerwah, who was again pregnant and would not be able to reach the safety of the mountains in the west without assistance. He warned his eldest son Coonowrin of the flood which was coming and told him to take his mother Beerwah to the safety of the mountains while he was assisting the other brothers and sisters (the smaller peaks) to safety. As Tibrogargan was gathering the 'children' he was dismayed to see Coonowrin had abandoned his mother Beerwah and was running off alone to the safety of the western mountains. Tibrogargan became enraged and chased Coonowrin hitting him with a nulla nulla (fighting stick) with such force that it dislocated Coonowrin's neck and he has never been able to straighten it since.

Mt Beerwah is derived from the Aboriginal words birra (sky) and wandum (climbing) and is a traditional birthing place among Aboriginal women.

Captain James Cook named the Glass House Mountains in 1770 due to their resemblance to
glass houses back in his English country. In 1799 Matthew Flinders became the first recorded European to land in the area and climbed Mt Beerburrum. Andrew Petrie and his son John made the first recorded ascent by Europeans in 1848.
Mt Tibrogargan is a combination of the Aboriginal names for biting (kaiyathin) and flying squirrel (chibur) so obviously someone had a bad day out.

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