Mount Widgee
Author: Glenn Leiper
Published: Journal September 2022
Image above: The shed and barely visible tower on the summit back in 1998
Revisiting a much-loved old bushwalk that you haven’t walked in over 20 years, can be a shock to the system. Not only has the forest changed in structure and composition, with plant species disappearing and new ones in their place, including weeds, but what seemed like a stroll in the bush back then is now a major physical challenge. Oh, to be young and fit again.
While visiting the Barambah Environmental Education Centre in 1996, I was told about an interesting hike in the nearby Wrattens State Forest that would take me to the summit of Mount Widgee. (Mount Widgee is approximately 40km west of Gympie). After driving along a rough 4WD ridge track for a couple of kilometres, and arriving at track’s end, I could see the 710 metre high peak up ahead and it was just a matter of donning the hiking boots and heading off. There wasn’t a track to follow but it was more or less just walking uphill from there for the next hour or less. I remember a little tower on the summit next to a shed but no vehicular track to get there.
That seems to be all I could remember of the walk, (apart from the wonderful plants) but I recall no major physical challenges such as vertical cliffs or chasms. Well, I now realise my memory is getting a bit foggy, or at least there’s a degree of selectivity about the memories.
It’s now 2022 … the hike from the car starts to get steep and in no time at all we’re faced with a very steep rocky slope that almost amounts to a cliff, about 40 metres high, to negotiate. And that’s where I decided that I didn’t need to revisit the summit … I’ve been there and done that. My hiking partner though forged ahead for another 20 minutes but decided to turn back as the peak up ahead was obviously a false peak, with the main peak further along the high ridge … another fact I somehow couldn’t remember.
While we were a bit disappointed with the abrupt end to the walk, we’d already had a great morning, with many interesting plants along the ridge road and some stunning scenery and views.
Driving along the Upper Widgee Road earlier in the day, past stands of Weeping Cabbage Palms Livistona decora, we soon started climbing steeply along a narrow winding former forestry road, and the volcanic rhyolitic steep slopes kicked in. The eucalypt forest had a very diverse shrubby understorey that included Narrow-leaved Wattle Acacia longissima, Wedge-leaved Hop Bush Dodonaea viscosa subsp. cuneata, Hoveas, Podolobiums, Epacrids, ferns, vines and daisies such as the pretty Acomis Acomis acoma in abundance.
Narrow-leaved Wattle Acacia longissima is abundant on the lower slopes
The imposing cliffs in 1998
Weeping Cabbage Palm Livistona decora beside Upper Widgee Road
Colourful fruit of Wedge-leaved Hop Bush Dodonaea viscosa subsp. cuneata
The pretty daisy, Acomis acoma, formed dense low shrubs roadside
We soon turned sharply onto the Mount Widgee ridge road, passing through grassy eucalypt forest with an understorey that included Solanums, occasional peas, more daisies, and occasionally passing through shady rainforest areas. As the road became steeper it became obvious the soil type had dramatically changed. The road was quite rocky, with exposed flat rockslabs and shattered rock pieces that shimmered in the sunlight. The grassy understorey suddenly was dominated by tall grass trees, thickets of them. We had entered a forest based on an unusual rock type – serpentinite.
Serpentinite is formed with water by low-temperature metamorphic alteration of igneous rocks, thanks Google. The name 'serpentinite' originated from the similarity of the rock’s texture in some parts of the world to that of the skin of a snake apparently. It’s composed of an unusual group of minerals such as lizardite, chrysotile and magnetite, and is often rich in magnesium. It has the appearance of being greenish, greasy-looking and slippery feeling, and this explained the shimmering shiny surface to the rocks as we drove up the steep slope. The soil formed from serpentinite is low in calcium and other major plant nutrients but rich in elements that can be toxic to plants such as chromium and nickel. However, some plants have managed to adapt to life on serpentinite and although there weren’t many species here on this unusual ridge, they were mostly all very interesting.
The ridge road traverses the shiny serpentinite rocks
Serpentenite rocks with their greenish tinge
Mountain Forest Red Gum Eucalyptus tereticornis subsp. basaltica and Queensland Peppermint Eucalyptus exserta seemed to dominate in parts. The understorey was dominated by Forest Grass Trees Xanthorrhoea johnsonii, and an unusual form of Coastal Banksia Banksia integrifolia subsp. integrifolia with large striking flowers. Amongst the grasses, were the spiny-foliaged Broom Bitter-Pea Daviesia genistifolia, Black Thorn Bursaria spinosa, Logania Logania albiflora, Spiny Zamia Macrozamia longispina, a Bluebell Wahlenbergia species, the ground-hugging Prostrate Bossiaea Bossiaea prostrata, some very upright Large-leaved Star-Hair Astrotricha biddulphiana shrubs and the prostrate Mount Castletower Goodenia Goodenia sp. Mount
Castletower.
At this high point along the road, there’s an exposed bare area on the ridge, jutting out over the valley, that has become popular with people who like throwing themselves off cliffs with a kite attached. Crazy thrill-seekers. Some of them obviously needed to lighten their load before departing into the air as unfortunately the area was a pig-sty with litter and toilet paper everywhere.
Large bird-attracting flowers of Banksia integrifolia subsp. integrifolia
Spiny Zamia Macrozamia longispina
The ground-hugging pea, Bossiaea prostrata, is uncommon
Large-leaved Star-Hair Astrotricha biddulphiana, normally a western species, was common on the ridge in some areas
Goodenia sp. Mount Castletower
Mount Widgee Riceflower Pimelea rupestris as its name implies, is only found on this peak
Small-leaved Waxflower Philotheca difformis subsp. smithiana
Mitchell's Bearded Heath Styphelia mitchellii growing on the summit in 1996
The unusual form of Native Rosella Hibiscus heterophyllus on the summit
As we climbed up the lower slopes towards the Mount Widgee summit, we entered a forest dominated by grass trees and she-oaks. The soil was surprisingly humus-rich, and this is where we encountered shrubs of the localised Mount Widgee Riceflower Pimelea rupestris, Small-leaved Waxflower Philotheca difformis subsp. smithiana and the occasional highly aromatic Sticky-leaved Coleus Coleus graveolens in sunnier more exposed rocky sites.
Now, back to 1996 … a younger and fitter Glenn made his way to the summit, seeing two species whose names have changed in recent years, the prickly-foliaged Mitchell’s Bearded Heath Styphelia (formerly Leucopogon) mitchellii, the endangered Grey Coleus Coleus (formerly Plectranthus) omissus and an unusual 3-lobed-leaved form of Native Rosella Hibiscus heterophyllus. I expect that they’re still there, enjoying the spectacular views over the valleys below, and somehow managing to eke out an existence on the harsh serpentinite rocky soils, dodging crazy hang-gliders and waving their foliage at me down below.
Good luck to them. I’ll be staying on flatter country in future!
Views from the ridge road can be breathtaking.