On a wet October morning in Paluma, the Townsville Hike and Explore group had a decision to make – do we push on ahead with our plan of hiking the K-Traverse and Williams Creek or abandon ship and head home?
Many had pulled out of this adventure due to the weather, however the remainder, including a couple of group members joining us all the way from Ingham, unanimously decided to tackle this adventure – rain, hail or shine! Their decision would well and truly pay off – what an awesome group of explorers!
Carpooling and setting off from close to the Paluma Dam, we hiked a section of the K-Traverse. This trail, which appears to be an old logging road, showcases numerous artifacts and historical points of interest from the logging era. Evidence of large trees cut down during this time are visible most of the way along the trail, as far as the eye can see. There is what appears to be at least two cleared camp sites, an old wooden loading ramp and numerous timber dumps close to the trail with sawed pieces of timber of all shapes and sizes visible.
The tiger leaches (Richardsonianus australis) were troublesome on overgrown sections of the trail as we made our way down to what is locally known as “Platypus Lagoon”. This impressive lagoon in the middle of the rainforest is fed by a small, cascaded waterfall and beckons the explorer to jump in for a swim!
From the lagoon, we headed off to explore an impressive waterfall with a deep pool underneath. Water levels are low, however given the depth and size of the pool, the group was able to enjoy a cool swim as the temperature rose in the middle of the day!
The walk from the falls to Chicks Road is entirely on trail and we passed and explored an old sawmill with huge piles of sawdust and other relics visible.
This was another fabulous Townsville Hike and Explore adventure, sharing the historical and outdoor experience with our community and region!
