This park and forest trek was a common picnic ground for locals when I was a kid, though it's died out in popularity a bit over time. However, I was glad to hear it's still a hang-out for hoons and horny teens alike after the sun goes down. Reminds me of the good old days. (Don't worry, I don't have kids.)
Iron Bark Gully is sort of a mini-bushwalk park. That is, none of the walks go on for too long. Iron Bark Gully has three trails bushwalkers can take: the quick and easy 20-minute one; the longer one (up to an hour); and the even longer and I'm-not-even-sure-if-this-path-is-legitimate trek, which includes fallen trees and sudden clearings that make you feel like you've come the wrong way (an hour to 48 hours, depending on whether you get lost).
As Iron Bark Gully is far from being located on the steepest of the region's mountains, the bush-walk views are less spectacular than as, say, those at Mt Glorious (which is about a 45 minute drive from Ironbark Gully via Samford). The forest area itself is also less developed and has less of a dense rain forest feel to it than you'd hope for.
There is a dodgy, lonely-looking brick toilet hut that I would only use whenever necessary in the main park section. Aside from that, the park area itself looks lonely. I haven't really seen the park being ably occupied whenever I've driven past over the last few years. Apparently, though, local boys in hotted-up cars still take girls here at night for a make-out session before doing tough laps and donuts along the back streets of Samford. On the other hand, the serious drag-racers of my day seem to have died out owing to a stronger police presence in Ferny Grove.
That's right. Growing up, I was like Sandy in Grease.
PS. After looking up Ironbark Gully on the internet, I am now informed that it and its trails may possibly be frequented by horse riders and mountain bike fans. Possibly. read more
