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WINTER WILDERNESS ADVENTURE
30 ADVENTURE IDEAS Don’t spend winter rugged up inside – get outdoors and in touch with your wild side!
Spend your days outside in nature’s warm winter sun. Here are some suggested activities that you can do. Share your experiences on social media #winterwilderness for the chance to WIN an eco prize pack. For more information visit www.visitlogan.com.au/wildernessadventure
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CAPTURING CHANGE
Do you have a favourite tree in your backyard, neighbourhood or local park? Ever wondered how it changes over the season? Why not take a photo of this tree once a week over winter. Just before spring, flick through the photos and see how your favourite tree has changed. Hint: Don’t forget to take the photo from the same spot each time.
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PARTY WITH THE STARS
As the days get shorter, the nights get longer. This means more time to get a glimpse of the stars. Grab your jacket, some mates, find a nice patch of grass and have a ball observing the night sky. Hint: Impress your friends by learning some constellations beforehand.
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CREATURES OF THE NIGHT
Get your family and friends together and head to your local park to discover which creatures come out after dark. Hint: Don’t forget to cover your torch with red cellophane to protect our wildlife’s eyes and be as quiet as can be.
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PARK RUN & WATERSIDE FUN
Join others for an early morning park run around Berrinba Wetlands or Logan River Parklands and then have breakfast or a BBQ lunch at the park. Hint: Register now at www.parkrun.com.au to ensure your time is recorded!
LOGAN RIVER PARKLANDS Cook barbies by the river while the kids play and enjoy the open space beside the Logan River.
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THE BERRY PATCH
BEAT THE SUN UP
Rise up before the sun and watch as it lights up the earth. Listen and watch from a vantage point as the animals wake and begin their day.
From June to November come down to the local strawberry farm to see their third generation farmers in action!
Hint: Check the sunrise time and set your alarm 30 minutes ahead.
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GO BAREFOOT
What a better way to be free of life’s business than taking off your shoes and walking barefoot in your backyard. Feel the grass between your toes.
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THANK A TREE
Write a thank you letter (on recycled paper of course) to your favourite tree and see if it replies, or email environment@logan.qld.gov.au
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FRESH FROM THE FARM
Head to The Berry Patch at Chambers Flat and pick your own strawberries in their beautiful fields! This is a great chance to educate kids about where food comes from. Hint: Go on an empty stomach.
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GLOBAL FOOD VILLAGE Enjoy a day out and soak up the international market atmosphere with more than 185 nationalities and cultural experiences.
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SPOT CLEAN UP
Is there any rubbish at your favourite park, trail or camping spot? Give back to the planet and make the spot more enjoyable for everyone by picking up the rubbish there and recycling whatever can be recycled. Hint: Don’t forget to wear gloves and take a pick up stick.
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TAKE A NATURE INVENTORY
Find 10 things in your neighbourhood that you will only see during the winter months. Do this with friends and see how many unique sightings you can come up with as a group. Hint: Check out our website for some suggestions to get you started.
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PICNIC IN THE PARK
Pack a basket full of winter fruit and vegetables, grab a rug and head to one of Logan’s many parks. On Sundays, stop in at the Global Village and fill your basket full of fresh local produce ready for lunch in the park.
Share your experiences on social media #winterwilderness for the chance to WIN an eco prize pack.
GO ON A REALLY, REALLY LONG BIKE RIDE! 12
NATURE IN OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD 14
Discover some of Logan’s best kept secrets. Hop on your bike and enjoy some of our many meandering bike tracks like Slacks Creek and Springwood cycling route.
Organise a stroll through your local streets with your neighbours.
Hint: To find out where the best rides are go to www.visitlogan.com.au/ wildernessadventure
Race the birds and bees rather than the treadmill by taking your next walking, jogging or cycling route through a local park. A list of the City of Logan’s parks is featured in this booklet.
