As Ipswich’s Google Trekker and an avid hiker I’ve seen quite a few hiking destinations over the years and after all this time there’s one special place that keeps calling me back – Mount Flinders.
Just minutes from Ipswich, this ever looming, ever present mountain stands where it has always stood, as the land, its animals, ancient forests and distant peoples have ebbed and flowed in its shadow.
For hikers, adventurers and outdoor enthusiasts alike, Mount Flinders is an absolute must visit location.
Beginning in the aptly named Flinders Plum Picnic area, the ascent will immediately take you through a range of unique environments; from dense bushland, up rocky escarpments, through rainforest, across ridges and into the windswept rocky outcrops of the mountain’s summit. It’s truly an amalgamation of sights and sounds as the forest transforms around you.
Along the way, keep an eye out for brush tailed rock wallabies scurrying across the landscape and wedge tailed eagles soaring in the wind currents above. This particular destination is a refuge for some of our most vulnerable plant and animal species and if you’re lucky, you just might get to experience some of them first hand.
But Mount Flinders isn’t for the faint of heart. Portions of the trail involve rock hopping, significant bouldering and a reasonable level of fitness is required to make it to the top. But should you make it that far, the rewards speak for themselves.
Awe inspiring views, terrific heights and astounding visibility stretching from Brisbane City to the Scenic Rim. Personally, I’d recommend taking up a position on the north face for twilight, to catch an unforgettable display of gorgeous pink light, cascading across plummeting valleys and rolling hills.
As the final breath of day gives way to a vibrant and starry night, take pause in the thought that people have shared this experience for thousands of years. This stillness, this peace, this majesty of our great southern land. Our mountain out the back, in the bush, Mt Flinders.
Don’t miss the opportunity to spend some time in our very own gem of history and beauty, right here on our doorstep.
