Visiting Amamoor safely

Getting there and getting around

• Amamoor State Forest map and walks information (PDF, 514.9KB)

From the Bruce Highway (M1) take the Traveston exit 253 and follow the signs to Amamoor township and onto Amamoor Creek Road. From Amamoor:

• Amama day-use area is 5km—bitumen road.
• Cedar Grove camping area is 12km—bitumen and some gravel road that is suitable for two-wheel drive vehicles including campervans, motorhomes and vehicles towing caravans, trailers and camper trailers.
• Amamoor Creek camping area is 16km—bitumen and some gravel road that is suitable for two-wheel drive vehicles including campervans, motorhomes and vehicles towing caravans, trailers and camper trailers.

Visiting with a dog? Know where dogs are permitted and access conditions.

When driving on forest roads—expect the unexpected!

• Slow down—allow time to react to unexpected situations and changed conditions. You share the road with other vehicles, logging trucks, and wildlife.
• Approach corners cautiously and stay on your side of the road.
• Take extra care on unsealed roads, especially in wet conditions.
• Obey road signs and closures—speed limits and road rules apply.

Wheelchair accessibility

There are no facilities within this forest specifically designed for access for people using wheelchairs. The toilet facilities at Cedar Grove camping area include a wheelchair accessible toilet—access is over a relatively flat area with gravel and grass surfaces (assistance may be required).

Staying safe

Check before leaving home

• Park alerts.
• Weather forecasts Bureau of Meteorology.
• Bushfire alerts and fire bans (wood fires are not permitted during fire bans).
• Road conditions Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Emergency communications

• Mobile phone coverage is limited in the Amamoor State Forest.
• Nearest reliable reception is at Amama day-use area.
• Consider taking a satellite phone, personal locator beacon (PLB) or another form of communication.
• We highly recommend you visit the Triple Zero website before visiting the forest.
• Download the Triple Zero emergency app—to help identify your location.

Important: where there is no mobile coverage on any network, you will not be able to reach the Emergency Call Service via a mobile phone.

In an emergency

• Call Triple Zero (000).

Walk and explore safely

• Tell a responsible person where you are going and when you should return.
• Stay on track.
• Wear sturdy shoes and suitable clothing.
• Carry sufficient water and food as well as a first-aid kit and insect repellent.
• Take care when crossing natural creek crossings on walking tracks. Rock surfaces can be slippery.
• Supervise children—natural areas have hazards including creeks, stinging plants and defensive wildlife.

Food and cooking safety

• Check if there are fire bans and never use a fire during a fire ban—check Park alerts.
• Take care with fire—use constructed fireplaces and fire rings.
• Make sure your fire is out with water before you leave it.
• Preferably bring a fuel stove.
• Avoid food poisoning—store food at appropriate temperatures and out of reach of foraging wildlife.
• If you are using tank water, boil water for at least three minutes to kill most pathogens or use water treatment tablets. Tank water is pumped from the creek and may contain organisms that can cause illness.

Water safety

• Never dive into creeks or rock pools, as they contain submerged rocks and logs. Water depth is unpredictable. Rock surfaces can be slippery.
• Never cross flooded creeks.
• Tank and creek water is unsuitable for drinking without treatment.

Wildlife safety

• Check yourself and children daily for ticks, often found in body creases. Follow the recommended method for tick removal.
• Stinging trees (recognisable by their very large, round leaves) can deliver an extremely painful sting—do not touch their leaves, including dead ones, or any part of the tree.
• Snakes generally retreat when encountered. If they feel threatened, they can become defensive. If you come across a snake, back away to a safe distance and allow the snake to move away. Know how to treat a snake bite.
• Never feed, handle or play with wildlife—you may get bitten or scratched, and animals can become aggressive towards people when fed.

For more information about staying safe, please read the guidelines Safety in parks and forests.

Before you visit

Essentials to bring

• Enough water for all your drinking, cooking and cleaning.
• A first-aid kit (including snake bite bandages), sunscreen, insect repellent, sturdy shoes, hat, raincoat and suitable clothing for weather conditions.
• Strong sealable containers or rubbish bags to store your food and to store your rubbish to take away with you when you leave. Useful tip: remove excess packaging before you leave home.
• Bring and use a fuel or gas stove.
• If you plan to use the fire rings provided, bring your own clean firewood (it is illegal to collect firewood from the forest). If there are fire bans you will need to pack a suitable fuel cooking stove instead—check Park alerts.
• A mobile phone and, as reception is limited in Amamoor State Forest, consider taking a satellite phone, personal locator beacon (PLB) or another form of communication.

Pets

Visiting with a dog? Know how and where they are permitted.

Your dog must always be on a leash and under control.

Always clean up after your dog—collect waste in a secure bag. Pack bags and a suitable storage container so you can take it away and dispose of it responsibly.

Dogs are permitted at:

• Amama day-use area
• Amamoor Creek camping area
• Amamoor Creek hiking trail.

Dogs are not permitted at:

• Cedar Grove camping area
• Cedar Grove, Rainforest walk
• Cedar Grove hiking trail.

Other domestic animals are not permitted.

Opening hours

Amamoor State Forest is open 24 hours a day. For your safety, complete bushwalks in daylight hours.

Permits and fees

Camping permits

A camping permit is required for camping in the State forest. Fees apply.

• Find out more about camping in Amamoor State Forest
• Book your camp sites online.
• If you cannot book online, see camping bookings for other options.

Other permits

A special permit is not required for recreational activities in Amamoor State Forest unless they are organised events or large scale competitive events. If an activity or visit to a protected area includes commercial photography or filming—that is, to sell photographs or film footage taken on a protected area or use photographs or footage in a product which will later be sold, such as a book or postcard—a permit must be obtained and a fee paid.

Climate and weather

The Gympie area has a climate that is subtropical. Winters are usually dry and cool; nights can be frosty with temperatures dropping to an average of 7°C. Summers are warm to very hot, with temperatures reaching 30°C to 41°C; nights are cooler averaging 10°C to 19°C. Watch out for late spring and summer thunderstorms, which bring lightning and flash flooding. Most rain falls between November and March.

Always check the current weather forecast before you visit.

Fuel and supplies

Fuel and supplies are available at Gympie and Amamoor. For more information see the tourism information links.