Day Six
Misty Mountain Trails
Chillagoe Caves
Danbulla Forest Drives and Walks
Walking Treks
Mt Bartle Frere
Mount Bartle Frere is the highest mountain in Queensland at an elevation of 1622 metres. The approach from the western side via Butchers Creek about 15 minutes from Rose Gums. From this starting point (at an altitude of 700 m), guests can complete the climb and descent in a day (about 9-11 hours).
It is best attempted in the dry winter months, from June to October. Walking during the wet season (December to April) brings with it the risks of torrential tropical downpours, poor visibility and leeches. Afterwards the climb enjoy the view of Mt Bartle Frere from your treehouse veranda.
- 15 minutes from Rose Gums
Chillagoe Caves
There are several caves in the area which can be visited. Donna Cave, Trezkinn Cave, and Royal Arch Cave are show caves of the Chillagoe Caves National Park. Bauhinia Cave and Pompeii Cave may be visited on self-guided tours after notifying the Ranger. The caves are inhabited by various bats, for example the Common Bentwing Bat, the Little Brown Bat, the Little Bentwing Bat, and the Sheath-Tail Bat.
The smell of bat guano fills the chambers where many of them live. Of course there are also predators who live in the bats, first off all the Spotted Python. Many insects and spiders live in the caves, many of them live from the remains of the bats. Guests can drive to this authentic outback experience in 3 hours from Rose Gums.
- 3 hours from Rose Gums
Danbulla Forest Drives and Walks
The 27km (17 mile) Danbulla Forest Drive can take a couple of hours or a couple of days to explore, providing access to a host of picnic areas, swimming holes, camping sites and walking tracks only twenty minutes from Rose Gums. The gravel road winds through pine plantations and World Heritage listed rainforest along the edge of Lake Tinaroo.
- 20 minutes from Rose Gums
Misty Mountain Trails
Stunning waterfalls, spectacular rainforest, crystal clear creeks and magnificent vistas are just the beginning. Misty Mountains is Australia’s first network of long distance walking trails in a high altitude rainforest environment. Over 130 kilometres of tracks have been constructed.
Jirrbal and Ma:mu Aboriginal people are the traditional owners of the Misty Mountains. Several of the Misty Mountain walking tracks follow the ridgelines traditionally used by the traditional owners to connect ‘yabulmbara’, the coastal plain, to ‘gambilbara’, the rocky country of the tablelands. Access from Rose Gums is only 50 minutes drive.
- 50 minutes from Rose Gums
