Stoney Creek exploration from Wallaman Falls - Trip Report

Date: Sunday 23 August 2020
Leader: Luen

With only two of us on this adventure - Graeme and me - it turned into one of those small but memorable exploratory days that make North Queensland off-track walking so rewarding.

We started at Wallaman Falls and took the main track down to the base of the falls, where the sheer scale of the cliff and the spray from the plunge pool made for a spectacular beginning. After enjoying the view at the base, we had a look at the start of the old 1989 route that heads up the usually dry side of the waterfall - out of curiosity rather than commitment. From there, we turned our attention downstream and began exploring Stoney Creek.

Leaving the main tourist track behind, we rock hopped our way down the creek and worked around the left-hand side of the falls. It quickly became a proper off-track scramble. There were steep sections, slippery rock, and a series of small downclimbs that kept things interesting. At one point, we downclimbed a short cliff with the help of a handy vine & small tree - very much a classic "use what the mountain gives you" moment. We then crossed a steep side gully by edging across the top of a fallen log, with some gympie gympie stinging trees around us adding to the atmosphere.

After a few more careful downclimbs, we reached the top of the last waterfall in the creek section we were following. The rock formations through this area were impressive, with sculpted granite, clear pools, and steep walls hemming us in.

Rather than stop there, we decided to explore upstream into a tributary on the eastern side, below the Herbert River Valley Lookout.

This side creek was a real surprise, we ended up nicknaming it Lookout Creek. We were able to climb around the first few waterfalls on the left-hand side without too much trouble, and it led us to a beautiful pool beneath another waterfall - a perfect spot for a swim and a break. It was one of those hidden places that feels tucked away from the world. Beyond that point, however, the creek cliffed out and pinched in and there was no obvious easy way forward.

After our brief swim, we decided it was time to test our luck on the escape plan - a steep spur heading up towards the Wallaman Falls track and lookout. From below, it looked brutally steep, and it did not disappoint. We first had to bash through a patch of lantana and chossy rock before breaking into open grassland. The slope was so sharp in places that we were hauling ourselves upward by grabbing clumps of grass in each hand. It was hard work, with plenty of puffing and a few muttered comments about whose bright idea this had been. At some point along the ridge, we heard the rocks rumble (a possible landslip occurred?), and we found out later that it was an earthquake in Bowen.

Higher up, the ridgeline eased slightly, but then came the sting in the tail - a cliff band cutting across the slope and seeming to run endlessly in both directions. Straight up was out of the question, and the terrain to the right looked especially loose and unsafe. We contoured left along the cliffline, hoping for a weakness, occasionally spotting what looked like animal pads through the scrub. After roughly 100 m of contouring, we finally found a break in the cliff.

That gap was a huge relief. The break turned out to be almost like a formed footpad - easy to follow, and mercifully straightforward after the steep grass and uncertainty below. From there, it was only a short climb of a few more vertical metres before we reached the chain fence line of the walking track.

Once back on the official track, we stopped at the Herbert River Valley Lookout to take in the broad views and enjoy the simple luxury of being on flat ground again. From there, it was an easy walk back to the car at Wallaman Falls lookout.

A great day out with Graeme - full of rock hopping, swims, route finding, steep country, and that satisfying mix of uncertainty and reward that comes with exploratory off-track walking.

- Luen