Townsville Bushwalking Club

We just posted four new adventures have just been added to the Townsville Bushwalking Club calendar! 🥾🌿

📅 Saturday 29 August, 7:00 am - Killymoon Creek introductory walk, led by Molly Hoey

💦 Sunday 6 September, 7:00 am - Ethel Creek Falls, led by Amanda and Cherry

🌊 Sunday 13 September, 7:00 am - The Terraces, led by Cherry and Amanda

⛰️ Sunday 18 October, 7:00 am - Dalrymple Gap, led by Cherry

There are some beautiful North Queensland adventures ahead, with creek country, waterfalls, and rainforest tracks to explore in what remains of our winter.

View the full event details and RSVP using the contact information listed for each walk:

🔗 https://townsvillebushwalkingclub.com/calendar/

We hope to see you on the track!

We had a great morning at Pallarenda Park on Saturday for the Townsville Bushwalking Club's Hiking and Camping Show and Tell.

Members laid out an impressive range of tents, packs, sleeping mats, shelters, and other gear, sharing what they carry, why they carry it, and how they prepare for day walks, overnight walks, multi-day adventures, and North Queensland conditions.

There was plenty to compare and discuss, from lightweight shelters and sleeping systems to pack weight, cooking gear, clothing, water, navigation, safety, and food. Of course, the sleeping mats also received some very thorough comfort testing! 😄

A big thank you to Brent for leading the session, and to Cherry and everyone else who brought gear, showcased their setups, shared practical tips, and asked questions. It was a relaxed, social, and genuinely useful morning.

Whether you are planning your first overnight walk or have been bushwalking for years, there is always something new to learn from seeing how others do things.

Thanks to everyone who came along!

Waterfall after waterfall, deep swimming holes, terraced rock faces, and a camp perched high above the rainforest - this is the kind of wild country that makes every scramble worthwhile. Remote places like this are a reminder to travel carefully, respect private property and access arrangements, leave no trace, and protect the experience for those who come after us.

📍Bowling Green Bay National Park
📸 Conor Sarran

In June 1962, two young members of Townsville's outdoor community set out by canoe from The Strand towards Magnetic Island and never returned.

John Raymond Bowkett, aged 24, and Peter Hetherington, aged 18, were bound for Florence Bay in a yellow canoe with red sails and paddles. What followed was an extensive land, sea, and air search involving police, locals, aircraft, RAAF Neptunes, crash launches, and chartered vessels.

Despite these efforts, John and Peter were never found.

Their loss deeply affected the Townsville N.P.C. Bushwalkers' Club, the early predecessor of Townsville Bushwalking Club. Today, a memorial plaque near Mount Cook on Magnetic Island helps keep their story, and their place in local outdoor history, from being forgotten.

Read more:
https://townsvillebushwalkingclub.com/kayak-sailing-from-townsville-to-magnetic-island-florence-bay-1962/
https://townsvillebushwalkingclub.com/two-canoeists-missing-magnetic-island-1962/
https://townsvillebushwalkingclub.com/escape-magazine-dec-1987/ -canoeists-missing
https://townsvillebushwalkingclub.com/a-long-walk-to-the-pub-2014/

Throwback to May 1966, when Townsville Bushwalking Club joined forces with the Townsville Camera Club for a combined weekend at Running River.

Twenty-three people came along - 14 bushwalkers and 9 camera club members - for camping, swimming, photography, creek crossings, and a classic North Queensland campfire evening.

Tents were pitched on the broad sandy beach, brave souls took a swim in the cool pool, and stories of "more rigorous" bushwalks were shared around a blazing fire.

Sunday morning brought a special reward when one member climbed the hill before breakfast and spotted a platypus in the pool - a lucky stroke indeed.

The Camera Club members kept pace admirably through the rough country, with cameras clicking at Puzzle Creek and Peters Gate. It is a lovely reminder that the Club has always been about more than just kilometres - it is about shared experiences, collaboration, and bringing different outdoor communities together.

Nearly 60 years later, the spirit still feels familiar: campfires, wildlife sightings, creek crossings, photography, and good company.

