Big Birthday to Little Birthday Creek Loop via Stinky Creek - Trip Report

Date: 10 April 2021
Leader: Luen
Participants: 3

Three of us met for another exploratory off-track adventure in the Mt Spec area, this time linking Little Birthday Creek with Big Birthday Creek via Stinky Creek and the old JCU Research Station site.

Starting from the Paluma Dam Road bridge, we dropped down to the creek and began making our way upstream. It was a beautiful start to the day, with lush green rainforest, clear water, and mostly easy creek walking. The creek here was fairly flat, with small rocks underfoot that made progress straightforward. Every now and then, we came to deeper pool sections, which we either waded through or sidled around. A small cascade provided an easy little climb and added to the fun.

As we continued upstream, one disappointing feature of the walk was the scattered plastic and rubbish caught along the creekline, which became more noticeable as we approached the abandoned JCU Research Station. Despite that, this section was fascinating to explore. The old research infrastructure gave a glimpse into how scientific data had once been collected in the area, and it was interesting to imagine the work that had taken place there over the years. Wilfred and his team had already done a clean-up there not long before this walk, and we (Wilfred, myself and co) returned a few weeks later on the weekly Thursday trail maintenance to remove more rubbish from the site.

From the old research station, we picked up the old logging road, long overgrown in places but still followable, and used it to connect back to the main Paluma trail network. We then followed the Paluma Village to Paluma Dam track until reaching Stinky Creek.

From there, we headed upstream to where the Paluma Dam water is piped across the landscape. The large above-ground pipe was an impressive sight, and the stagnant smell of the water in this section reminded us exactly why Wilfred had given the creek its memorable name many years ago.

Leaving Stinky Creek, we then had to navigate through dense rainforest across the watershed towards Little Birthday Creek. This was the trickiest part of the day, requiring a bit of route-finding through thick vegetation, although the pipeline gave a rough line to follow. Once on the other side, the pipe reappeared above ground, but instead of simply following it back out, we chose the more interesting option and dropped into Little Birthday Creek.

Little Birthday Creek turned out to be a lovely finish to the day. It had a similar feel to Big Birthday Creek - gentle, green, and inviting - but on a slightly smaller scale. The creek was easy to travel, with small rocky sections, shallow flowing water, clear pools, and a few little cascades along the way. It felt like a relaxed rainforest stroll, and as we walked, I could not help thinking it would be fun to come back one day in higher flow and see whether it might be lilo-able.

A good day out and a rewarding exploratory loop through a beautiful part of Paluma Range National Park that combined easy creek walking, a bit of history, and some navigation.

- Luen