The Strangler Cairn

Starting from Booloumba Creek Day Use Area, Kenilworth, this walk takes you to the Strangler Cairn and back via the Conondale Range Great Walk Track, optionally visiting a barred up abandoned gold mine entrance along the way. A granite cairn made by renowned artist Andy Goldsworthy that has a strangler fig sapling planted on top of it, the Strangler Cairn stands 4 metres tall. With its strong way of construction, it’s believed that the structure will be able to withstand the crushing power of the fig encaging it. If it stays intact as predicted, this unique work of art will be of exceptional value to future generations. The subtropical rainforest mixed with wet sclerophyll forest is home to plenty of interesting wildlife such as goannas of different sizes. Keep an eye out for snakes as well. Depending on the weather and track conditions, you may need to park your vehicle 2-3 kilometres up north and cross Booloumba Creek twice on foot unless you have a 4WD vehicle with good clearance. Let us begin by acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we travel today, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.

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Safer Bushwalks Tips on staying safe on track
Before you start any bushwalk ensure you;
• Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are overdue
• Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge for the whole journey
• Consider the impact of weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers
• Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point
• Are healthy and fit enough for this journey
If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help.

Getting There Transport options and directions

Start	(-26.6448896,152.6496403)
Mode	Car (Depending on the weather and track conditions, you may need to park your vehicle 2-3 kilometres up north and cross Booloumba Creek twice on foot unless you have a 4WD vehicle with good clearance.)
Directions	From Bruce Highway, M1 Turn on to then drive for 330 m At roundabout, take exit 2 onto Bli Bli Road, 23 and drive for another 1 km Turn left onto Coronation Avenue and drive for another 1.3 km Turn right onto Price Street and drive for another 880 m Keep left and drive for another 60 m Continue onto Nambour Mapleton Road, 23 and drive for another 10.4 km Turn right onto Obi Obi Road and drive for another 20 km Turn left onto Eumundi Kenilworth Road, 22 and drive for another 1 km Turn slight left onto Elizabeth Street, 22 and drive for another 7.5 km Turn right onto Booloumba Creek Road and drive for another 5.3 km Turn right and drive for another 390 m

Track Notes Turn by turn instructions & maps

Getting started
From Booloumba Creek Day Use Area(off Booloumba Creek Road), follow the signage and head along the singular walking track(Conondale Range Great Walk) as you move directly away from the dirt/gravel road. After about 325 metres, turn sharp left at the 4-way intersection to continue along The Strangler Cairn Track.....

Turn map	Directions & comments
	Start. There is a toilet (about 25 m back from the start). After 255 m come to the "Booloumba Creek No 3 Campground" (110 m on your left). W:www.npsr.qld.gov.au
	After another 95 m (at the intersection of Boloomba Ck No1 campground to Great Walk & Conondale Range Great Walk) turn left, to head along Conondale Range Great Walk. After another 980 m (at the intersection of Conondale Range Great Walk & Creek circuit) continue straight, to head along Conondale Range Great Walk. After another 550 m pass a seat (5 m on your right)., has a backrest.
	The starting point of an alternate route. An alternate route visiting the abandoned gold mine entrance that is barred up. Features a gradural incline via a swithchback track and a steep decline via a near straight track if you take this route on the way back. This route is steeper than the main track and will add around 10-15 minutes to your journey. To take the alternate route veer right here. Details below. After another 100 m (at the intersection of Gold Mine Circuit & Conondale Range Great Walk) continue straight, to head along Conondale Range Great Walk.
	The alternate route finishes here. Veer right to rejoin the main route at the 2.2 km waypoint. Details below. After another 210 m (at the intersection of Gold Mine Circuit & Conondale Range Great Walk) veer left, to head along Conondale Range Great Walk.
	After another 350 m turn right. After another 60 m come to "Strangler Cairn". Strangler Cairn A granite cairn made by renowned artist Andy Goldsworthy that has a strangler fig sapling planted on top of it, standing 4 metres tall above ground. It is expected that the roots of the strangler fig will wrap around the man-made cairn in about a hundred years, making it an exceptional work of art for future generations.
	Turn around here and retrace the main route for 2.6 km to get back to the start.

