Lamington NP - Platypus Pool
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 3.43 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,650 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Moderate
- Elevation loss
- 1,358 ft
- Max elevation
- 2,599 ft
- TrailRank
-
52
3.7
- Min elevation
- 2,599 ft
- Trail type
- One Way
- Time
- 5 hours 35 minutes
- Coordinates
- 589
- Uploaded
- February 10, 2014
- Recorded
- February 2014
near Beechmont, Queensland (Australia)
Viewed 6388 times, downloaded 171 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
This is a short fun off trail hike that visits one on Lamington's prettiest swimming holes and is a great summer hike. It starts at Kumeran Lookout and heads off-track directly from the car park South East to find a dry creek bed and follows this down to Canungra Creek. From here a one hour rock hop up stream will find you at Platypus pool. 500m up stream just after a cascade and at a bunch of car size boulders will be an obscure entrance to a creek. Follow this up to the top of water fall system with moderate scrambling. There is always an easier route around any cliff if the scrambling is above your grade. However, a direct line up the water course is possible in dry conditions. At the top take a bearing to Romeo Lahey Memorial. This hike is all off track and needs some navigational skill to find the route to the finish. Keep your eye out for the odd stinging tree along the way.
Waypoints
Intersection
1,220 ft
Ascent trail head
Car park
2,533 ft
Romeo Lahey Memorial
Car park
2,314 ft
Kamarun Lookout
Lamington National Park
Lake
1,236 ft
Platypus Pool
Current Track: 09 FEB 2014 09:08
Intersection
2,149 ft
Platypus Top of Creek
Current Track: 09 FEB 2014 09:08
Comments (4)
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Did it with a group of 8 from medium to high level of hiking experience. This trail took considerably longer including a couple of hours breaks. The description is misleading if you want to take in consideration a wider range of hiking experiences. The rock-hopping is challenging in places for short legged people so walking through the creek is the better option but also slower. Similarly, scrambling up the gorge is quite involved due to lots of debris and fallen trees on the track. The bush is less preferred due to stinging trees and Lantana so only used when the scrambling gets too technical (high exposed boulders) and towards the end of the trail/gorge. This is definitely not an easy (or even moderate) hike. It is a difficult hike (mid Wikiloc range). It is fun but expect a very long day in difficult terrain and rain would add to its difficulty. Then the bush bashing with stinging trees are to be remembered! Best to wear fully covered clothing and leather gloves :)
Oh yes, haha. I remember these. One brushed against my thigh. Stung like heck for ages and that was through long pants. Very nasty!
-Tom https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/lamington-np-platypus-pool-6116500/photo-3335201
Did this with a group, 5 of us had good experience and ability, 3 did not and should not have started). People need to be very confident on off-track trails with a bit of scrambling. Walking back up the gorge (as agms says) is difficult, especially for tired people who are not used to rock-hopping or scrambling. Lots of stinging trees (agony). Can be a full day hike. If you are experienced off-track, it is beautiful and Platypus Pool is magnificent. Would take experienced hikers around 6-8 hours to complete if you allow for lunch stops. Start early and don't go in months when it gets dark too early or after recent rain. NOT FOR INEXPERIENCED HIKERS. Wear long sleeves, pants and take rain and thermal gear and a good torch. Some might need a helping hand or rope up the more scrambly bits.
G and I did this and Stairway Falls as a through walk. We had done both as day walks before but decided to explore the creek between. It was awesome and it was moderate for us. We did not experience any of the issues noted above. See https://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=19901396