This blog continues my record of climbs up some of the volcanic peaks on the border of Queensland and New South Wales. This one relates to Mount Maroon, a part of the Focal Point volcano in the south of Queensland. This peak lies about 120kms (or a 1 hour 45 minutes drive) south south west of Brisbane.
Mount Maroon is 967m high and provides a fun, short ascent. And, rarely, amongst peaks in this area actually has views from its summit. In fact the views are rather good. This outing took just 4 hours, including 30 minutes at the top taking in those views.
The start of the climb is at a trailhead at the end of Cotswold Road, which is an unsealed road that leads off from Route 93 to the south (the Boonah-Rathdowney road). Google Maps recognizes Cotswold Road and the Mount Maroon Track trailhead (but it sends you down Forest House Lane part way along Cotswold Road, so ignore this).
Parking at the trailhead is fairly limited. But its location is fairly obvious and, if you reach the campsite, you have gone too far. A useful GPS Track (and further route description) can be found here.
The climb falls into four parts. First the approach through open woodland – the longest of these parts.
Secondly, there is a scramble up a gully. This is straightforward if you are used to such terrain, though there is the risk of rockfall in this section.
Thirdly, there is a brief pleasant walk through some more woodland. The relative isolation of this peak means that its woodland is not classic rainforest, so there is no fight through vegetation and I encountered no leeches.
Finally, you weave up rocky slabs and between the vegetation that grows between the slabs up to the summit.
There are occasional orange marker arrows to assist with navigation. But it is (in my view) important to be able to navigate without the need to rely on the arrows. The one point where they are very useful is at the spot where it is necessary to descend 20 metres or so to the right in order to reach the foot of the gully.
From the summit there are good 360 degree views. The striking Mount Barney is nearby. Mount Lindesay rears up just beyond and the peak that I had climbed the day before, Mount Superbus, was visible some way away across the valley.
After my 30 minute stay, I simply reversed my upward route back to the starting point.
Later that day, from our accommodation, we had a fine panoramic view of the peaks hereabouts.
For my previous climbs of Tenison Woods Mountain, Mount Mumdjin and Bithongabel, see here. And for a real rainforest experience, my climb of Mount Superbus, see here. A blog on my climb of Mount Exmouth is here and that on Mount Canobolas is here.
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