Lower Portals
A swimming hole that's worth the walk.
Overview
This is one for the adventure-seekers who really, really want to get away from it all and head out to the bush. The track to the Lower Portals starts from the carpark, about a two-hour drive from Brisbane CBD. A 3.7-kilometre hike will take you up and over hills, traversing creeks, eucalypt woodland and boulder-strewn scrub to reach your reward. Mount Barney Creek opens out and deepens into a rock pool surrounded by a natural stone gorge. With mountain-chilled water and patches of shade, it's the perfect cool-down after that trek. Plus, that hike means this beautiful spot is unlikely to be super busy, even on weekends. If you need a bit more time with the tranquility, you can camp downstream and make a mini-break of it.
Image: Tatiana Gerus via Flickr