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GO ENVIRONMENTAL...
and register yourself and the family for an upcoming free environmental event. Hint: Get in early, places fill up fast. Visit www.logan.qld.gov.au/ environmentalevents
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WILD WORKOUT
Hint: Check out the Live Well Logan program for many free or low cost outdoor activities such as bootcamps, tai chi, and walking groups held in a park near you.
ALEXANDER CLARK PARK Picnic and play under stunning fig trees and 200 year old blue gums — right beside the Logan River.
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HIGH UP IN THE TREES
Koalas live in Logan but their grey fur camouflages them. So look for signs of koalas, like their droppings, footprints and tree scratchings. Hint: Don’t forget to record your koala sightings on Council’s website, search wildlife sightings.
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REVEGETATION VISIT
Visit the parks where Council has planted native trees. Wendt Park and Riverdale Park are great revegetated sites with views of the Logan River.
WENDT PARK Visit Wendt Park in Chambers Flat and see how the 800+ trees Council has planted are growing.
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RAINBOW LEAVES
How many different coloured leaves can you find to form a rainbow?
STAIRWAY TO THE TOP OF SPRINGWOOD CONSERVATION PARK 19
Set the timer and see how quickly you can complete the Springwood stairs. Reward yourself afterwards and head on over to the lookout to enjoy some treetop views.
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WETLAND DISCOVERY
Wetlands are an important habitat for many species including local and migratory birds, frogs and fish. Discover the beauty of your local wetlands. Hint: www.visitlogan.com.au has all the details you’ll need to find your local wetland.
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TEACH YOURSELF
Ever wondered what that plant is with the beautiful flowers? Or that bird you hear calling every morning? Now is the time to learn what they are, with many apps and books available to help identify species. You could even start a journal to record what you see.
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ALL THE SMALL THINGS
Find a magnifying glass and take the kids (big and small) outside to view the world in a different way — look carefully over each leaf on a plant to see what you can find.
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WILD WORK LUNCH
Leave the screen behind and take your lunchbreak outside. If you can, go for a walk through nature.
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WORLDWIDE TREASURE HUNT
Jump on the geocaching trend. Visit www.geocaching.com, select your geochache and then get outdoors and find it!
GO CAMPING OR BACKYARD CAMPING 25
Plan a weekend camping trip and take off after work on a Friday. If you don’t have the time, a tent in the backyard will do just fine.
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RIVER ROWING
Go canoeing or kayaking along the Logan or Albert River and discover the beauty of our waterways.
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NATURE ARTS & CRAFTS
Leaves, twigs and feathers are great ‘wild’ materials that can feature in your craft creation. Leave it on a park bench for someone else to enjoy later.
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NATURE POEM
Reflect on your time spent outdoors and write a poem about your Wilderness experiences and re-discovery of nature.
BIRDS & BREAKFAST
Grab your binoculars and go for an early morning bird watching walk. Pack your breakfast and find a bench or patch of grass and enjoy your food while the birds fly by. Eagleby Wetlands and Meakin Park are hotspots for bird watching. Hint: The birds are up searching for their breakfast, so you don’t need to share yours with them.
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FABULOUS CREEK WALKING
Head on over to Meakin Park or Riverdale Parklands and walk along Slacks Creek. Be on the lookout for turtles, lizards, fish and frogs.
EAGLEBY WETLANDS Eagleby Wetlands provides an important habitat for waterbirds and reptiles, and is located adjacent to the Albert River.
MEAKIN PARK Discover the natural values and unique wildlife of Slacks Creek. The connected pathways are great for a morning stroll or afternoon bike ride.
CITY OF LOGAN PARKS, WETLANDS & VENUES
BERRINBA WETLANDS Explore these serene and picturesque wetlands along more than eight kilometres of shared walking and bicycle tracks and discover lovely spots for picnics. This rehabilitated wetland in the heart of Logan is a haven for those who love their natural environment. Fifth Avenue, Browns Plains
CORNUBIA FOREST PARK ALEXANDER CLARK PARK Picnic and play under stunning fig trees and 200 year old Blue Gums — right beside the Logan River. This leafy park is alive with birds, possums, koalas and gliders.
