One Main Range National Park trail follows in the footsteps of our early pioneers.
What’s in a name? At Spicers Gap, it’s Queensland’s pioneering history. In its heyday, the pass was the first safe and trafficable route between Brisbane and the Darling Downs. Alan Cunnigham named it after Peter Spicer, the Superintendent of convicts, because he identified the pass while looking for escaped convicts. Today, it’s left to the bushwalkers to explore the walking trails that capture the spirit of the early pioneers.
The 8.1km Mt Mathieson Circuit, named after the chief commissioner of railways from the late 1880’s, is located in the Spicers Gap section of Main Range National Park 116km southwest of Brisbane.
The circuit starts opposite the Pioneer picnic area where at least 13 people are buried in the small historic cemetery. From here the trail gradually ascends through a patch of rainforest before transitioning to open eucalypt forest scattered with grass trees.
Continuing up hill, the trail veers left and follows a fence line, before reaching the ridge where the first views of the once impassable Great Dividing Range appear between the trees. The snaking ribbon of bitumen winding up to Cunningham’s Gap that replaced the Spicers Gap route can be seen and heard below.
Here the trail turns sharply to the left, following the ridgeline along a narrow track thick with shimmering grass trees and past mossy rocks. As the trees clear, there are uninterrupted views of Mt Mitchell, Mt Cordeaux and the range.
A little further on, the trail passes around a rocky bluff and a short steep climb leads to a higher panoramic vantage point. The trail then dips into rainforest that was recognised for its valuable timber. Clearing of this section is evident and at the end of a field lies an old jinker once used to transport the sawn logs.
About 1km further, the trail reaches the now quiet 1.6km stretch of original road that crossed the range. The contour of the mossy road and neatly laid out paving underfoot are evidence of the ‘sophisticated’ road building techniques used to fight the constant flow of water that decayed the road.
At the end of the historic route is a car park that leads 150m to Governors Chair lookout, so named as it was a favourite spot for Queensland’s governors to rest while travelling over the range. While the 180° view over the Fassifern Valley from the cliff top has changed, its beauty has not.
The 2.1km return to the picnic area is via Spicers Gap Road, which is inhabited by a large bellbird colony. Along the way a 60m detour leads to Moss’s Well, named after Edward Moss, the first road contractor. Back then the spring was the only source of water available to travellers. Today, all you can hear is the ghosts of the pioneers.
Need to know
Pioneer picnic area is reached via Spicers Gap Road, 5km west of Aratula and is accessible by conventional vehicles in dry weather only. Take the Moogerah Dam Road off the Cunningham Highway. Camping is permitted at Spicers Gap camping area. Water at Moss’s Well is not safe for drinking. For more info click here.