Nine Mile Beach (QLD24268)

Beach trip report

General Location Byfield N.P. east of Rockhampton
Aboriginal Tribe/Language Group Darumbal people
Access to beach 4WD track onto beach
Beach Classification Tide Modified – Reflective + bars and rips​
Start Date/Time 13 June 2017 15:21
Start Location (inc Lat/Log) S22° 47.003’ E150° 48.361’
End Date/Time 13 June 2017 15:40
End Location (inc Lat/Log) S22° 55.528’ E150° 47.431’
Mode of Travel Drive
Distance Travelled 12.2km
Location of Sand Sample (lat/Long) S22° 53.406’ E150° 47.240’

A fantastic day mid coast Queensland, 4WDing through the Byfield National Park, entry point to Nine Mile Beach.

Nine Mile Beach is a east facing beach that runs due south from Stockyard Point to Water Park Point. Accessible by 4WD along a 7km sandy track which is as challenging as most tracks found on Fraser Island. About half way along, there is a steep assent over what is part of the massive parabolic dune system that backs the northern end of the beach. As would happen we took the hardest of the three possible track options leading up the back of the dune, half way up we became extremely bogged. So, bogged even reversing was not possible. A long handle shovel and recovery boards were our saving grace. After recovery and then backing down to the base of the dune rise, we then selected track option number two, which we easily navigated to the top.

Arriving at Stockyard shack settlement we found about 20 tidy residential (off the grid) dwellings but didn’t see too many people. Notably there are traffic speed and street signs, we did note that only local traffic was allowed down Thong Avenue, so not wanting to upset any of the locals we did the right thing and drove around the outskirts of town to get up to Stockyard Point lookout. The lookout was spectacular and I was really impressed with the informative and very well presented, instructional signage, elaborate sandstone blocks and paving, quite extraordinary that so much effort and dedication in this very remote location. On this spectacular day at this spectacular location, I could not resist flying the drone.

Local tide predictions had low tide at 4:58pm so after a late lunch we headed down to drive on Nine Mile Beach. We were lucky to have quite an expanse of beach to drive on, we met up with another 4WD fisherman emptying his crab shells just as we were completing our run to the southern end. After a short, but pleasant conversation, the other party quickly headed off and we then became the sole inhabitants of this relatively isolated and remote beach. As the opportunity presented itself, after collecting the very important sand sample, I stripped off and went for a swim. Joanne remained in the D-Max! If anyone is interested copies of the dashCam footage can be provided on request, for a small fee.

We left the beach at the same location we had entered, near Stockyard Point. On the trip back out we were surprised to find an extensive control burn in progress, which was right next to the track which provided a spectacular night sky glow when we got back to camp.

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