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 Tamborine National Park

(South East Queensland)

Easy

4.3 km return

105 mins

Jenyns Circuit

Palm Grove is named after the piccabeen palm that grows abundantly in this section. Explore the lush and diverse subtropical rainforest. Discover rainforest with emergent strangler figs, distinctively-buttressed yellow carabeens and fascinating fungi along the way.
Jenyns circuit drop from 530m to 340m and leads out into drier eucalyptus forest and open canopy. Here hoop pines, brush box and grey gums abound and you will pass through a grove of ancient cycads.

Medium

2.4 km return

75 mins

Lower Creek Circuit

Branching off the Curtis Falls track, the Lower Creek circuit crosses Cedar Creek before passing a giant strangler fig.
Beyond the strangler fig, the track has an uneven surfaces, creek crossings that involve rock hopping and natural hazards are likely to be present. Notice basalt boulders and columns on this creek-side rainforest walk.

Easy

1.2 km return

1 hr

MacDonald Rainforest Circuit

This precious tract of subtropical rainforest was named after Miss Jessie MacDonald, who generously donated part of this area to become a National Park in 1933.

This short, easy grade walk features towering strangler figs and lush groves of piccabeen palms, just south of the Tamborine Botanic Gardens.

Easy

2.7 km return

1 hr

Palm Grove Circuit

Short walk through a wonderful rainforest.

Easy

2.5 km return

1 hr

Sandy Creek Circuit

This walk features lush rainforest with towering trees emerging through the canopy and at the falls, eucalypt forest. It follows Sandy Creek out to the western lookout of Cameron Falls, where on a clear day you can enjoy views across the valley to Mount Flinders and the southern suburbs of Brisbane.

This Track travels close to steep cliff edges, so stay on the designated track and behind the fences.

The falls are aligned such that under the correct conditions a rainbow will appear. It has been seen in the afternoon in late July.

Easy and accessible for kids.

Hard

5.4 km return

4 hrs

Sandy Creek to Cameron Falls, Mt Tamborine

A great Southeast Qld creek walk, with some beautiful falls, only an hour from Brisbane.

Medium

2.6 km return

2 hrs

Witches Chase

Witches Falls is Queensland’s first National Park, declared in 1908. This track leads through rainforest with large red cedar trees and eucalypt forest to Witches Falls lookout. The waterfall only flows after recent rain and is best viewed from the lookout platform.

Return by the same route, or extend your walk by 3.1km by completing the Witches Falls Circuit, which starts just beyond the lookout.

Easy

3.4 km return

75 mins

Witches Falls

This is an easy walk. In the afternoon this walk is prone to high temps in the exposed areas. The conditions can change extremely fast always take rain protection.

Walks in White Rock - Spring Mountain Conservation Estate

(South East Queensland)

Medium

5 km return

90 mins

Balancing Rock (Ben Nevis Park trailhead)

Discover this 5.0-km out-and-back trail near Spring Mountain, Queensland. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 1 h 29 min to complete. This is a popular trail for hiking, running, and walking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day.
ATTENTION; As of August 2024, there is no trail signage that takes you to "Balancing Rock". Do your homework!

Medium

200 m one-way

15 mins

Bluff Lookout Circuit

A short walk to a lookout on a sandstone bluff. Tree top views over Six Mile Creek and the conservation area.