• Dutgee walkers’ camp is set among open forest of brush box, pink bloodwoods and coastal banksias. Photo credit: © Queensland Government
• Enjoy a spectacular sunrise over the Noosa River at the Dutgee walkers’ camp. Photo credit: Robert Ashdown © Queensland Government

Kick off your hiking boots and settle into this walkers’ camp near the river bank, one of several along the Cooloola Great Walk. Look for the log stacks of unrecovered timber cut in the mid-1900s—the area was used as a landing for timber and is now part of a protected cultural site.

Camp amongst fragrant open woodland of brush box, pink bloodwoods and coastal banksia, and enjoy dawn light reflections on the tannin-stained waters of the river. In late winter and spring, the area comes alive with wildflowers. Dutgee is the First Nations peoples name for the pink-flowering boronia shrubs growing in the swampy, moist areas around the river.

Getting there and getting around

Dutgee walkers’ camp is in Cooloola Recreation Area, Great Sandy National Park, on the Sunshine Coast between Noosa Heads and Rainbow Beach (155–240km north of Brisbane).

• This walkers’ camp is on the Cooloola Great Walk, 20.3km north of Brahminy walkers’ camp or 14.8km south of Litoria walkers’ camp; and can be accessed only on foot.
• You can access the Cooloola Great Walk from the south (Noosa North Shore) and from the north (near Rainbow Beach).
• Camping permits and other information (business hours only):
  • Rainbow Beach (northern access), visit:
    • QPWS Rainbow Beach Information Centre on Rainbow Beach Road
    • Mantaray barge office
    • Shell service station).
  • Tewantin (southern access), visit:
    • Great Sandy Information Centre, located near the Noosa North Shore ferry on Moorindil Street
    • Noosa North Shore Retreat, accessible via a short car ferry ride).
• Bus and taxi services are available in both Tewantin and Rainbow Beach.
• Read walk with care for tips on walking safely and walking lightly.

Route to southern entrance

• From Brisbane drive 135km north on the Bruce Highway or the Sunshine Motorway to Tewantin; or from Gympie drive 58km south and east on the Bruce Highway to Tewantin.
• In Tewantin, follow Moorindil Street to the Noosa North Shore ferry, cross the river to Noosa North Shore, and drive 2.2km on Maximillian Road.
• Continue along Maximillian Drive past Beach Road and follow the signs 250m to the southern entrance of the Cooloola Great Walk.

Route to northern entrance

• From Brisbane, drive about 160km north on the Bruce Highway towards Gympie. Take the Gympie Connection Road Exit and turn right. Turn left onto Tin Can Bay Road and drive 38km to turn right onto Rainbow Beach Road.
• From Maryborough, drive 57km south on the Cooloola Coast Road, then turn left onto Tin Can Bay Road and drive 3.5km, then turn right onto Rainbow Beach Road.
• Drive 29km along Rainbow Beach Road into Rainbow Beach township, turn right off Rainbow Beach Road onto Double Island Drive then turn left onto Cooloola Drive and follow the signs for 850m to the Carlo Sand Blow car park and the northern entrance of the Cooloola Great Walk.

Before you visit

Opening hours

Dutgee walkers’ camp is open 24 hours a day. Check in to your camp after 2pm and check out by 11am on the day of departure.

Camping area features

Why Dutgee? Dutgee is the First Nations peoples name for the boronia shrubs that grow throughout Cooloola. Boronia flowers have four petals ranging from pink to mauve, occasionally white, and appear as single flowers or clusters. The Wide Bay boronia Boronia rivularis occurs in these swampy moist areas around the river and flowers from spring to late summer.

Walkers’ camp features: Set alongside the Upper Noosa River and close to a protected cultural site once known as Log Landing, the logs in this area are part of unrecovered timber cut from the mid 1900s. On calm days, the surface reflections on the river offer a perfect mirror image of the surrounding landscape.

Warning! Do not climb on the decaying logs at this campsite. You may suffer serious injury. Swimming in the Noosa River is not recommended.

Location: Dutgee walkers’ camp is 37.6km from the Cooloola Great Walk’s southern entrance and 20km from Brahminy walkers’ camp.

Access: Walk-in only.

Number of sites:

• 7 unnumbered campsites – maximum of 2 people per site
• maximum group size: 6 people
• Dutgee camping area total capacity: 14 people
• maximum stay at Dutgee walkers’ camp: 1 night.

Campsites are suitable for: Walk-in camping only.

Campsite surface: Sand

Facilities: Untreated drinking water, composting hybrid toilet system, platform tables and food security boxes in most campsites.

Open fires: Prohibited. Only cooking and heating appliances that meet the below requirements are permitted unless a Queensland Fire Department (QFD) total fire ban is in place.

• The appliance must use gas or manufactured fuel (heat beads, briquettes). Manufactured fuel does not include timber or wood.
• It must be used only for cooking and/or heating.
• It must be a minimum of 20cm off the ground and more than 2m from flammable materials, which includes vegetation.
• It must not have the potential to generate airborne embers, or possibly ignite nearby ground fuels.
• It must be fully self-contained (heat source enclosed and no exposed flame) and never left unattended when in use.
• Appliances that are not fully self-contained, such as braziers, are not permitted.
• All appliances, materials and burnt fuel must be removed from the recreation area on your departure.

Approved cooking and heating appliances may vary from above list during QFD total fire bans. Check Park alerts and QFD fire bans and restrictions for more details.

Also see: permitted cooking appliances during fire bans (PDF, 729.4KB) .

Generators: Prohibited.

Essentials to bring: Topographic map, fuel or gas stove, drinking water, water treatment solution, first aid kit, insect repellent, sunscreen, sealable container or rubbish bags; no rubbish facilities are supplied – carry out what you carry in, washing up basin, ground sheet to place under your tent to prevent wear, warm clothes and wet weather gear.

Also see: Planning your walk.

Mobile phone coverage: Nil. For emergency communication advice, see walk safely.

Bookings

Book online or learn about our camping booking options.

Book in advance for all weekends, public holidays and school holidays. Bookings can be made up to 12 months in advance.

Book a camping area

Visiting safely

For more safety information see Visiting Cooloola Great Walk safely and camp with care.