Starting from Elanda Point Road, Como, this walk takes you to the Kinaba Information Centre and the foreshore of Lake Cootharaba via the Kinaba Track, visiting several lookouts along the way. Expect to see heaps of bird species as you make your way through the lovely paperbarks and cabbage palms. You’ll get great views of the lake, especially at the mangrove boardwalk at the end. Interpretive signs at the said boardwalk will inform you about the history of the area. You can also take a little detour and visit Mill Point for a panoramic point of view. Try to spot some stingrays whilst taking in the scenery. This shady walk is pretty empty most of the time, including the information centre. Keep in mind that the information centre is also accessible by boat. Take a strong mozzie (Australian term for mosquito) repellent with you to have a better experience. 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.
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.
Start
At the intersection of Elanda Point Road & Cooloola Wilderness Trail (-26.2568315,152.9944747)
At roundabout, take exit 2 and drive for another 280 m
At roundabout, take exit 1 onto Old Bruce Highway and drive for another 1.9 km
Turn right onto Pioneer Road and drive for another 2 km
Turn right onto Reserve Street and drive for another 1 km
At roundabout, take exit 2 onto Reserve Street and drive for another 270 m
Turn left onto Factory Street and drive for another 1.9 km
Turn right onto Louis Bazzo Drive and drive for another 17.2 km
Turn left onto Lake Flat Road and drive for another 2.1 km
Turn right onto Elanda Point Road and drive for another 1.3 km
Continue onto Elanda Point Road and drive for another 65 m
Getting started From Elanda Point Road (480 metres southwest of the Habitat Noosa Hotel), head north along the Cooloola Wilderness Trail as you move away from the road and the lake. Continue straight at the 4-way intersection and cross the wide fire trail. Follow the same trail as you keep the lake to your right to continue along the Kinaba Track.....
Turn map
Directions & comments
At the intersection of Elanda Point Road & Cooloola Wilderness Trail Start heading along Cooloola Wilderness Trail (a footpath).
Find the sign at the start.
Find the car park at the start.
After another 225 m continue straight, to head along Cooloola Wilderness Trail.
After another 340 m continue straight, to head along Cooloola Wilderness Trail.
After another 75 m turn right, to head along Cooloola Wilderness Trail.
After another 500 m continue straight, to head along Cooloola Wilderness Trail.
After another 145 m continue straight, to head along Cooloola Wilderness Trail.
After another 15 m pass the sign (on your left).
The starting point of an optional sidetrip. An optional side trip taking you to Mill Point lookout where you can get great views of Lake Cootharaba. Expect around a 20-minute addition to your walk time (out & back). To start this optional side trip veer right here. On returning from this side trip turn right when you get back to this intersection. Details below.
After another 470 m (at the intersection of Mill Point Trail & Cooloola Wilderness Trail) continue straight, to head along Cooloola Wilderness Trail.
Then pass the sign (on your right).
After another 430 m continue straight, to head along Cooloola Wilderness Trail.
After another 850 m pass the sign (on your left).
At the intersection of Kinaba Track & Cooloola Wilderness Trail turn right, to head along Kinaba Track (a walking track).
After another 3.2 km continue straight.
After another 35 m pass the "Kinaba Information Centre".
After another 20 m come to the "Kinaba Information Centre" (7 m on your right).
Continue straight.
After another 35 m pass the toilet (8 m on your right). This toilet is male and female.
After another 85 m pass the sign (on your right).
Veer left.
After another 25 m come to a viewpoint.
Turn around here and retrace the main route for 6.2 km to get back to the start.
An optional side trip taking you to Mill Point lookout where you can get great views of Lake Cootharaba. Expect around a 20-minute addition to your walk time (out & back).
Turn map
Directions & comments
At the intersection of Mill Point Trail & Cooloola Wilderness Trail Start heading along Mill Point Trail (a walking track).
Find the sign at the start.
After another 320 m continue straight, to head along Mill Point Trail.
After another 400 m come to "Mill Point".
The end.
Turn around and retrace your steps back the 720 m to the main route.
Kinaba Track
Grading
Class 2/6
Easy track
Length
12.4 km
Time
3 h 30 min to 5 h
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)
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
17°C → 24°C
Shower or two. 60% chance of rain 0 → 3mm
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.
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.
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
17°C → 26°C
Shower or two. 50% chance of rain 0 → 2mm
Shower or two.
Thursday 17 October
17°C → 27°C
Possible shower. 40% chance of rain 0 → 1mm
Possible shower.
