PART TWO – Lessons from Coomera Falls Circuit
February 2021
(If you haven’t read the first part for background information, you can here).
So the next hike that I was to do after my introduction last December, was the Coomera Falls Circuit/O’Reily’s at Binna Burra, QLD. I was quite excited about this as it would be my first overnight hike! I had just purchased some hiking gear and felt I had enough to tackle this new adventure.
The only slight concern I had was that my hiking mate and I planned to do the hike after work on a Friday… already there were doubts on whether or not there was time to make it to O’Reily’s before dark. Silly me – not knowing how long it was and how many hours lay ahead of us…

The drive to Binna Burra was nice and we were feeling pretty good about finishing work for the week and heading off on an adventure.
Arriving at the carpark around mid afternoon, I put on my pack – this was the first time I’d be walking with an actual loaded hiking bag.
Mistake Number 1: Packing too heavy. 23kg is not a good idea for a first time pack hike. Why on earth did I have to bring so much gear? I thought bringing a heavy flask with a little whiskey was a good idea, and a book, along with a tripod and camera gear – every little trinket you could imagine. After five minutes I was already hurting.
We reached an opening in the track which had a great view over some nearby ranges. My hiking mate had forgot to do his timesheet for work, so we stopped for a while, had some food and made sure we had tied off loose ends for the week before we lost signal.
It'll Be Fun, They Said...
By this time, the adrenalin was pumping and the excitement for something new was keeping me going – trying not to focus on the heavy bag. It was a brand new bag, I hadn’t worked out how to pack it and how to adjust it, so already my shoulders were starting to get raw.
It hadn’t seemed like we had gone far at all – and our worst fear came true – it got dark… it got dark REALLY quick.

Having no great idea of how far we had left, and the ever darkening forest swallowing our little bodies, we had to make a decision on what to do. There was no designated campspot along the way that we knew about, and we desperately didn’t want to do anything illegal.
Already I realised that this could have been planned and executed better haha. I’m sure you as the reader probably figured that out a long time ago.
We made the decision to set up camp for the night then and there – close to a little creek that ran through the track. We had a fair bit of rain over the last few days and even a bit in the morning, so the ground was quite damp and a little mucky. I was too inexperienced to be hiking with a heavy bag, in damp conditions, through to the proper campgrounds.
My tent was a double (purchased to share when my wife and I did our own overnights together), and it didn’t fit on the path properly. Half of it was suspended in the air as the terrain sloped sharply away from the track – as long as I didn’t roll over at night, I’d be fine.
After dinner – which included spillage of a pot of boiled water – we got ourselves to bed. I laid awake thinking for a few minutes – what have you done Joel… you don’t have any luck with hiking adventures.
Coomera Falls Circuit
My first night camping as part of an overnight hike was interesting. The sounds of the rainforest are exaggerated at night. It’s full of some interesting moments! I didn’t sleep much as I was worried about rolling down the slope, but at least the sound of the running creek and various animals kept me entertained.

As we had breakfast and packed up, we knew what we needed to do for the day – not worry about the planned accommodation – and get on with the hike. Good thing for us was, the hike was very interesting – seeing multiple waterfalls and cascades – it was all so magical.
Since we had woken up really early, had breakfast and on the track not long after sunrise, there was a peace like I had never experienced walking before. It was just the two of us, and majestic mother nature. Coomera Falls – despite my bad experiences with an new and overloaded bag, plus getting caught out by the dark – will always be a special place for me. I definitely want to get back there again one day.


For some reason, seeing the beauty of these waterfalls, the cascades and the animal life, the pain from my bag and the unrelenting weight, seemed to vanish in these moments. It just felt so perfect.

It is incredible how such relatively miniscule moments in our lives can produce momentous changes. Despite all the negatives that seemed to be working against me, I actually felt stronger from the whole process. The rewards during the hike were such a boost and I began to realise that the idea of hiking isn’t about taking a selfie at the top of a summit – it’s so much deeper than that. It’s the whole journey.

There’s no doubt I felt a massive relief when the bag fell from my shoulders back at the carpark. I can’t remember how many cold drinks I smashed at the cafe – but I do remember a stomach ache because it was not done in moderation haha.
Did I learn from the previous hiking story I have shared with you? Yes, but in reality, probably not enough. So what about this time?
Lessons from The Coomera Circuit:
- Learn to pack light – take the essentials.
- Don’t try to start an overnight hike after a day of work.
- Don’t be afraid to take the time to pick a great spot to set up your tent. Check for rocks underneath and get somewhere flat.
- Spend time listening to the sounds of the forest at night.
- Have maps and know a rough idea how long each section of a hike will take
- Take time to listen to the sounds of the waterfalls and cascades.
- Walk to conditions – if the ground is slippery, be extra cautious.
- Pack a little salt or spray to deal with leeches.
- Ease yourself into your hiking bag, break it in, and gradually increase the weight.
So far, my introduction hasn’t been exactly pleasant, but at this point, I’m starting to realise the adventure of hiking. With this hike done, I decide I haven’t got time to waste – I need to try something that is next level.
Where does my next hiking journey take me? Will I finally have a pleasant experience?
