Summary

The Sunshine State

Queensland has a wealth of bushwalking opportunities including multiple World Heritage Listed rainforests such as the Daintree and Lamington National Park, great coastal and island parks like Fraser Island and Hinchinbrook Island.

Other Information

World Heritage Areas

• Fraser Island
• Gondwana Rainforests of Australia (Lamington NP, Springbrook NP, Mount Chinghee NP, Mount Barney NP, Main Range NP)
• Great Barrier Reef
• Riversleigh
• Wet Tropics (Daintree NP, Barron Gorge NP, Cedar Bay NP, Girringun NP, Wooroonooran NP)

Contact details

Queensland Parks and Forest:
https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/

Regions

The link below provides a region map of QLD as a reference to what council zones are included in the 7 geographic regions of QLD.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regions_of_Queensland#/media/File:Qld-regions-map.gif

1. Far North Queensland
2. North Queesnland
3. Central Queensland
4. Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday
5. Wide Bay Burnett
6. Darling Downs South West
7. South East Queensland

Walks in Great Sandy National Park

(Wide Bay Burnett)

Medium

32 km return

2 days

Rainbow Beach to Double Island and return by Lake Poona

A beach walk from rainbow Beach to Double Island Point then onto Freshwater Camp Ground and an inland bushwalk back to Rainbow Beach.

Easy

6.4 km return

2 hrs

WW2 Commando School Walk

Z Special Unit was a joint Allied special forces unit formed during the Second World War to operate behind Japanese lines in South East Asia. Fraser Island was one of a number of training grounds for Australia's Special Operations programme during World War II.

Walks in Mount Walsh National Park

(Wide Bay Burnett)

Easy

500 m return

15 mins

Coongara Falls

Short walk 500m return to waterfall and rock pools

Medium

4.2 km return

3 hrs

Coongara Rock

I have found this gem a challenging summit but only because the two times I have been up has been off-track. There is a track but I haven't been on it all the way. Awesome views of over Mt Walsh National Park and also west towards Coalstoun Lakes. Certainly some steep rocky sections and would not advise if wet or inexperienced.

Hard

4 km return

3 hrs

Mt Walsh

Fantastic views from the top of Mt Walsh. The climb can be difficult up at the last part. The trail is easy to follow if you have basic trail sense and is marked with flag tape and arrows painted onto rocks. No ropes are need but hand over hand climbing is required for the last part.

Hard

6 km return

5 hrs

Mt Walsh Tassels Track

If you've ever climbed Mt Walsh and stood out on the huge north bluff. You'd have looked down at the " four sisters " and drooled at the rocky boulders and peaks beyond.
This new track that my friends and I are marking out, turns Mt Walsh summit into an awsome through walk.

Easy

3 km return

1 hr

Mt Walsh Waterfall Creek (Utopia Falls)

This pleasant moderate grade walk to the rock pool area—a nice place to picnic, cool off in the shade beside the rock pools or just enjoy nature.
The walk begins in hoop pine dominated dry rainforest and vine thickets fringing a moist gully. Further on, open forests and grassy woodlands feature and merge into shrubby heath along Waterfall Creek.
The creek cascades through a series of rock pools that have potholed into the granite by years of water erosion. Cabbage palms, (Livistona decora), growing near the rock pools occur here at their most western limit. Further along Waterfall Creek, impressive water gums, (Tristaniopsis laurina), grow to over 25m high and wrap buttressed roots around rocks.
Look for wildlife as you walk. You might see wonga pigeons in the dark shaded understorey of the rainforest or catch a glimpse of white-throated treecreepers in the open forest and woodland. Swamp wallabies also use the track and red-necked wallabies often feed around the rainforest fringes.
Caution is required when accessing the creek as rocks may be slippery and unstable.

Walks in Mudlo National Park

(Wide Bay Burnett)

Hard

2.2 km return

90 mins

Pearson Lookout

This great little walk is a great heart pounder as you ascend to the lookout. There's plenty of steps. One thing to watch out for is the giant spiderwebs with accompanying giant spiders that stretch across the track. Great views from the top.

Easy

1.2 km return

45 mins

Scubby Creek Circuit

Meandering along Scrubby Creek this track lets you explore the hoop pine vine forest and takes you past giant figs. Listen out for the “whip crack” call from the male eastern whip bird and the female’s “choo choo” response.

Walks in Woondum National Park

(Wide Bay Burnett)

Hard

3.2 km return

2.5 hrs

Boulder Mountain

Although a short walk, Mt Boulder is a challenging walk as it rises to 496m above sea-level and requires a good level of fitness. The last 300m of the assent is very steep, with a small amount hand over hand action required, but well worth the trip. Once at the top you will reach the communications tower and the view is a little obscured by trees but you can get a few shots of the ranges just a little back down the track. The return is the way you came, so expect some thigh burning action on the way down.