Friday 18 October
18°C → 28°C
Possible shower. 40% chance of rain 0 → 1mm
Permanent fire prohibition on Teewah Beach (update 9 Oct) A QPWS imposed fire prohibition is in place in the Cooloola Recreation Area, except at Poverty Point camping area. Campfires must not be lit anywhere else in the recreation area including in the Teewah Beach camping zones 1-7. Affected parks: Cooloola Recreation Area, Great Sandy National Park Ocean Lake toilet block temporarily closed for repairs K’gari, Great Sandy National Park. Affected parks: K'gari, Great Sandy National Park Cultural Burn - K'gari (Fraser Island) Oysterman's Lease Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation rangers will conduct a cultural burn between 08 October and 13 October 2024 between Garry’s Anchorage and Snout Point, weather permitting. Affected parks: K'gari, Great Sandy National Park Poison canisters washing up on Southeast Queensland beaches (update) Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) is warning visitors of the potential dangers posed by toxic canisters washing up on Queensland beaches. Affected parks: Woody Island (Tooliewah) and Little Woody Island (Walangoora), Great Sandy National Park; Teerk Roo Ra National Park; St Helena Island National Park; Southern Moreton Bay Islands National Park; South Stradbroke Island Conservation Park; Naree Budjong Djara National Park; Minjerribah Recreation Area; K'gari, Great Sandy National Park; Inskip Peninsula Recreation Area; Gheebulum Kunungai (Moreton Island) National Park and Moreton Island Recreation Area; Cooloola Recreation Area, Great Sandy National Park; Bribie Island National Park and Recreation Area Exposed sand dunes and sand cliffs at Eli Creek Exposed sand dunes and sand cliffs at Eli Creek are unstable and can collapse without warning. Affected parks: K'gari, Great Sandy National Park Zone 8 partial reopening Zone 8 Affected parks: K'gari, Great Sandy National Park Dingo (Wongari) Seasonal Information - Whelping Season (update 30 Aug) Limiting dingo-human interaction, particularly during wongari (dingo) whelping season, is critical to the welfare of pups. This is a particularly important time for pups to learn natural hunting and survival skills and to avoid habituation towards people. Affected parks: K'gari, Great Sandy National Park; K'gari (formerly Fraser Island) Great Walk Seasonal Shorebird Closure Area at Moon Point The Seasonal Shorebird Closure Area at Moon Point is in place each year from Affected parks: K'gari, Great Sandy National Park Park Alert-Tukkee Wurroo (Indian Head) walking track temporary closure (update 1 Jul) Due to severe erosion, access to Tukkee Wurroo (Indian Head) walking track is closed until further notice. Affected parks: K'gari, Great Sandy National Park Unstable sand cliffs and dunes along Rainbow and Teewah beaches (update 28 Jun) Exposed sand cliffs and sand dunes along Rainbow and Teewah beaches are unstable and can collapse without warning. Falling boulders and landslides are common in this dynamic coastal environment and can result in serious injury or death. Affected parks: Cooloola Recreation Area, Great Sandy National Park Cornwells Road, No Heavy Traffic (update 27 Jun) Cornwells Road, between Wabby Scenic Road and Northern Road/Pile Valley Road will be closed to buses and heavy vehicle traffic from 31 July 2022 until further notice due to maintenance and repairs. Affected parks: K'gari, Great Sandy National Park Cooloola Wilderness Trail - No pedestrian access across Kin Kin Creek (update) As a result of flood damage Figtree Point can only be accessed from Harry’s Hut or the Boronia Walk. The Kin Kin Creek pedestrian bridge linking Elanda Point to Figtree Point on the Cooloola Wilderness Trail has been washed away. Affected parks: Cooloola Recreation Area, Great Sandy National Park; Cooloola Great Walk Northern Forests scenic drive CLOSED, detour in place The Northern Scenic Drive between the junction of Bullock link Road and Northern Road, and Woralie Road and Northern Road is CLOSED until further notice due to a structural failure identified in the timber bridge. Affected parks: K'gari, Great Sandy National Park Northern Forests walking track CLOSED Please be advised that due to fire and weather events the Northern Forests walking track will be CLOSED until further notice. Affected parks: K'gari, Great Sandy National Park Threatening dingo activity - Eli Creek, Waddy Point and Wathumba (update 29 Apr) Instances of threatening dingo behaviour have been reported at some locations including Eli Creek, Waddy Point and Wathumba. Affected parks: K'gari, Great Sandy National Park Portable toilets mandatory for Teewah Beach camping zones (update 30 Jan) All campers staying within the Teewah Beach camping zones 1 to 7 must bring and use a portable toilet for the duration of their stay. A minimum of one portable toilet per camping permit holder is required. Affected parks: Cooloola Recreation Area, Great Sandy National Park
Bushwalk
3 h 30 min to 5 h
Toilet: There is one 6.1 km from the start.
Map
Notes
Terrain
Reviews
Conditions
More
Find the sign at the start.
Find the car park at the start.
After another 225 m continue straight, to head along Cooloola Wilderness Trail.
After another 20 m come to the "Kinaba Information Centre" (7 m on your right).
Turn around here and retrace the main route for 6.2 km to get back to the start.
The end.