Adventure: Mapleton National Park - Gheerulla Full Loop

If you’re up for a challenge, this 24km top end section of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland’s Great Walk (part of the 10,064 hectare Mapleton National Park), is well worth the effort, ranking as one of the most scenic trails around!

Suitability

This trail best suits walkers with some experience and who are well prepared.

Highlights

This stunning national park offers mountain scenery, rocky bluffs with panoramic views, numerous creeks, waterfalls and mixed forestry.

Starting on the Gheerulla side, the trail is long and challenging, but incredibly rewarding, with spectacular scenic changes from the creek deep in the valley up through the ridges and gullies of classic Queensland bush. You’ll be amazed at the height of the grass trees in parts.

On your journey, you’ll see remnants of the area’s logging past, with numerous large tree stumps still rotting slowly.

However the forest still flourishes with several sections of beautiful tall red and blue eucalypts providing expansive canopies. In other parts there are Kauri Pines, Brush box, Iron bark, Tamarind and scrub rosewood if you know your species and where to look

Make sure you take the side turn to Gheerulla Falls – a welcome respite.

Afterwards

You will have well and truly earned your refreshments from the nearby country towns of Kenilworth or Eumundi.

It’s worth considering camping to round it out, for example at the Kenilworth homestead on the banks of the nearby Mary River. There are only 3 camp spots at the start of the walk.

How to get there

There are 2 possible starting points:

1) On the Gheerulla side: Heading north on the M1, take the Eumundi turnoff and the road to Kenilworth. About 25 kilometres later you will come to Sam Kelly Road on your left, a single lane dirt road. From Kenilworth, it’s approximately 7.5 km. Follow this dirt road for approximately 1.5 km when you will cross a cattle grid. Park right by the National Park sign. The marked trail starts here off to your right.

2) On the Mapleton side: From Mapleton township take the Obi Obi Road and turn right into Delicia Road. Drive along for about 5 km till you come to a dip in the road where you see a sign on the right to Gheerulla Falls. Park here.

Trail  

For more than 250 walking, running, paddling, cycling, mountain-biking and horse-riding trails on the Sunshine Coast #chooseyournextadventure with Adventure Sunshine Coast at https://adventure.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/

NB – For those who have a four-legged friend they wish to take on their adventures – be sure to check out council’s handy interactive off leash dog map️ to help identify the current dog off-leash, on-leash and prohibited areas when you’re out and about across the Sunshine Coast local government region (ie council managed public land): https://pets.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/