The historic Cream Track in the Tallebudgera Valley

Descending from the heights of Springbrook Plateau to the lowlands of Tallebudgera Valley (or vice versa), the Cream Track was developed by Martin Sheils (1895-1988). It was used to transport cans of cream from the family’s dairy farm and banana plantation at Upper Tallebudgera to Springbrook, without having to go the long way via Mudgeeraba.

One day while out turkey shooting, to help feed the large family; Martin found his way up onto Springbrook, previously thought impossible. As a result of this a track was cut from Springbrook to Tallebudgera. The cream from Springbrook was then brought down the mountain rather than the long winding road to Mudgeeraba. It also brought much pleasure to the families of Tallebudgera and Springbrook as they could travel up and down the mountain on horseback to the dances.

The Cream Track

The track starts at the end of Tallebudgera Creek Road, where there is a locked gate and Cream Track signage. It’s a slightly old sign, as it refers to a free permit that is required to traverse the Serenity Farm – which is private land – at the upper end of the trail. The bad news is that farm was sold in in 2022, and the permit system disbanded. The good news is that there the track now follows a public road reserve that allows bushwalkers to complete the Cream Track without trespassing on private propety.

Starting as a gravel road, the Cream Track crosses Tallebudgera Creek, before entering the rainforest. The water level will vary a lot depending on recent rainfall, but during summer and autumn it will likely be at least knee-deep.

A second rocky ford provides is used to cross the creek again; the water is again not too deep, but it’s almost impossible to cross without getting wet feet.

There’s a third wet-feet creek crossing, and just after this the signposted Cream Track starts climbing via a long set of timber steps. Although it’s possible to walk in either direction (or one-way with a very long car shuffle), navigation is slightly easier from the bottom – and it means you’re doing the steep and relentless uphill section first.

It’s about one kilometre to the timber steps, and even on a busy weekend you’ll probably be the only person heding up the track… everyone else will be continuing down the Tallebudgera Creek to the picturesque Gorge Falls. (Head here after the Cream Track if you still have the energy – it’s a great spot for a swim.)

The Cream Track partly follows a rough road: in the 1980s the National Parks and Rural Fire Authority conducted significant maintenance works on the track using a D6 bulldozer. Other sections veer onto a narrow bushwalking track, which avoids trespassing onto multiple private properties (as the firetrail doesn’t follow the gazetted road reserve). While pink tape was originally used to denote the legal route, by 2020 official signage was installed.

A lot of effort has gone into the signage and the diversions that keep the Cream Trail within the road reserve – but these “new” sections also make it a much more enjoyable walk, compared to trudging up a wide fire trail.

There are almost as many “private property” signs as there are trees…

…with a 2015 survey of the original Cream Track showing the many private lots and where the original Cream Track deviates from the road reserve.

One of the last private blocks that the track passes is a banana plantation; the cleared land offers some nice views over Springbrook National Park.

The Cream Track now enters Springbrook National Park, and becomes a very pleasant bushwalking track – with no more “private property” signs in sight! Pleasant being a somewhat relative term – it’s a non-stop and relentless ascent – and too many stops increases the likelihood of a leech hitching a ride!

Still, this is the nicest section of the the Cream Track – it finally feels like you’re surrounded by nature and not about to wander into someone’s backyard (the track still follows a road reserve, but the Springbrook National Park is now on both sides).

A very short side-track takes you to a filtered view of waterfalls through the trees. This was documented by local “bushwalking legend” Harley Smith in the mid 1970s in his description of the Cream Track route: “Incidentally, the eastern cliffs of Springbrook are rather spectacular a few days after heavy rainfall as six waterfalls are then visible”.

The track gets a little less steep, and the vegetation noticeably changes towards the top of the valley.

The trickiest section of the Cream Track is where it crosses a small creek. There’s no obvious track on the other side, but I spot a bit of tape on a tree, and I’m soon standing on a firetrail. The track has been well signposted all the way up to this point, but from here I don’t see another track marker. If you were coming down from the top, it would be very easy to miss this.

There’s no private property signs, although the Serenity Farm is on the southern side of the road reserve.

The track passes a second gate, before reaching a slippery and rock section, and then entering a slightly overgrown section.

Alas, this is as far as I get. It’s not so much that I’ve run out of puff – especially as I’ve pretty almost all the elevation gain (the last kilometre is fairly flat). It’s getting late in the day, and I hadn’t really planned on doing the Cream Track. Having read the track was closed, I figured I’d see how far I could get before reaching a “track closed” sign. But the the track is obviously open again, and the only person I encounter coming down the trail confirms that you can get all the way to Springbrook Road at the top with no issues.

Getting to the Cream Track

It’s best to tackle the Cream Track from the bottom, parking near the end of Tallebudgera Creek Road which is accessed from the Pacific Motorway at Burleigh Heads. It’s about 40min from the Gold Coast, and a 1:30min drive from Brisbane. You can also start at the top, from the end of Springbrook Road. Both access routes are sealed, but parking can be a bit limited on holiday weekends.

More information

• The Cream Track – a copy of the “official” Web site created by the previous owners of Serenity Farm
• AllTrails – Cream Track boundaries [shows road reserve and adjoining properties]