Three self-guided bushwalks, starting from Dunwich Airfield, have been mapped and clearly marked with orange flagging tape.

Please click Maps & Guide to see these maps in an easily printable pdf format.

Regular visitors to the airfield, Duncan and Kathryn Shiels, created these walks in 2011. Since then, they have continued to maintain these three walks with the help of Michael Wallace in the past and more recently Bill and Selina Coman.

To keep these walks open, a huge amount of clearing work has been undertaken, particularly in recent years, due to fire-damaged trees from the January 2014 bushfire continuing to collapse even now, five years later. Fortunately, as the new growth establishes itself and there are fewer heat and fire damaged trees falling over and fewer of these trees still standing, less clearing needs to be done.

Walks:

1. Cody's Walk is a short 2km loop walk to the west of the airfield, which should take about 30 minutes, so named after Cody the dog, who always liked it. We recommend a clockwise route for this walk.

2. Lookout Walk is a more challenging 3.2km loop walk, also to the west of the airfield which takes you to a lookout overlooking Dunwich with Peel Island, Moreton Bay and Brisbane in the distance. This should take about 45-50 minutes.

For a slightly quicker trip to the lookout and back, use the PMG track for both outbound and return legs.

3. Dunwich Walk, the most challenging of the three walks, is a 4km walk into town - and 4km return. This walk takes about 55-60 minutes into Dunwich and 55-60 minutes back to the airfield. The track route, turnoffs and detours are marked with orange flagging tape.

The section of track from the lookout down to the security gate has now been recently cleared by a forestry mulcher to a width of 8 - 10 metres from the lookout turn-off the whole way down to the mine security gate. Note: Our orange flagging tape somehow survived the clearing!

Dunwich track after Forestry Mulcher
Dunwich track after Forestry Mulcher

Walk just beyond the Dunwich shops on the road to Point Lookout to the Fruit Barn Coffee Shop for an excellent breakfast and coffee.

Have morning tea or lunch in Dunwich at the Bakery. The bakery now has a few tables available on the footpath outside and inside the shop.

At the rear of the SPAR, another lunch option is the formerly Skip’s kitchen, still open for excellent burgers and chips.

On the track up to the Lookout
On the track up to the Lookout with Straddie's Big Golf Ball(Radar site)
Resting at the Lookout on a hot Summer day's clearing the tracks.
Resting at the Lookout on a hot Summer day's clearing the tracks.
Moreton Bay, Peel Island and Brisbane from the Lookout
Moreton Bay, Peel Island and Brisbane from the Lookout

Another excellent idea for breakfast or lunch is the Jade Lime Thai restaurant and coffee shop, now located in the lounge of the Sharks Football Club opposite the shops.

Toilets are down the slope next to the football club. Water bottles can be refilled here. There is also a tap under the Big Tree.

For the Dunwich Walk in particular, especially during the hotter months, we recommend that you consider bringing a change of clothes, towel, soap etc. and having a shower at the clubhouse when you return.

N.B. For the arachnophobics, there will be spiders and spider webs on the Lookout and Dunwich Walks but don’t worry - they are only large and quite friendly!

So why not stretch your legs after your flight with some fresh sea air and exercise?

Last updated 3rd December 2023.