Donnellys Creek - Southport Lagoon

Tuesday 27th October 2015

Mouth of Donnellys Creek

 My aim for today's walk was to access the Leprena Track in the Southport Lagoon area, and then walk to Donnellys Creek via some old tracks, and then walk around the foreshore to a point where I could get back to some abandoned tracks, and back to the car. It all worked out rather well.
I set off from the end of a forestry track. It wasn't really the end but it was as far as I wanted to take the car. I could have driven down Lune River Road and parked at the locked gate which would have saved about 600 metres of walking each way. Anyway, the track was not too bad, although somewhat overgrown in places, but I soon reached the gate and the Leprena Track.

Leprena Track

Leprena Track

 The track was okay but is starting to overgrow and there were a few puddles to dodge. After about 3 kms. of walking on the track, I reached the turnoff for Donnellys Creek, just before a large log across the track.

Large Log at Donnellys Creek Turnoff

The track traversed button grass plains and was generally easy to follow but became indistinct in a few places. Also there were pools of water in places which had to be negotiated. It was about as wet as I had been expecting - much drier than in the winter time. It did not take a long time to walk to the mouth of Donnellys Creek. Here was an old hut which would have been quite good in its day but the bedroom door had been left open and I think all sorts of critters had been living in it.

Donnellys Creek Hut

Bedroom

Bedroom

Fireplace

Looking up Donnellys Creek

Looking South From Donnellys Creek

After a short break I headed off in a southerly direction around the foreshore. The walking was quite easy on small rocks and I had to climb over many trees across my path. I had to cross a couple of small creeks on my way around and luckily there was a convenient log spanning the largest one.

Log spanning the creek

I carried on around the shoreline, dodging the occasional mud, and eventually reached the pick shaped headland.

Mouth of Donnellys Creek

Small Island in Southport Lagoon

Small Beach just before the Headland

 I debated whether to keep going straight ahead to the coastline or to cross the small isthmus in a southerly direction. I went straight ahead but could not get down to the beach as the cliffs were too steep, so just walked along until I could get down at the southern tip. I could hear the surf roaring over on Big Lagoon Beach.

Southport Lagoon

Southport Lagoon

Around the Headland

I found some good rocks to sit on for lunch, and after a short break, I headed across the button grass plains searching for an old vehicle track. It didn't take long before I found it and simply followed it and the Leprena Track back to the car.
This was a good walk with nice coastal scenery and some views of the mountains to the west were also visible.
Distance: 18.0 kms.
Time: 5'52"
Ascent: 240 metres
Click here to download GPX file.

Button Grass Plains

Mountains to the west

Adamsons Peak