MUST DO

The Gorge Walk

The main headland at Point Lookout is located opposite the shops at the end of the main road (Mooloomba Road). You can enter the walk from the parkland behind the bus stop shelter and play area or opposite the shops (see map). This beautiful walk is easy for most people and can be done in just over an hour with comfortable stops.

The walk is spectacular with beautiful headlands, gorges and views down the 35km Main Beach. As you enter the walk from the bus shelter and car park, parts of North Gorge are visible on your left. The path takes you south initially where there is an outstanding view across South Gorge and the Surf Lifesaving Clubhouse down the totally uninhabited stretch of Main Beach that leads to Jumpinpin Bar between North and South Stradbroke Islands. Some bench seating is available to enjoy the view. On a clear day you can make out some of the Gold Coast skyscrapers.

While walking you can look down into the clear, beautifully coloured water and frequently observe turtles, dolphins, manta rays, sharks and other wildlife. Waves roll in around the Point and dolphins often surf these and breach as the waves break.

In winter and spring, pods of humpback whales pass close by the Point. This location is regarded the top land based viewing area for humpbacks on the East Australian coast. Some whales come very close to the Headland for wonderful viewing and observation of their amazing behaviours like group tail and fin slapping and breaching. Cows with calves are more likely to be seen on their return from the north in the spring months. Keep scanning the ocean watching for the whales and you will first see the puffs of water vapour and white water when they surface and breach.

In summer months you may also be lucky enough to observe sharks and other predatory fish in feeding sessions on large shoals of baitfish. The dark shoals mill around the Point and the predators work together to break off sections of the shoal, often herding them into South Gorge for feeding. Sharks have been observed temporarily beached on the sand at the breakers edge in South George in pursuit of the smaller clumps of baitfish.

As you continue the walk you reach the main headland with a blow hole that will sound in most weather conditions. The headland has a separated rock called Whale Rock. Climbing down the headland for rock fishing or for closer observation of this area may look tempting but many people have lost their lives, particularly in rough weather.

The walk continues back around to the relative quiet at the head of North Gorge and then back out to the Northernmost point called the Cascades due to the rivulets of water that run down its ocean face after wave impact. As you finish the walk and return to the shop area, beautiful ocean views can be seen to the East and North across Frenchman’s Beach.