Hiking Mermaid Mountain, Brisbane QLD

MERMAID MOUNTAIN HIKE

Nice weekend hike this one….. But be warned, this hike was very unsigned and not a lot of information. We relied on maps to hope we were going in the correct direction. Good old iPhone aye.

We were under the impression this hike was 18km in 5 hours return…. But it was actually 18km to the top. We didn’t make it all the way to the top as we realised we would need to turn back to get back before sun down.

We were well packed for this hike, although this hike was a lot harder than expected. There were a lot of very steep parts in this hike which were quite fatiguing. Also had to be very careful of our footing and glad we had our hiking boots on for this one. It was a lot hotter than we thought it would be and within about a few hundred minutes of hike we were dressing down to our singlets.

Make sure you have plenty of water on you as there is nothing around, I carry a camel back as I find it easier. We also brang fruit, salad and some lollies for sugar, which we really needed. It felt like we were almost walking around out the back of a big property as there was no one around at all. Although not an easy hike was still good workout and we will definitely leave earlier in morning next time and get to the top.

Here is the best directions we can give you to where we went.. but remember we didn't make it to the top.

We parked the car at Wirrabara road, Anstead which is off Mount Crosby Road.

There are no toilets or anything at the car park so make sure you are sorted!

We followed the powerline track (fire break) until there was a sign on the left saying rocky high track, and then we followed that until we turned right onto Mount Mill road. We were travelling at about 11km per hour walking. On mill road you will hit private property fence (make sure you get a hand stand photo infront of it) There is a little scrub track to the left which detours around the private property. Then you keep walking and you end up at Upper brookfield road. We then walked on the road up the mountain and then there was a bit of an off track road which google maps thought was the right direction but honestly I don't know where it was taking us. We couldnt see Lake Manchester from any high point along the entire hike and that is the gold at the end of the rainbow that we were looking for!

There is always next time!

We ended up getting a friend to pick us up and take us back to our car (30 minute drive haha) but be weary that when your friend comes to pick you up there is very little phone reception (even with Telstra) out here so your friends gotta be trustworthy! haha! We would have been stranded without him! Thanks Luke!

Thing we should have taken

Hard copy Map,

Compass

Cyalumes to mark our track incase it got dark for our treck home.

Extra phone charge batteries

Make sure you wear Hiking Boots

Take lots of water

Lunch

Sense of humour

Lollies for moral and also for some Energy (lots of sweating)

JetBoil and Hot choccy in winter, once you stop walking its quite cold and the hot choccy warms you from the inside.

Always pack a jumper or emergency warmth blanket in case you get stranded.

We ALWAYS carry a knife on us, in a handy spot - these tracks seem very remote in the middle of nowhere and girls like us need to have some sort of protection if you ever ran into the wrong person and a safety knife is always good for other things too!

And biggest point Remember and plan for is its 18k EACH WAY.

Check out our Youtube Channel for our compliation of videos on this hike.

#hiking