Pack up the picnic hamper and head for the hills, or in this case Mt Coot-tha. Situated only 15 minutes from the CBD, this 1,500-hectare bushland reserve is a great escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Mt Coot-tha features open eucalypt forest and, by day, is home to many small forest birds as well as parrots and cockatoos. At night it comes alive with possums, gliders, tawny frogmouths and owls. After rain the waterfalls and numerous creeks flow and, if you look carefully, you’ll find tiny yabbies hiding in the rocky creek beds. It really is getting back to nature…but in the middle of a city.
The most popular picnic spots are the J.C. Slaughter Falls and Simpson Falls picnic areas, which have barbecues, tables and toilets. But there are also several other picnic areas along the main road that circles the mountain top. Most picnic areas have plenty of grassy space so you can throw down the picnic blanket, relax and enjoy the surrounds.
For more active people, Mt Coot-tha is zigzagged with
multi-use trails suitable for walking, horse riding and mountain biking. In addition, there are dedicated walking and mountain biking trails. As most of the gravel trails are uphill and back, they do require some level of fitness.
Not to be missed is the summit lookout, offering spectacular views of Brisbane’s urban sprawl all the way out to Moreton Bay. The summit can be reached by walking the summit trail from J.C. Slaughter Falls or driving directly to it along Sir Samuel Griffith Drive. Even if you’re not picnicking, you can grab a bite to eat at the summit lookout café or restaurant.
Here are some photos:
J.C. Slaughter Falls
Creek along the Summit Track
Aboriginal Art Trail
View from the Summit Lookout by night
Access to Mt Coot-tha by car is via Mt Coot-tha Road at Toowong or Simpsons Road at Bardon. Multi-use trails are accessible from The Gap, Brookfield, Kenmore, Chapel Hill, Bardon and Indooroopilly.
