The highest of the Glasshouse Mountains, the Mt Beerwah summit walk is slightly easier than Mt Tibrogargan but still quite challenging. It has extensive views of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland and Glasshouse Mountains.

Lookouts
Scrambling or Climbing
No Dogs Permitted

Getting there:

Travel via Glass House Mountains township, left into Bruce Paradede, left to Coonowrin Road and left onto Old Gympie Rd then right onto Mt Beerwah Road to the picnic ground.

Route/Trail notes:

Follow the walking track from the car park to the base of the mountain. This section is quite exposed and some rock scrambling experience is essential. Do not attempt if the rock is wet or rain is expected. Scramble up to the base of the cliffline. Turn right and follow the cliffline around and follow an obvious track around and up to the summit. Return via same route.

Permits/Costs:

None required:

Indigenous History

Aboriginal people do not climb these mountains out of spiritual respect to Jinibara and Kabi Kabi peoples. They ask that visitors refrain from climbing them for the same reason.

According to Jinibara people’s lore and custom, Beerwah is the ancestral, pregnant mother. As there is nothing more important than a mother giving birth, Jinibara people are taught to respect and protect Mount Beerwah—a deeply spiritual place. Their lore and custom teach them not to climb this mountain out of respect for its great sacredness. Tibrogargan is seen as the father with Ngungun, his faithful dingo, lying at his feet. The mountains around them are their children. 

 

Comments

Serious exposure on the slabs, and quite polished rock. Be aware of the people above you who might accidently knock rocks down on to you. I made a 4-min movie with drone footage and maps here: https://youtu.be/_RFoGwnUe9s

Richard Pattison on 13 Oct, 2023

At 59 I though I better get this one done before I am too old. Done it in 4 hour up and down with a few stops for catching my breath and photos.
Don't do this when it's wet as you will slip off the rockface.
Also, we did this on a hot day and several people had blisters on their hands from having to touch the rockface. You WILL have to touch it a lot and I suggest to take gloves on a hot day. Finally, we drank 3 litres of water each (hot day) and I should have drunk more if you know what I mean :)

Jozef KESEG on 18 Feb, 2023

Did this climb solo today

This is definitely not hiking, it’s problem the closest thing to rock climbing without ropes i would say

You really need good shoes for this one, i use rock climbing shoes, Hiking shoes is a no go here.
You cannot get pass the first section of the rock face anyway i find!
It’s very physical, challenging, Lots of rock climbing and scrambling. Definitely don’t do this when it’s wet

Try to pack very light too, you don’t want your heavy bag to pull you down

Good experience, will do it again with someone for sure!

Leo on 6 Jan, 2023

Did the walk for the 3rd time and the first section always scares me. It is quiet steep, the rook. in certain parts, it is smooth and it is hard to find a good foothold. Wise, would be wearing a decent pair of shoes with rubber on the bottom. About half way there's a flat section with caves all around the wall. From here there's another bit before reaching the top, which is much easier than the previous one. The view at the top is good. It took us about 1 hour to do the walk. I was with my besty Dion and a good friend Kurt, we are reasonable fit and we stopped along the way. Better doing the climb eafrly in the morning when the sun is not scorching .

Daniela Paroletti on 4 Jan, 2022

Physical and mentally challenging. One hell of a ride, not for the faint hearted.

Chris Wilson on 21 Aug, 2021

Really fun peak with the features normally associated with a much larger mountain: big steep slabs, a couple of technical spots, caves and a razorback ridge leading from the summit. I followed suggestions on here to keep left at the first slab (a side track leads about 40m from the bottom of the first slab). This has good hand and footholds and avoids the slippery first slab section. I then contoured across a crack to the right of the main track where some very faint yellow paint marks can be found to indicate the route. I stayed to the right of the main track all the way to the organ pipes and it’s easier scrambling to the summit from there. On the way down, I did see some groups struggling on the slippery main track up the slabs and can understand why rescues occur. Good footwear, planning and confidence in scrambling abilities are essentials in my opinion. Will be heading back soon as it’s heaps of fun.

