ESK-HAMPTON ROAD, RAVENSBOURNE
Ravensbourne National Park is a sprawling 687 hectare reserve located on the escarpment between Hampton and Esk, which is home to over 120 officially surveyed bird species. Four varied walking trails feature a mix of rainforest, palm forest and eucalypt bushland, as well as creek crossings and stunning rock formations on the longer tracks. A well-maintained picnic area is a popular spot for families, and the Gus Beutel lookout offers breath-taking views over the Lockyer Valley towards Brisbane and the Scenic Rim.
About The Name... The 'raven' in Ravensbourne is not a bird reference, but the name of an early pastoralist, Mr. Raven, who lived near a creek or 'bourne' in the area. The lookout near the main picnic area was named for Gus Beutel, a German settler, farmer and local landholder who first advocated for the creation of a reserve at Ravensbourne. Mr Beutel ran a kiosk for tourists at the reserve from 1928-34, which offered extra entertainment including ice-creams, a dance hall and a tennis court.
BUSHWALKING GUIDE
| Cedar Block Circuit | Rainforest Circuit | Palm Creek Circuit | Buaraba Creek Walk |
Grade |  moderate* | moderate | moderate |  hard |
Distance | 500m | 1.7km | 3.6km | 6.2km |
Trail Type | loop | return | return | return |
Walking Time | 15min | 40min | 1hr 30min | 2hr |
* Officially Grade 3, this easy trail is suitable for all ages (includes a few natural steps).
Amenities/Suitable For:
Location & Parking:
Ravensbourne National Park is located about half-way along Esk-Hampton Rd. Look for the tram engine at Ravensbourne Recreation Reserve for the turn-off to National Park Road.
Blackbean day-use area, the first parking area on your left, is best access for Rainforest/Palm Creek/ Buaraba Creek trails.
Cedar Block day-use area, marked by a giant Moreton Bay Fig, is best access for Gus Beutel Lookout and Cedar Block Circuit.
Both areas include picnic tables, wood BBQs and pit toilets.
It is possible to take the scenic approach from Palmtree via National Park Rd, however this unsealed road is suited for dry weather only (4WD advised).
Walk 1: Cedar Block Circuit (approx. 15min)
This trail is the perfect spot for an easy stroll after a picnic lunch, or somewhere scenic to get out and stretch your legs on a relaxing weekend drive. Interpretive signs describe the flora and fauna of the park, and the path is clear to follow for even the youngest walkers. Advise children to avoid touching the pale green, love-heart shaped leaves of the giant stinging trees that are common in this park (hairs can still carry a sting when the leaf is dead on the ground).
Starting from the Cedar Block day-use picnic area, walk downhill behind the towering Moreton Bay Fig tree and covered picnic tables to find the entrance to the walk.
This trail descends gently into thick, shady forest. Complete the circuit in a clockwise direction for a downhill slope and (mostly) uphill steps OR complete the circuit in an anti-clockwise direction for (mostly) downhill steps and an uphill slope.
Walk 2: Buaraba Creek via Rainforest/Palm Creek circuits & The Caves (approx. 2hr 30min)
This 7.6km walk showcases just about everything Ravensbourne National Park has to offer, leading you on an ever-evolving journey through different forest-types, as well as a sandstone overhang ('The Caves') and the pretty Buaraba Creek. As the return leg to the carpark is all uphill, I walk this trail in an anti-clockwise direction; completing the loops and side tracks first, while I still have plenty of energy, then heading back to the car via the most direct route.
Starting from the Blackbean day-use area, the trail is shady and wide enough for two adults to walk side-by-side. It descends gently, with a drop-off to your left giving views over the palm forest below.
After about 200m, take the set of stairs up to your right to start the Rainforest Circuit. This loop is winding and densely shaded, and has several staircases to navigate. There are also a few trickling water crossings (likely dry, but could be muddy after rain), and the trail becomes narrow in the final section with a steep gully dropping away to the right (supervise children closely for safety here). Look out for evidence of Aboriginal yam digging sites along the way.
When you reach the end of the Rainforest Circuit, turn right to re-join the main trail and continue on until you reach the massive, unmistakable Sydney Blue Gum. Take the steps descending to the left of the tree (not the narrow pathway to the right of the tree, which isn't marked on the map) and continue on until you reach the signpost for Palm Creek Circuit.
Descend the steep staircase to your right to enter a forest of piccabeen palms. This stretch is drier and more open than previous sections of the walk - a great place to spot a lace monitor (tree goanna) if you're lucky. After 500m, take the signposted side-track to the right to check out The Caves. This fern-fringed, winding sandstone overhang is just tall enough for you to sit inside and shelter from the sun if you need a breather.
Double back to the main trail and continue on for another 500m, passing the trickling Palm Creek crossing, until your arrive at the 'Cordyline Corner' signpost. This directs you to the right, along the side-track to Buaraba Creek.
The 2km trail to Buaraba Creek features the most variety of the walk so far, with a picnic table in open eucalypt forest (an excellent bird-watching area), massive basalt and sandstone boulders, and a final steep descent to the creek-bed past mossy tree trunks, clusters of native palm lilies, casuarinas, and lush tree ferns. Moderately wide and shallow, spring-fed Buaraba Creek has water all year round, and it's a perfect place to rest in the shade or explore along the creek-bed before commencing your final, 3km trek uphill to the carpark.
Discover More...
Have you been on this bushwalk? Contact me via email or Facebook to share your favourite aspects of the trail, or suggest an update to this page.
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