Wishing Tree Track

Lamington National Park

The track pastes large Brush Box and over a tree fern gully spanned by a suspension bridge down to the Wishing Tree, where you can turn left into Glow Worm Gully or ahead under the Wishing Tree to Morans Creek.

Lookouts
Bird Watching
Picnic Facilities
Toilets
No Dogs Permitted
Camping Permitted
Rainforest

Getting there:

From Nerang on the Gold Coast, take the Beaudesert Nerang Road to Canungra and turn left into Lamington National Park Road and follow this very twisty, narrow and time consuming road 30km to the O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat, where there is ample car parking. From the car park walk up the hill, just past the bird feeding area; there is a side road (inbetween the chapel and aeroplane). Follow this road behind/below the main guesthouse accommodation to the end, to reach to start of the track. 

Maps:

Walking Tracks At Lamington National Park

Route/Trail notes:

The Wishing Tree Track entrance is a little hidden away, however nicely signposted. Follow the well defined track down the hill through the rainforest. After a couple hundred meters from the start you'll reach a turn off to Mick's Tower. It's recomened to take this short detour and climb the tower for some nice bird watching within the canopy. Once complete at Mick's Tower return back to the track and continue downhill. Walking through a few tree trunks, across a swinging bridge you'll quickly reach the Wishing Tree and to its left Glow Worm Gully. A little bit further there are some benches near the cascades if you'd like a seat, before the uphill return journey. The return journey has several different options.

Back Track:
Once you feel like you've walked far enough down hill, return back via the same path.

via segway track:
Continue down the track till you reach the road/adventure activites area. Go up the grass area to the end of the flying fox. There is an entrance in the forest which will take you up to the bird watching show and a bit further the same road behind the guesthouse accomadation. Note this track is quite steep and no steps as it's built for segways.

via Red Road:
2.5km. Continue down the track till you reach the road/adventure activites area. Continue to follow up the road, you'll evenually see a turn off to the guest lodges or eventually you'll end up back onto the main road which you can walk back to the carpark.

via Moran's Falls:
5km Continue down the track till you reach the road/adventure activites area. Follow the road till you reach a sign post on your left towards Moran's Falls. Have a look at the cannon lookout then continue up past the falls following the track all the way up to Lamington National Park Road, Once there return via the road (approx 1km to the car park). See Morans Falls Link for details:
https://www.aussiebushwalking.com/qld/lamington/morans-falls

Permits/Costs:

None.

Other References/Comments:

The best time to see the prolific birdlife is to take this walk early morning or late afternoon.

Camping options are available not far from the carpark.

Comments

Did this as a start to the moonlight Crag/balancing rock and Moran’s falls circuit. Easy to continue through wishing tree and join up with moonlight crag walk at red road

Nice easy walk down from oreillys. Micks tower ladder not as steep or long as the treetops ladder so not so daunting.

mistermeggs on 1 May, 2021

Really beautiful track, very easy, plenty to look at, lots of birds. There is a freestanding observation post you can climb partway along the track, and there's a small picnic area past the Wishing Tree, next to the creek, if anyone thinks to bring lunch.

The track comes out at the base of the road that leads up to the villas at O'Reilly's, then you can take the shortcut between those and O'Reilly's if you're staying there.

Tammy H on 11 Jan, 2021

Such a wonderful walk and since it's not off the border track it is much more quite then the other walks near by. You can easily make this a circuit and even not going all the way to the "wishing tree" there is still a few hidden gems before you reach it that it makes the whole track worth while.

Maverick on 2 Oct, 2020

Reminded the other day of a 2009 trip here for a couple of nights stay at the 'resort' and took a afternoon stole down to the Wishing Tree, Mick's Tower and Glow Worm Gully and think I might have returned via Red Road.

F.A.B. on 22 Jun, 2009

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