In early June, I visited Mount Bushwalker track in Morton National Park, 30 minutes north of Milton. While not much was flowering, apart from the banksias – which were prolific, it was a beautiful and relaxing walk with stunning views and huge floral diversity.
The track has been recently reconstructed to protect the precious flora, with raised walkways, sandy paths and rock platforms to traverse the bush. The track is always open but may close at times due to poor weather or fire danger. See National Parks website for more information.
Located in Morton National Park, you get there via Porters Creek Dam Road, from the Princes Highway.
The road when we were there was undergoing improvements, but in the unrepaired areas was fairly rugged though still quite passable.
The 7km round trip track starts with a sandy path through banksia heathland and then heads onto the plateau towards the cliffs. The first part of the walk travels over Cradle Swamp and meanders across the plateau to skirt the cliff edges.
The raised pathways mean that you can walk this track pretty much regardless of how much rain the area has had.
This area was badly impacted by the 2019-20 bushfires in NSW and the evidence is there with the burnt out Banksia tree stumps, and the prolific regrowth of vegetation.
Further along, as you head northwest, you hit the cliffs, with magnificent westward views of Clyde Gorge, Folly Point, The Castle and Talaterang Mountain. One of the highlights is the lower platform below the lookout, with hundreds of tiny pools in the rock, similar to what one sees at the beach. Each of these pools is bursting with life.
Flora included Acacia, Banksia spinulosa, Banksia ericifolia, Epacris longiflora, Goodenia sp., Isopogon anemonifolius, Lambertia formosa, Dendrobium speciosum and other orchids.
A walk which I strongly recommend – and I am looking forward to going back in spring, when the flowers will be blooming!