The Burrum Coast National Park is on the coast between Bundaberg and Hervery Bay. The park is broken into four sections, Kinkuna, Woodgate, Burrum River, and Buxton. Woodgate is roughly in the middle, beside the Woodgate town between Theodolite Creek and Burrum River.
The location for this destination has been placed at the campground site. There are a few locations for the Woodgate section of the national park, this being the main location that doesn’t have a more specific sign. The campground is also located along the main walking track, Melaleuca Track, and close to the beach.
Walking Tracks
There are five walking tracks in the Woodgate section of Burrum Coast National Park, although they intermix with each other so there are basically two walks. The first two are near the Woodgate town with its own brown sign for National Park Boardwalk, the other three are from the Walkers Point day-use area and the Burrum Point camping area.
Boardwalk – grade 1
The Boardwalk is the starting point for the Banksia track. The entrance is found between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue along Acacia Street. It is an easy grade 1 that is suitable for wheelchairs and prams. The boardwalk takes you into the tea-tree wetland. You may spot kangaroos in the shade and birdlife in the canopy of the trees above. The boardwalk is around 400 metres each way.
Banksia track – grade 2
At the end of the boardwalk is the Banksia track circuit, returning to the boardwalk. It is a grade 2 walk with a distance of around 5.2 kilometres. It continues into the tea-tree wetlands and you’ll come across towering cabbage palm stands, eucalypt forests, and banksias. Along the walk is a wallum heath, where you can find lots of colour and birdlife during winter and spring.
Melaleuca track – grade 3
Head to Walkers Point for the trailhead of the Melaleuca track, at the far eastern end of the Walkers Point day-use area. The Melaleuca track is the longest, at around 12.3 kilometres, it will take up to 4 hours to complete. However, it can combine with the Bird Hide walk and Russell’s Rest track, adding another 1.2 kilometres, making it a 13.5 kilometre walk all up, and you should allow for additional time.
The Melaleuca track takes you through the melaleuca wetlands, mangroves, and salt pans of the lower Woodgate area. Heath with colourful wildflowers in spring can also be found along the walk. Be mindful that large parts of the walk are exposed to the sky so wear appropriate clothing and sun protection for this walk, especially in the hotter months.
Part way in, you can choose to follow left or right for a circuit, via the Burrum Point camping area. Heading left (clockwise) will take you via the Bird Hide side walk (700-800 metres return), and is a lower grade 2 walk. The other way is presumably where the grade 3 comes from, both directions bring you to the Burrum Point camping area. From the camping area, you can do the Russell’s Rest track, around 500 metres kilometre return.
Bird Hide walk – grade 2
The Bird Hide walk can be done on its own as a 5.8 kilometre return walk (or from the camping area, 7.6 kilometres) following the Melaleuca track. Allow around 1.5 hours walking time, but you may want to include additional time at the bird hide. The bird hide looks over the tidal mangroves and shallow wetlands where you can spot pied oystercatchers, black-fronted dotterels, black-winged stilts and other wading birds. Birds are most active during the cooler parts of the day. If you plan to be there in the afternoon, be away of when the sun goes down and be prepared for walking without much light (or no light).
Russell’s Rest track – grade 2
For coastal views, the Russell’s Rest track is the best choice. It can be directly accessed from the Burrum Point camping area, making it only 500 metres return, but you will need a 4wd to access the camping area. The Melaleuca track goes between the Walkers Point day-use area and Burrum Point for non-4wd access, but it is a longer with an additional 12.3 kilometres.
Russell’s Rest finishes with picnic tables and ocean views.