An alternate route visiting the abandoned gold mine entrance that is barred up. Features a gradural incline via a swithchback track and a steep decline via a near straight track if you take this route on the way back. This route is steeper than the main track and will add around 10-15 minutes to your journey.

Turn map	Directions & comments
	At the intersection of Gold Mine Circuit & Conondale Range Great Walk Start heading along Gold Mine Circuit (a walking track). After 280 m find the "Gold Mine" (35 m on your right). Gold Mine An abondoned barred-up gold mine from the 1920s.
	Turn left, to head along Gold Mine Circuit.
	After another 560 m come to the end. At the end of this alternate route, rejoin the main route.

Terrain Know the Hills, grading & facilities

The Strangler Cairn

Grading

	Class 2/6 Easy track
Length	5.1 km
Time	1 h 30 min to 2 h 30 min

Quality of track	Clear and well formed track or trail (2/6)
Gradient	Gentle hills with occasional steps (2/6)
Signage	Clearly signposted (2/6)
Infrastructure	Generally useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats) (2/6)
Experience Required	No experience required (2/6)
Weather	Weather generally has little impact on safety (2/6)

Some facilities on route

Camp site: There is one 230 m from the start.

Toilet: There is one -24 m back from the start.

Seat: There is one 1.8 km from the start.

Order of key facilities on route

Item	From Start	Name & link to notes
Toilet	-24 m	[toilet]
Camp site	230 m	Booloumba Creek No 3 Campground
Seat	1.8 km	[seat]

Weather & Alerts Check forecasts & closures
Weather Forecast
- Nambour Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
  
  Friday 11 October
  
  Mostly clear.
  
  Clear. Light winds.
  
  Saturday 12 October
  
  14°C → 26°C
  Mostly sunny.
  30% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Partly cloudy. The chance of fog in the early morning, mainly inland. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening. The chance of a thunderstorm from the late morning. Light winds. Overnight temperatures falling to between 10 and 14 with daytime temperatures reaching the mid to high 20s.
  
  Fire Danger Rating: No Rating
  
  UV Alert: Sun protection 8:00am to 3:10pm, UV Index predicted to reach 9 [Very High]
  
  Sunday 13 October
  
  16°C → 24°C
  Shower or two.
  70% chance of rain
  0 → 6mm
  
  Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Winds south to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h tending east to southeasterly in the late morning. Overnight temperatures falling to between 12 and 16 with daytime temperatures reaching the low to mid 20s.
  
  Monday 14 October
  
  16°C → 24°C
  Possible shower.
  40% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower. Light winds becoming northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the day then becoming light during the afternoon. Overnight temperatures falling to between 11 and 16 with daytime temperatures reaching the low to mid 20s.
  
  Tuesday 15 October
  
  15°C → 27°C
  Partly cloudy.
  30% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Light winds becoming northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the day then becoming light during the evening. Overnight temperatures falling to between 12 and 15 with daytime temperatures reaching the mid to high 20s.
  
  Wednesday 16 October
  
  16°C → 27°C
  Shower or two.
  50% chance of rain
  0 → 3mm
  
  Shower or two.
  
  Thursday 17 October
  
  16°C → 29°C
  Possible shower.
  40% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Possible shower.
  
  Friday 18 October
  
  17°C → 30°C
  Possible shower.
  40% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Possible shower.
  
  Forecast data thanks to © Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Alerts
- Conondale National Park alerts
  Wet weather access Conondale National Park
  As a result of wet weather, access is restricted, and some areas are closed until declared safe. Affected parks: Conondale National Park
  Mt Allan fire tower closed to climbing (update 29 Apr)
  Mt Allan fire tower in Conondale National Park is temporarily closed to climbing. An engineering report has indicated the tower is not suitable for public access. The tower will be closed to all access until further notice. Affected parks: Imbil State Forest; Conondale National Park; Conondale Range Great Walk
  
  Alert kindly provided by © Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service

Weather Forecast

Alerts