Read the full story:
https://townsvillebushwalkingclub.com/running-river-1966/

We recently experienced some issues with our email server, which may have affected email delivery in the past two weeks.

This has now been fixed thanks to the team at DakTech

So if you expected a reply to your email that you have not received, please let us know.

Cheers

Throwback to 1962, when "hard" really meant hard.

One gem from the Townsville Bushwalking Club archives recounts a 24-hour amphibious mission to Mt Straloch on Hinchinbrook Island.

The party combined 290 km of travel by Land Rover, 14.5 km by canoe, and 5 km on foot - through mangroves, tidal channels, rocky creeks, and steep slopes. Along the way, they searched for plane wreckage, watched the tides, avoided crocodiles, boiled the billy, ran out of petrol on the way home, and still made it back to Townsville by 4:30 am - with some of the party heading to work shortly after.

The logistics were creative, the terrain was rough, and the spirit was unmistakably TBWC.

If you enjoy a bit of club history, nostalgia, or perspective on what "hard" used to mean, this one is worth a read.

Read the full story:
https://townsvillebushwalkingclub.com/mt-straloch-1962/

Throwback to New Year's 1961, when two Townsville Bushwalking Club members paddled a dugout canoe into the Herbert Gorge.

No carbon paddles. No dry bags. No lightweight expedition kit. Just a Land Rover, a hand-assembled outrigger canoe, strong tea, slippery rapids, and a willingness to improvise.

Peter Hetherington and Roy Lane paddled about 65 km along the Herbert River, navigating long rapids, steep gorge walls, rainforest cliffs, clouds spilling over the mountain tops, and the constant roar of fast-flowing water at night.

On the return journey, they shot nearly all the rapids and covered about 32 km downstream in just 4.5 hours. The report ends with a wonderfully understated line:

"I wonder if anyone will do it this year."

More than 60 years later, that spirit of exploration still feels very familiar. If you enjoy reading about the grit, creativity, and quiet ambition that shaped this Club, this historical trip report is well worth a read.

Read the full story:
https://townsvillebushwalkingclub.com/into-the-herbert-gorge-1961/

🥾 Exploring the Waterfalls of Alligator Creek

Five walkers set out on an exploratory off-track adventure through one of the lesser-known creek systems in Bowling Green Bay National Park.

After leaving the formed track, the group followed a mostly dry creek bed through rainforest, rock-hopping and scrambling past a series of granite waterfalls and cascades. Although there was only a trickle of water, the scale of the falls was impressive, and the upper slabs offered excellent views across the valley towards Joy's Cliff and The Pinnacles.

The day also included feral pig sightings, plenty of route-finding, some steep scrambling, and one memorable introduction to a North Queensland stinging tree!

Join the Townsville Bushwalking Club for hikes, adventures, and friendships on and off the trails of North Queensland.

Townsville Bushwalking Club AGM 2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Annual General Meeting on Monday evening.

Outgoing President Molly reflected on another successful year for the club, while Secretary Cherry thanked the committee and gave special recognition to Luen for his contribution throughout the year. Treasurer Keith also presented his financial report, confirming the club remains in a healthy position.

We sincerely thank our outgoing 2025-26 committee for their time, energy, and dedication:
* President: Molly Hoey
* Secretary: Cherry Judge
* Treasurer: Keith D
* Committee: Wilfred Karnoll, Amanda, Luen Warneke, and Ian Wallace

We are pleased to welcome our new committee for 2026-27:
* President: Amanda
* Secretary: Cherry Judge
* Treasurer: Keith D
* Committee: Wilfred Karnoll and Luen Warneke

Congratulations to Amanda on her appointment as President, and a heartfelt thank you to Molly for her leadership and contribution to the club.

Members also voted to abolish the $5 visitor fee, while retaining the requirement that visitors apply for membership after participating in three walks. The club also approved a $200 donation to AWC in recognition of its important conservation work and the access it provides for some of our activities.

We look forward to another wonderful year of bushwalking, adventure, friendship, and exploring the beautiful places around North Queensland.


Cherry Judge Molly Amanda Wilfred Karnoll Luen Warneke Ian Wallace