Cronan Creek runs off the slopes of Mount Barney, one of the great peaks of the Scenic Rim, the arc of mountains along the Queensland and New South Wales border southwest of Brisbane. Mount Barney rises to over thirteen hundred metres, a rugged mass of volcanic rock covered in eucalyptus forest, with rainforest in the gullies and heathland near the summit, and it is the most challenging climb in southeast Queensland. The creek valley below is quiet and lovely, with clear water running over rocks, tall gums and grassy flats where wallabies graze at dusk.
The area is part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia, a World Heritage listing that covers dozens of protected areas along the Great Dividing Range in Queensland and New South Wales. The rainforests here are remnants of the forests that covered the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana, with plants whose ancestors go back to the age of dinosaurs. Birds are everywhere: kookaburras laughing in the morning, black cockatoos, whipbirds cracking their calls through the forest, and, if you are lucky, the shy Albert's lyrebird.
The roads around here are excellent for riding. The Boonah to Rathdowney road crosses the farmland and foothills with good curves and views of the mountains, and the Mount Lindesay Highway runs south from Rathdowney across the border into New South Wales, winding through forest and over the range. Smaller roads, some unsealed, lead to the trailheads around Mount Barney and Cronan Creek. Watch for kangaroos and wallabies, especially at dawn and dusk, and for cattle on unfenced roads. Gravel roads can be corrugated and slippery after rain.
There are no services at the creek itself. Rathdowney, a small country town, has fuel, a general store and a pub; Boonah, about thirty-five kilometres to the northwest, and Beaudesert are larger towns with more choice. Kooralbyn is a resort community with a few facilities. Summer brings heat, humidity and storms, sometimes with flooding that closes roads; winter is cool and dry, ideal for riding and walking. Carry water and sun protection, and be aware of snakes in warmer months. The view of Mount Barney at sunset from the farmland, the mountain glowing red above the green paddocks, is a classic of the region.