We finally left the Gold Coast at 2:00pm after a few teary goodbyes. We won’t be back at Runaway Bay until late October/early November. As planned we headed for the Border Ranges National Park, firstly down the Pacific Highway, turning off towards Uki.
Uki is a pretty spot just East of Mt Warning. It is a quaint town and worth a rest stop. We stopped at Uki for 20 minutes, stretched the legs and made a plan for camp. We had a couple of options and finally decided on Toonumbra Dam as we had been to the Border Ranges National Park previously. The dam is located 31 klms North West of Kyogle.
Leaving Uki, Kyogle was a further 56klms East on road which winds up down and around the South West rim of the Tweed volcanic caldron. The road, narrow in parts had some amazing views of Mt Warning and the surrounding valley. The road also travels through spectacular rain forest and is a very pleasant scenic drive. The road in most parts is 60 klms/hour towing a van so you have plenty of time to sit back and enjoy.
The road into Toonumbra Dam is bitumen with gravel for the last 7 klms. Once at the dam it is a further 3 klms to the campsite. The campsite is composed of two small areas. There were about 10 groups at the camp when we arrived and the camp was full so avoid peak times. The campsite is shady, has picnic tables and pit toilets. The camp is run by the Kyogle Fishing Club and costs $5 plus $1 per person over 12. Cheap camping for a beautiful spot. I bumped into a local who was wanting to keep the camping area a secret…so hush, hush and respect this special spot.
The lake created by the dam is just amazing with a backdrop of rain forest in areas. By all reports there are plenty of fish in the lake and a small boat can be launched from a well maintained boat ramp. Next to the boat ramp is a small wooden jetty which is great for the kids to jumps and dive from. The water was deep when we were there but make sure you check the water depth before diving in!
This is a great spot and well worth the effort. Stay a few days here and soak up the beauty, enjoy some fishing and swimming, campfire at night (wood provided) and good company.
It was a shame we had only one night planned for this camp…maybe I can convince Lovely Lynda for a second night. Saying that though, Mt Bogong is calling.
Bushman Bud…Enjoying Australia