Smokebelch
Forum Member
This isn't really a trip report, more of an update on the state of Cooloola Way in the north of the Sunshine Coast. I headed up to Rainbow Beach this way over the Easter break. I'd heard it was bad but couldn't find any details anywhere as to whether a Forester could make it intact. I have a stock MY10 Forester XS with no underbody protection and bog standard Yokohama Geolanders.
Even though it was raining most of the way up, it turns out the track isn't too bad. It's rough and teeth rattling for the majority of the way with a few washed out sections and fallen trees. It's officially closed and there are Road closed signs up by the Harry Hut turnoff and at the Rainbow Beach Road end to warn you away from it. Until last year it would take the same amount of time as going via the Bruce Highway. It takes longer these days but it's a lot more interesting and I believe safer than that insane highway.
I last took it in April last year and it was a lot worse (or better?), with long water crossings and deep muddy sections. This time the water crossing was pretty shallow and quite short and most of the muddy sections had dried out.
There was only one section that I couldn't get through. I had a few goes (see the pics) but I was slipping around so much near the end and the ruts were so deep that I wasn't going to risk underbody damage. I travelled up with two Land Rover Discovery 4s and even with all terrain tyres, one slipped off a ridge at the end and bottomed out. I eventually reversed out of trouble and took a "chicken run" around it, though I still managed to scrape the underside a couple of times much to the "delight" of my other half who prefers the car to sit in the garage with gleaming paintwork! Note that the D4 was the only vehicle to get through. A variety of Prados and Pajeros came through and all took the easy route.
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX7bwpiYDjE"]Subaru Forester on the Cooloola Way. - YouTube[/ame]
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls9Z6i0_WKo"]Subaru Forester on Cooloola Way - YouTube[/ame]
Even though it was raining most of the way up, it turns out the track isn't too bad. It's rough and teeth rattling for the majority of the way with a few washed out sections and fallen trees. It's officially closed and there are Road closed signs up by the Harry Hut turnoff and at the Rainbow Beach Road end to warn you away from it. Until last year it would take the same amount of time as going via the Bruce Highway. It takes longer these days but it's a lot more interesting and I believe safer than that insane highway.
I last took it in April last year and it was a lot worse (or better?), with long water crossings and deep muddy sections. This time the water crossing was pretty shallow and quite short and most of the muddy sections had dried out.
There was only one section that I couldn't get through. I had a few goes (see the pics) but I was slipping around so much near the end and the ruts were so deep that I wasn't going to risk underbody damage. I travelled up with two Land Rover Discovery 4s and even with all terrain tyres, one slipped off a ridge at the end and bottomed out. I eventually reversed out of trouble and took a "chicken run" around it, though I still managed to scrape the underside a couple of times much to the "delight" of my other half who prefers the car to sit in the garage with gleaming paintwork! Note that the D4 was the only vehicle to get through. A variety of Prados and Pajeros came through and all took the easy route.
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX7bwpiYDjE"]Subaru Forester on the Cooloola Way. - YouTube[/ame]
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls9Z6i0_WKo"]Subaru Forester on Cooloola Way - YouTube[/ame]
to ORS.