Explore the lush 196 hectare forest or just breathe in deeply and relax. Keep an eye out in this pristine bushland for koalas, bandicoots, water dragons, wallabies, greater gliders and around 50 species of native birds. Parkview Crescent, Cornubia
Dewar Drive, Loganholme
Share your experiences on social media #winterwilderness for the chance to WIN an eco prize pack.
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DAISY HILL REGIONAL PARK
GLOBAL FOOD VILLAGE
Daisy Hill Regional Park and surrounding areas protect vital koala habitat. Visit the Daisy Hill Koala Centre (free admission) to learn more about koalas. If you’re seeking exercise try the mountain biking trails and self-guided walking tracks or ride your bicycle or horse along one of the signed trails.
Enjoy a morning out and soak up the international atmosphere of more than 185 nationalities all at one market! The market is a great place to pick up some fresh, local produce.
Daisy Hill Road, Daisy Hill
Croydon Road, Woodridge
LOGAN RIVER PARKLANDS
Eagleby Wetlands provides an important habitat for waterbirds and reptiles. More than 200 Australian native bird species have been recorded in the area.
Launch your tinnie from the boat ramp or just throw in a line from the pontoon and fish the river at Logan River Parklands. Then cook your catch on one of the barbies by the river while the kids play or just kick back and enjoy the open space beside the Logan River.
293 Logan Street, Eagleby
Pacific Highway, Beenleigh
EAGLEBY WETLANDS
MEAKIN PARK
RIVERDALE PARK
Discover the natural values and unique wildlife of Slacks Creek. The connected pathways are great for a morning stroll or afternoon bike ride. Koalas, flying-foxes and amazing bird life have been seen in this urban park.
Covering 10 hectares, and nestled on the banks of the Logan River, this is one of the most picturesque spots in Logan, with its pontoons, gazebos, playground and exercise equipment. Cook a barbie, chill out in the shade, throw in a fishing line, or work up a sweat on the unique freestyle parkour circuit.
Meakin Road, Slacks Creek
PLUNKETT REGIONAL PARK Discover the beauty of this open eucalypt forest on a scenic bushwalk, horse ride or cycle along one of the shared trails. With its unique flora combinations, rugged sandstone outcrops and diversity of plants and wildlife it will not disappoint. Quinzeh Creek Rd, Cedar Creek
Evans Road, Meadowbrook
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SHAILER PIONEER PARK Ready to get your heart pumping? Take the family or meet friends at this masterplanned activity hub, Shailer Pioneer Park, where you can play tennis and a range of other ball sports. Of course, you could just enjoy a barbie or picnic and watch the birds enjoy the wetland. 6–12 Harley Street, Shailer Park
THE BERRY PATCH From June to November come down to a local strawberry farm to either pick your own strawberries in their beautiful fields or purchase freshly picked farm strawberries, jams and goodies in their farm shop! 912 Chambers Flat Rd, Chambers Flat
Share your experiences on social media #winterwilderness for the chance to WIN an eco prize pack.
TYGUM PARK
WENDT PARK
At Tygum Park, relax beside the lagoon and watch the kids play. Youngsters will love the pirate-themed playground, and the young-at-heart can test their skills on the basketball court and fitness stations.
Visit Wendt Park in Chambers Flat and see how the 800+ trees Council has planted are growing. Wander through the existing trees to snap up some great views of the Logan River. Don’t forget to take your binoculars as Wendt Park is a great place to birdwatch in the early mornings.
Tygum Road, Waterford West
19 Wendt Road, Chambers Flat
UNDERWOOD PARK A perfect spot to spend time with family and friends outdoors. Pack a picnic or cook a barbecue and then stroll along the boardwalk beside the lagoon. Set up for the day under the leafy canopy of trees as there is plenty to keep the kids busy. Underwood Road, Priestdale
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Share your experiences on social media #winterwilderness for the chance to WIN an eco prize pack.
For more information about parks, wetlands and local attractions in your area go to www.visitlogan.com.au
www.visitlogan.com.au/wildernessadventure #winterwilderness