Meunga - The Shady Creek
Explore Meunga Creek, a shady North Queensland valley with crystal-clear pools, giant boulders, and rich wildlife including crayfish and long-necked turtles. This 1983 bushwalk offers rock-hopping, refreshing swims, and rainforest beauty—best enjoyed in cooler months to avoid March flies.
11th Nov. 1983
The day was hot - even a threat of storm in the air - so it was good to be in the shade of the great creamy-barked trees that grew either side of the creek. Coupled with a surprisingly strong flow of crystal water (usually streams are very low in November), made paradise anew in this boulder-strewn valley. A stretch of rock-hopping, then the boulders became larger, the angle steepening, necessitating a bit of scrambling, but also making the river bed fill with large limpid waterholes. Ample swimming facilities at Meunga. There are fish, many murron (crayfish) and I saw two long-necked tortoises - that I have not seen for many years. Also, a less-likable menace, a horde of March-flies, which prevented me from camping on one of the many sandy banks. (One sand-bay ran right under an immense undercut rock, making good shelter in pouring rain). Nothing spectacular, apart from huge fallen boulders in this pleasant creek; as far as I went. I did not reach the top section where "FALLS" are marked on the map, as a big black thunderstorm threatened, making my turn-back time two hours earlier than I intended. A good way to make those higher places would be to camp mid creek, when the marauding flies are dormant.
Map: Kirrama: 1:100,000
Approach: Leave Bruce Highway at Kennedy, turn left at school, then over bridge, first right (under bitumen), which then proceeds south and turns to gravel surface. Turn left at T junction into forestry pine nursery. Many trucks here, so choose those pointing towards obvious gap of Meunga Creek. On the east side of the nursery a 4-wheel track runs parallel to the Creek. When this turns away, a short grassy stretch brings one to the river, with its huge, shady trees, and its abundance of swim-pools - a great boon on a torrid summer day.
Approximately 25 kms from Bruce Highway to Meunga Creek.
H. Kershaw
