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| Campground at Lake Cressbrook |
Lake Perseverance
From Crows Nest National Park we traveled to Lake
Cressbrook, via Lake Perseverance. Lake Perseverance is one of the region’s
major water supply dams. Use of the lake is restricted and there is no camping
allowed in the rest areas. Coming from the direction of Crows Nest, on
Perseverance Dam Road, there is a picnic area immediately on your right after
going over the spillway and a smaller area with an information sign on
your right after crossing the dam wall.
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| Lake Perseverance |
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| Lake Pereverance Spillway |
Lake Cressbrook
Lake Cressbrook is 21 km east of Crows Nest National Park
and 60 km northeast of Toowoomba. There used to be boom gates and a small fee
to enter Lake Cressbrook but the Toowoomba Regional Council has decided to do
away with the fee and the gates were up when we visited in October 2014. The
first things we noticed when we arrived were that the lake and surrounding area
was nowhere near as badly affected by the drought as Lake Leslie, which we had
seen earlier in our trip, and that the place was teaming with wildlife. The
lake is a flora and fauna reserve and no pets are allowed.
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| Grey Kangaroos at Lake Cressbrook |
Day Use Area
There is a large day use area with a children’s playground,
BBQs, toilets, attractive picnic shelters, even a beach volleyball court; all
for free. The lake is popular for
fishing and there is a boat ramp. There are restrictions on boat speed limits
due to the lake being a major water supply for the region. A Stocked
Impoundment Permit is required for fishing. While boating, canoeing,
windsurfing and sailing are permitted, swimming is prohibited. There are also defined times that water based activities can occur, largely not at night. As soon as you sit down at a picnic table Blue-faced Honeyeaters arrive to check out the food options.
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| Blue-faced Honeyeater |
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Picnic Shelters at Lake Cressbrook
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| Large Numbers of Eurasian Coots Resting on Lake Cressbrook |
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| Tranquil area for canoeing at Lake Cressbrook, not far from the boat ramp. |
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| Boat Ramp at Lake Cressbrook |
Camping at Lake Cressbrook
The campground is on the shores of the lake. There are more
than 30 campsites and large areas for groups. There is a choice of shady or open sites. Site
numbers 23 to 28 are dedicated for
caravans and motorhomes. No bookings are taken. There is a self-registration
booth at the entry and you need the correct money as no change is given. Fees are $8.00 per person over the age of
five. There is a family rate of $32 ( 2 adults and children under the age of 18
yrs). Groups of 20 or more are $5 per person. A 14 night maximum
applies. There are toilets, showers, bins and camp kitchens. Wood barbeques are
scattered throughout the campground, BYO wood, and there are two gas BBQs.
However, at time of writing, there is a ban on all wood fires due to the drought.
Generators, pets and swimming are not permitted. There is lake access for paddle craft only,
otherwise use the boat ramp adjoining the day use area.
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| Campsites at Lake Cressbrook |
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| View of Campground across Lake Cressbrook |
Lake Cressbrook Walking Track
The Lake Cressbrook Walking Track is 6.7 km. Walking from the Boat Ramp to the Campground is approximately 2.5 km one way. The track itself is mostly an easy flat, wide, mowed grass strip.
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| Grey Kangeroo Macropus giganteus, Lake Cressbrook |
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| Black-fronted Dotterel, Lake Cressbrook |
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| Lesser Wanderer Danaus chrysippus, Lake Cressbrook |
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| Varied Sittella Race leucophala |
We saw a number of other birds such as, Azure Kingfishers, Rainbow Lorikeets, Willy Wagtails and other common Australian birds.
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