Lower Portals, Mt Barney

Lower Portals Track: approx 10 kms return
Time: Approximately 4 hours walking time
Grade: Class 4, a number of short hills.
Bring your swimmers.

Start time 9.30 am Meet up 9.15 am.

It would be best if this was done by carpooling as it is a longish drive, but well worth it.
Car Pooling: Meet at Nerang Fair 74 - 98 Beaudesert-Nerang Rd or Homeworld Helensvale for combined car pooling. Meet 7.45 am leave 8.00 am.
Please give driver $10
There are no restrooms on the trail.

Please read the Conditions of Group Membership and event participation at the end of the walk description.

PLEASE CHECK ALL WALKS AT 7.30AM ON THE MORNING OF ALL WALKS TO SEE IF THEY HAVE BEEN CANCELLED OR AMENDED.

This is probably the most popular short walk in the area, as the 40 metre rock gorge and deep waterhole invite you to swim, explore and revisit time and time again.

The track leaves from a carpark on the Lower Portals Rd, accessed via Seidenspinner Rd signposted 3.5 km north of Mt Barney Lodge. Please take care as there are on occasions, some deeper rough spots to cross. It is one of the few graded and maintained tracks in the area. The 3.7 km walk rollercoasters over 10 short hills in open eucalypt forest and this time around, we will add a little adventure by exploring in the foothills of Mt Barney behind the falls.

The walk has moderate to steep grading and at times becomes quite challenging. We did this walk in February once before when it was very hot. If that is the case this time, we will do an alternate walk. Near the end of the walk we need to cross Mt Barney Creek, either by rockhopping, or wading through the creek, perhaps up to our knees. Spare dry socks and wearing of shorts may be an advantage.

The walk has features sections of grasstree (Xanthorrhoea johnsonii), and Casaurina in which the threatened Glossy Black-Cockatoo (http://www.glossyblack.org.au/) often can be seen feeding. Koalas can also be spotted with luck.

The gorge itself is found a few hundred metres upstream, and can be reached by two options, another creek wade, or a tricky squeeze through an overhead hole in a cave. This looks a little daunting, but we all got through it last time.

It is a fair drive from the Gold Coast but it's a beautiful area, with a beautiful swimming hole in the gorge at the where we will have lunch ... so make sure you bring your swimmers or wet suit.
Carry your lunch in your back-pack:

Conditions of Group Membership and event participation
1 GCMWWG is not an incorporated association or organisation and is composed of individuals who join with each other in an informal manner to engage in the pleasurable activity of bushwalking and accordingly each individual member is required to take personal responsibility for his or her own safety and to comply with the recommendations published on the Group’s meet up website and with directions given from time to time by any walk leader of a Bushwalk undertaken by the Group.
2 Participants are recommended:
(i) to wear walking boots which provide ankle support;
(ii) carry his or her own rucksack which will contain at least 1 litre of fresh water in watertight containers and personal first aid items including band-aids (or similar), bandages, antiseptic, insect repellents and sunscreen and foodstuffs appropriate to the length and timing of the bushwalk;
(iii) to make a realistic assessment prior to participating in a bushwalk as to whether the participants’ physical condition will allow the participant to enjoyably and safely engage in the bushwalking activity without endangering the safety and enjoyment of other participants;
(iv) to wear or carry clothing suitable for each walk including clothing (such as a waterproof jacket or poncho) that is appropriate for unexpected changes in the weather.
3 Each bushwalk undertaken by the Group shall have a nominated leader who will walk at the front of the Group (“walk leader”) and a nominated person who will walk at the rear of the group (“back marker”). The walk leader will set the pace of the walk and will halt the walk at appropriate times in his or her discretion for rests and drink breaks and meal breaks. The back marker will endeavour to keep the group together at all times and to notify the walk leader if any untoward accident or injury is sustained by any participant. The walk leader and the back marker for each bushwalk will be nominated by the Group Leader.
4 Each participant will be required to observe any directions or instructions given by the walk leader including any instruction to shorten the walk, change the route of the walk or abandon the walk due to any unexpected change of circumstances such as track closure or obstruction, inclement weather and/or injury or illness suffered by any member.
5 Any one of the Group Leader, walk leader or back marker for each bushwalk undertaken by the group shall carry with him or her a mobile phone and a first aid kit.
6 There shall be published in each event's description a degree of difficulty by the Group a statement as to the degree of difficulty of the proposed bushwalk so that members may realistically assess whether they (or their guests) have the requisite degree of physical fitness required to pleasurably and safely undertake the proposed bushwalk.
7 Details of each proposed bushwalk including the walk route, the commencement time and the anticipated time required to complete the walk will be published on the Group’s meet up website.