Ados on 11 Jun, 2021

My time from the information board in the carpark to summit and back.

1:15.42

FYI, I'm a rock climber ( not just a hiker ) and I'm very experienced with this Mountain, if you don't have experience with scrabbling and have never done this Mountain before, note that it shouldn't be taken lightly and you should ask someone who is experienced to take you up.

Know your limits.

People are being rescued off Beerwah and Tibro more often then ever and 99.9% of the time it is due to people biting off more then the can chew.

I worry that with rescues happening more and more we may loose these beautiful Mountains.

Patrick Hall on 9 May, 2021

Started the climb at 3.30am for sunrise! Had a pretty good headlamp.
Don't go on your own if its your first time and you are not confident with heights or climbing.

Chesspeople on 19 Dec, 2020

I’ll start this off by saying I have no experience climbing whatsoever, unless you count jungle gyms when I was little.

A week prior to completing this climb I chickened out right at the bottom, I nearly did it again but my mate wouldn’t let me. This was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done in my 17 years of living, there were points where I thought I was stuck, points where I thought I was going to die, but nothing compares to the feeling once you’ve reached the top. The view is immaculate and it feels like you can see forever.
Strangely I felt like going down was easier. A man told us of a walking trail at the bottom which links up to the halfway point, but we were unable to find it so we had to go the same way down as we went up. All was well until I reached the bottom, I slid the last 2 or so metres down on my butt and -because I was doing it barefoot- skinned my toe and a bit of my hand. Nonetheless I was thankful to have reached the bottom alive and will definitely count my blessings before I decide to do that again.

Wilmo on 21 Nov, 2020

Thank you to the traditional inhabitants of this land for safe passage up and down the mountain. After reading the above information, I didn't realise the Jinibara people prefer us not to climb the mountains out of respect.
This was a scary climb for me. I honestly thought I might die. It's not easy at the start, and once you start climbing a little, it's kind of hard to change your mind.
The first section by far is the most difficult.
I had general Nike joggers which were super slippery for this type of climb. Better to have a thin shoe or barefoot to grab hold of footings. Also I am a short guy, which was harder for me to reach all the places a taller person could easily grab.
If you are going to climb the mountain, choose the cool of the morning As it gets quite hot and May contribute towards panic or anxiety if you find yourself struggling.
Once I was up the first part, which is by far the steepest, it was a lot easier to scramble over the rocks like an ant.
As you near the cave and the overhang of the cliffs, you get an overwhelming sense of mortality and humbleness.
This climb requires mental preparation because the mental challenge during the climb is harder than the climb itself.
The pure white sand under the caves is a blessing to see. The rare native flowers found only in this region are in abundance. And of course the views as you get to the top are exhilarating.
I didn't realise this was the tallest mountain in the glass house region, I just picked a mountain on google and went for it.
The climb down was the hardest for me, where everyone else seemed to find it easy. It really put into perspective the slope and I could visualise the distance.
The last 100 metres or so were the hardest. My shoes didn't help. And I had no water or a backpack. Please take one if you go.
Had help from a few climbers who inspired me to get through. I am very grateful for their kindness on this day.
Please do not do this climb alone. (because it's not hike).
Be respectful of the land and take your rubbish with you if you have any.
Main tips:
- take water
- grippy thin shoes
- not alone
- cool of the day
- definitely not in the wet
- take your time
- read the Jinibara welcome message
- take a backpack in case you need to remove your shoes
- tell someone where you are
- fully charge your phone
- wear thick pants (for bum sliding)
- when it gets a bit much, stop and pause, breathe in and out until you have composure, then proceed

Our Country is just beautiful, and we are so fortunate to have these opportunities to get outside and enjoy Gods gifts. Don't ruin it and enjoy the journey.
Safe climbing to you all.
🌏🦘🌱💕

Nick on 19 Sep, 2020

Did this hike today. Very little rock climbing/scrambling experience; I go indoor rockclimbing maybe once or twice a year, and this is my first atttempt going up a mountain that requires climbing skills. I also have a pretty big fear of heights; but I love trying to face this. I had a friend with me on this hike - who has done this climb once, but who also has hardly any rockclimbing experience.

