Girraween National Park – Terrawambella Campground

23 – 26 October 2024

We have stayed at Girraween National Park before and wanted to go back so we booked a couple of nights at Terrawambella Campground. Significant bushfire damage had occurred since we last visited and one of the campgrounds has been closed, and replaced with two new ones. Terrawambella wasn’t our first choice but it was the only one where we could get consecutive nights with a possibility of extending. We initially booked two nights, but extended to three after the first night.

Another stunnning sunset - view from the campground

We travelled north from Tenterfield, back into Queensland with another change of time zones, and arrived quite early. At Girraween, a booking is made for the campground only and you can choose your site when you arrive. Being a new campground there weren’t many big trees, but the sites were quite large, with garden beds separating them. It will be really nice when the plants and trees grow.

We chose a site close to the amenities with some shade and a fabulous view of the surrounding mountains. The amenities were new, with flushing toilets, a washing up area and an accessible toilet cubicle where it is possible to BYO shower. There was also a communal firepit which can be used at certain times of the year. There is also easy access to most of the walks in the park, and a short drive to others.

Our favourite walk is the Bald Rock Creek Circuit – an easy 2 km walk with lots of trees and plants that are is flower at this time of year, with many different types of birds. We walked this track a number of times, at different times of day. Mick also walked it alone a couple of times.

We also walked the short Wyberba Walk with its views of the creek and access to a swimming hole as well as the Granite Arch Walk, a 1.6km slightly more challenging Grade 3 walk.  We went on a short walk from Castle Rock Campground too – looking for particular birds of course.

One morning we drove the short distance to the Doctor Roberts Carpark and walked to Doctor Roberts Waterhole and added the Underground Creek Walk as well, both worth the walk, even though it was quite a warm day. Later that day we became aware of the possibility of a storm, but with only patchy internet access at the campsite, we weren’t sure exactly where it would hit, or the intensity. We had a nervous night with thunder and lightning right over the top of us. There was so much close lightning we went and sat in the car during the worst of it.

The next morning one of the rangers came by to advise that there was a fire in the park, started by lightning, but that evacuations were not necessary to that time. Parks staff would continue to monitor the situation and provide advice if things changed. The fire had caused the closure of the Doctor Roberts Waterhole and Underground Creek walks. We were glad we had been able to get there the day before.

After three nights and heaps of walking we needed to pack up and move on – this time to Inverell.