Waterview Creek and Black Hole
Ten walkers tackled Waterview Creek to the legendary Black Hole above Jourama Falls. The hike featured steep climbs, pandanus scrambles, giant figs, snakes, waterfalls, and a freezing swim in the deep pool.
Sunday 28th July 2019
2015 was the last time we did this walk – time to do it again. 10 walkers (4 members, 6 visitors) assembled at Jourama Falls, we started walking at 0180. The steep climb up the trail to top of the ridgeline above Jourama Falls, gets the heart pumping first thing in the day. Quick stop at lookout rock, then along the trail to descend into Waterview Creek above the main Jourama waterfall. We keep going upstream, rock hop along the creek. 0940 we arrive at a waterfall and blockage (the old club lunch spot on some walks) a good morning tea spot. 1005 we move on, go bush to get around this blockage, into spiky panadanus which threatens to cut and tear the unwary – well the leader at last. Those down the back get a nice clear path. Decide to drop down a steep bit to above the waterfall, which is a nice spot. But we are blocked by a higher waterfall, so have to climb out the same way. Damned leader (scenic view he said) !
More waterfalls and nice pools along the way, at every pool some ask “is this the black hole?” – the answer is always no. Another blockage and another bushbash through nasty pandanus. For those wearing shorts, means cut lugs ! Pass the large giant strangler fig, an imposing beast.
Several creek crossings where feet have to get wet, boots on and off, although one crossing some kept boots on and successfully got over with minor wetness. Nearing midday I announce we are five minutes away – well close, due to wet crossing took ten minutes, then we arrived at Black Hole to the good waterfall and large deep pool at 1205, 4 hrs from start. Some leapt in for a swim, with gasps and cries – I had told them it was thermal heated pool, but somebody must have turned the power off, apparently the water was freezing. Some tried to find how deep the pool is, but could not
touch the bottom. Most got out of the water quickly. I tried cajoling the swimmers to return to the water, saying “it is heated way out in the middle” but that was not working. Then they challenged me as to why I was not going in, so I had to invoke Club Rule 38b that the leader cannot swim as must be lookout for safety. Well, that almost worked until the Secretary joined in and the story unravelled. So I then had to invoke my allergy to cold water, hills, and mountains. No credibility, once again.
1300 we head back, this time to try and find Wilfred’s track and use that to come home. We went downstream a bit, then looking back I spied tape higher up – there’s the track ! The track climbs up to the ridgeline. Several times there was strange large excrement on the track, decided that would be from the Mt Spec Yowie. He is orange haired, man sized, and only seen in the mist. No mist today so we will not see him. 45 minutes of track walking, we are at the junction of the Paluma – Jourama track. All downhill now. Zooming along, up onto a log and rock, notice movement next to my foot, a large brown snake curled up under leafy bush, right next to my foot, just starting to move. I back off, and we wait for it to move – which takes a while. Get moving, shortly after a red belly black snake on the track slithers away – hmhhm I might slow down a bit. 1430 we are back at the creek at top of Jourama Falls, a good afternoon tea spot, spectacular.
After a nice break, the final leg back to the cars arriving 1610. A very good day in a nice creek, and with a very good group.
