Easter Long Weekend to Paradise Beach and Castle Rock - Trip Report

Trip leader: Wilfred Karnoll
Dates: Friday 3 April to Sunday 5 April 2026
Participants: 8

A big thank you to Wilfred for leading a tremendous three-day Easter long-weekend trip to Paradise Beach and Castle Rock at Cape Cleveland in Bowling Green Bay National Park. With remote beaches, overgrown coastal country, granite ridges, wild surf, and a relaxed beach camp, it was another memorable Townsville Bushwalking Club adventure in one of the region's most special coastal landscapes.

The trip began on Good Friday, with the group walking into Paradise Beach, via Sunset Beach, along the well-known route through the forest and behind the dunes. After the recent long wet season, the grass was high and thick in places, especially in the flatter country, and some sections were quite overgrown. Even so, the trail was easy to follow, which made navigation straightforward. With the group passing through, the grass should now be a little flatter for the next people making their way to Paradise Beach.

One of the great advantages of this trip was Wilfred's local knowledge. A couple of years ago, he found a freshwater stream on Paradise Beach, and that made a real difference again this year. Rather than having to carry every drop of water for the entire trip, the group was able to refill at the creek near camp and treat the water before drinking it. On a warm coastal walk with full packs, that is a major bonus.

After reaching Paradise Beach, the group set up camp in the grass near the creek. Tent sites were made by flattening out the grass underfoot, and before long, a comfortable little camp had formed among the trees. Food was hung up to keep it safe from rats and other opportunistic wildlife, and everyone settled into the rhythm of a remote beach camp, switching off and relaxing for the Easter weekend.

Eight participants joined the trip overall, although not all stayed for all three days. As Wilfred later reported, Molly came in on Friday for a day walk only, while Brent stayed for one night (both are long-time Club members). That left six walkers continuing with the full main trip through to Sunday.

The coastal country was looking especially good after the wet. Grass trees were in bloom, wattles were bright with yellow flowers, and the mix of green hills, granite outcrops, blue water, and sandy beaches made for a beautiful backdrop all weekend. Along the way, Wilfred pointed out plants and wildlife as usual and shared some bush knowledge with the group. He also introduced people to a few edible treats from the landscape, including coconut and wild passionfruit, which added a nice touch to the trip.

Saturday was the big exploration day. The six who remained in camp headed up via the saddle towards Castle Rock, where they stopped for lunch and took in the spectacular coastal views. This section of the route always rewards the effort, with a mix of forest, open rocky slopes, and increasingly expansive outlooks over Paradise Beach, the rugged headlands, and the sea beyond. One of the highlights was a vantage point atop a large granite boulder, where the group perched above the coastline and soaked in the scenery from AIMS to Townsville (and Castle Hill).

After lunch, the group came straight back down for a swim on the beach. The sea was lively, with some wild waves adding a bit of excitement to the afternoon. Back at camp, the Easter spirit continued when Wilfred handed around his usual chocolate Easter eggs, which were, unsurprisingly, very well received.

That evening, the group went spotlighting. One of the university students on the trip is studying zoology, so there was plenty of interest in what might be found after dark. Wildlife sightings were modest, but still enjoyable - a microbat, some fireflies, and the usual atmosphere of the bush at night. Sometimes it is less about how much you see and more about being out there and paying attention.

Camp life also brought plenty of conversation. In Wilfred's words, he came home with a headache from listening to all the talk from the other five, who talked all day and most of the night. With three university students, one high school teacher, and one university learning adviser in the group, there was no shortage of conversation, ideas, and discussion. Wilfred noted that at least he did not have to work too hard to keep things going.

Sunday started early, with several group members heading down for a morning yoga session on the beach before sunrise. It sounded like a peaceful and memorable way to begin the last day. The sunrise itself was a little disappointing, with a large cloud bank sitting out to sea, but being up on a remote beach at first light was still a pretty special way to start the morning.

Once camp was packed up, the group walked back out the same way, retracing the route through the track, the long grass, and the coastal forest. They arrived back just after lunch, wrapping up a very successful Easter weekend trip. As Wilfred joked afterwards, "eight of us went in, and six came out yesterday just after lunch", before clarifying that Molly had only joined for Friday and Brent had stayed for one night.

Wilfred also remarked that carrying a full overnight pack nearly killed him, and that perhaps it had been a while since he had last carried a full kit. Anyone who has hoisted a loaded pack after a break would understand the feeling. Still, it clearly did not stop him from leading a great trip and sharing another classic Cape Cleveland adventure with the club.

A big thank you to Wilfred for leading three tremendous days at Paradise Beach and Castle Rock, and for once again sharing the route knowledge, water source, bush tucker, Easter eggs, stories, and quiet persistence that make these club trips possible. Cape Cleveland remains one of North Queensland's great coastal bushwalking experiences - remote beaches, coastal camps, granite viewpoints, flowering bush, and this Easter trip was another reminder of just how lucky we are to have such a wild and beautiful place so close to Townsville.

- Luen
Photos by Brent and Sue