The track is easy to follow.

The first section of the climb was the hardest - as it's a vertical climb on rock slab, so it was a bit daunting; maybe 3 times I had no option but to climb with less than a three point hold - mostly because I couldnt reach the holes above (Im 5ft 2), if I were a foot taller I could have reached and had a much safer grip throughout this section. So the areas I did hold onto ended up being very thin where I pretty much was only able to use my finger tips to grip the rock. It could have been because I have never done this climb and therefore there might have been a better way up than the way I was attempting. The other problem I faced was my shoes gripping the rock, I felt like my feet kept slipping at times which made me panic more, and I was wearing La Sportiva shoes that were made for scrambling. Once past this section, it was fine the rest of the way up, no issues.

The climb down I was anticipating to be terrifying but it was so easy, and actually quite fun sliding down as long as you go slowly for that last part back at the beginning.

Overall I recommend. The views were stunning.

Nicole on 15 Sep, 2020

Challenging but rewarding. A big advantage If you're a tall person so you don't have too far to stretch to the nearest foot/ hand holds. shoes with good grip also help and I wouldn't attempt to do this on a really hot day or late In the day as the rock can get really hot. Great views and workout.

Lara B on 17 Aug, 2020

The first section is pretty terrifying if you aren't great with heights or have no vertical rock face climbing experience. I found out from experienced climbers that there's a chicken run to the left (just don't follow the steps right to the top).

Wear shoes with excellent grip! I wore hiking boots which weren't too bad but people wearing those super grippy scrambling shoes had a huge advantage.

Matt Johnson on 12 Jul, 2020

Fantastic climb and worth the ascent to the top with an amazing view. Very challenging rock scramble in the first section which is not for the faint hearted.

Ryan Ramsay on 14 May, 2020

Absolutely loved this climb most challenging to date but so worth it definitely dont attempt it in high temperatures and make sure you have good grip shoes for the slab extreamly slippery due to the worn track

Korina Meagher on 8 Dec, 2019

nice to revisit after over 20 years.
I hope Paul B doesn't mind me borrowing some of his comments for my blog.

https://themuddywalks.wordpress.com/2019/11/06/mt-beerwah-glasshouse-mountains/

glenn mead on 22 Oct, 2019

i found this hard to do it was a mistake to do it my own as well... unless your super fit

kmthor on 28 Sep, 2019

Did this for the first time as part of a successful one day, double summit attempt, along with Tibro in the morning. Found Tibro quite a lot easier.

As people have mentioned, the holds aren't as great as Tibro and the rock slab at the beginning quite steep. You really need to trust in your shoes and their grip to build confidence for the scramble up.

Once you get going, just be patient and look out for the lines others are taking. It can be tricky to judge at first since there are a number of paths up, and people descending are normally sliding back down on their butt for large portions of it. Take your time, and visualise the route ahead.

Once you reach the cave section it's all easy going from there. Great opportunity to get out of the sun and rest as well.

The slab was quite hot and after doing Tibro that morning, the heat definitely took it out of us. Went through 1.25L of water going up and about the same down, after getting some more water off others at the summit.

The views from the top are simply amazing. Make sure you spend a bit of time up there and really soak it in. It's beautiful.

It's more of a bum slide down the slab than it is a downclimb. It's a little nerve-racking at first but once you get used to it becomes quite fun. The last 50m or seemed the hairiest for me, and again, just gave in to the initial fear and did the bum slide back to the base.

Great shoes with good grip help. I was wearing the La Sportiva TX2 approach shoes, and they were worth their weight in gold on the ascent.

A lot of fun and will be definitely doing it again. Was nice to tick off the double summit in a day, with Tibro that morning. Highly recommend if you're fit and feeling up to it.

Paul B on 25 Aug, 2019

Amazing views, and beautiful bushwalk up the top. Wear climbing shoes or go barefoot, it’s very steep. Definitely easier if you’re closer to 6 foot tall!

Acasualhiker on 22 Aug, 2019

A big thanks to Sarcha

Stacey Gardiner on 23 Jun, 2019

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