Dave's Creek Circuit

Dogs No Dogs

Features Birding · Cave · Geological Significance · River/Creek · Views · Waterfall · Wildlife

Check for road and trail closures before you go. There are often slides and sometimes trails and roads can be impassable for long periods of time.

This was our first trip to Binna Burra, and it was well worth it. It's a beautiful drive.

Binna Burra is the first stop on the Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk. At the Binna Trailhead, you'll find the Binna Burra Lodge and Campground, the tea house and the Grooms Cottage & Bushwalkers Bar. There is a kiosk in front of the Tea House for information and self-check-in to the campground. It is always a good idea to check the local signage as some tracks may be closed. The trails are well signed, but it's always nice to have a map.

The trail begins at the Binna Burra trailhead and follows the border track for 3-4 kilometres before branching into Dave's Creek Circuit. The first part of the route travels through subtropical rainforest and is primarily shady before coming out on the sunny side of the mountain. The change in flora and fauna from the shaded to the bright side of the hill is quite interesting.

At 5.2 kilometres, you encounter a short track that veers to the right, leading to Molongolee Cave. The cave is more of a large indentation in the rock than a cave, but being this close, you might as well check it out because it's still interesting.

The following central point of interest is the Numinbah lookout, looking over the Numinbah Valley. The Numinbah Lookout is around the halfway point of the hike. On the way back to the trailhead, you'll encounter Surprise rock. If you are navigating the circuit counter-clockwise, there will be a rock wall on your left. At the end of the rock wall, there will be a track that is easy to miss but will take you to a nice view of Surprise Rock. When you reach the intersection with the Shipstern circuit, it's worth hiking a short distance down the Shipstern Circuit to see Nagarigoon Falls.

After returning to the Shipstern intersection it's an easy slight downhill hike back to the trailhead and time for a visit to the Tea House or the Bushwalker's Bar. The Tea house also has a gift shop you can visit stocked with a few essentials.

We saw a couple of Wallabies and a python. We also happened a cross a flock of very noisy Rosellas which was great to see as I've only ever seen them in quiet pairs before. There are also many species of fungus and small birds.