This hike had been on my radar from some time. A short 20-30 minute drive from central Gold Coast. This is one of the more accessable hikes
This hike had been on my radar for some time. A short 20-30 minute drive from central Gold Coast. This is one of the more accessible hikes from the Gold Coast. It sits within the Bally Mountain Conservation area which is owned by the regional council.
As the days were starting to warm up I decided on trying to get out earlier for this hike. I parked up and started around 9am. The information online states it is 6km round trip which is accurate. The guidance online says that it will take between 3-4 hours. This is not very accurate as I was up and down within 2 hours with 15 minutes rest at the top. In saying this, it is a summit hike and has some challenging sections.
The hike starts at the end of Benogin Road. The carpark is well signed with some information signs. You follow a four wheel drive track for the first 1km (approx.) at which point there is more signage to start the summit trail. You know you are on the right path as there is a creek crossing at this point.
The hike starts its mountain ascent from this point. It begins with a few gentle cut backs and you are under the canopy of the trees for the majority of the hike. This makes it perfect for summer missions. The path is unrelenting as it steadily increases in gradient. There are plenty of points to take a break and have a sip of water along the way.
As you near the top there are a couple of rock scrambling sections. As someone who isn’t that confident on technical scrambling section. These look more ominous than they actually are! There are plenty of footholds and it is very short-lived. Once through this section you are more or less hiking on top of the ridge.
Your first glimpse of the scenery comes with a lookout back over towards Springbrook and the wider western ranges. Fear not if there are people here as you can always get a photo on the way back. A couple of minutes further down the trail you reach the main summit lookout. You will be greeted with amazing views over the whole GC from the northern reaches all the way down to the state border and beyond.
This is a perfect spot to take a break and enjoy these spectacular 180 degree views. Soak it all in and take some photos. Once you are done and are sufficiently rested you can embark on your descent. The descent is easier on your physical ability. However, I had wished I had taken my poles with me for a bit of stability. It is a rocky/gravelly path and this makes it hard on the way down from a stability point of view.
All in all this is a short and sharp day hike that is accessible from the GC. It offers amazing views over the hinterland and wider GC area. I will definitely be back to summit Bally Mountain again.
