Illinbah Circuit

Area: Binna Burra

Illinbah Circuit

Distance: 16.6.km
Time: 6 - 7 hours

Difficulty: Grade 4 This is moderately difficult/hard
Start Time: 8.45am
Carry your lunch in your back-pack

Meet up: 8.30 am Info Centre Binna Burra. Car pool from Nerang, leave at 7.30.

Illinbah circuit (eastern side) - Closed from the first junction on the Gwongoorool track to the Illinbah bush camp. The western side of the Illinbah circuit (access is from the second junction on the Gwongoorool track) will remain open. Once visitors reach the Illinbah bush camp, please return via the same track.

Walk leader: Warwick 0408 300056
Please read the Conditions of Group Membership and event participation at the end of the walk description.
For those of you who have done the Gwongoorool Pool track, please note that this is the same walk plus about 13 kms.

At first the Illinbah Track forms part of the track which leads to Gwongoorool Pool and it passes through mixtures of eucalypt forest and rainforest - there are steep descents and over 200 steps on the track. About one third of the way down to the bottom of the gorge, a junction is reached where the top Illinbah Track leads off to the right. This point is where the main Illinbah Circuit begins and ends and it can be walked in either direction. Heading in the direction which first passes to the Coomera River and then returns along the top track, the track now passes down hill to the River and the right hand junction is taken when the path to Gwongoorool is reached.

This is the part that is open:
The track now travels down the Coomera River using the 'Old Cedar Road' - a track built by cedar cutters in the early 1900's when they were hauling out cedar logs with bullock teams. We cross the river 12 times before reaching the Illinbah area. On the way, there are beautiful stands of piccabeen palms, an enormous specimen of a strangling fig, and of course lovely views of the Coomera River at each crossing (this track should not be attempted when the river is in flood). The Old Cedar Road is sometimes in poor condition and the river crossings are often difficult because the frequent floods change the positions of boulders and track entrances. Usually the track endings on each side of the river are marked with an easily visible red tag on a tree.

Please only RSVP if you are up for a challenging walk as there are several river crossings although we may not go if there has been any significant rain in the previous 7 days.

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.

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/australia/queensland/illinbah-circuit