The Top 25 HikingSpots in South East Queensland

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Hikes everyone coming to the region should try

People love hiking, and once you start you can't stop seeking out new and ever more beautiful places to hike. Hiking in South East Queensland is great because there are short little walks that are still well worth doing, plus a range of increasingly longer treks and challenging adventures. Whether you are new to the region or a local, you are probably looking for a great hiking spot, and these are 25 of the best in the area.



Some of these are simply hikes and others are locations with multiple hikes. They are listed in the order I would recommend that you do them if you are new to the area, so locals will probably want to skip on down towards the end of the list. Some of the locations are even public transport accessible for tourists who don't want to hire a car. For more public transport accessible hikes, check out this list .



1, Mt Coot-tha

Back in 1883, when the mountain was called One Tree Hill, the Brisbane Government decided they would like to have a natural green space near Brisbane, so they turned it into a park and named in Mt Coot-tha. The trees have grown back since the logging days, and over the years the tracks have become formalised and developed . There are views from the top, history that includes Gold Mines and WWII structures, as well as waterfalls, and plenty of wildlife. Hikes include short strolls to many kilometres of interlinked tracks. If you are looking to hike in the Brisbane area, this is the first place to go. I would recommend the Spotted Gum Trail for first-time visitors to Mt Coot-tha who have reasonable levels of fitness.



2. Springbrook National Park

South East Queensland is famous for its subtropical rainforests. Some of these rainforests have been in that location for a long time, and by a long time, I mean, since the days of the dinosaurs long time, not the last time you had Coco Puffs for breakfast long time. Of all the rainforest locations to visit, the one to go to is Springbrook National Park. It combines great views from the cliffs, some easy strolls to the tops of waterfalls and the short Natural Bridge walk. Plus, the 17 km Warrie Circuit and the shorter Twin Falls Circuit that takes you under waterfalls. If you have to go to a rainforest in the area, go here first.



3. Noosa National Park

The Noosa National Park , often called the Noosa Heads National Park because it is on Noosa Heads, is an absolutely great hiking location. It is definitely a hike that a tourist should put near the top of their list of hikes. It is around 6 kms walk from Noosa Main Beach to Sunshine Beach and the walk goes past multiple small beaches with lots of great surf breaks (expect to hike past people with surfboards), one unofficial nude beach, and views from the cliffs. Don't forget to check out the fairy pools for a cool place to swim. In the winter months, look out for whales, and in summer, expect to see Dolphins. . If you follow the inland routes, keep an eye on the trees as koalas are often spotted in the national park.



4. Glass House Mountains

One of the unique attractions in South East Queensland is the Glass House Mountains , and while there are some easy walks in the area, what attracts most people to hike in these mountains are the hill walks, scrambles and climbs. So the easiest walks are the Trachyte and Tibrogargan Circuits , which go around the base of Tibrogargan, followed by various walks up hills, with Wild Horse being the easiest from where you can see all the hills together, followed by Ngungun which is a short steep walk for close up views are the peaks and is a great sunset hike. There is also Beerburrum which is a short steep walk with 360-degree views from the tower at the top. The easiest scramble is Tiberwuccum . If you like more of a challenge and you have no fear of heights, try going up Tibrogargan or Beerwah.



5. Mt Tamborine

Mt Tamborine is a very touristy hilltop village where there are 4 wineries, 2 breweries and a distillery, along with multiple restaurants, tourist shops, fudge shops and a number of paid tourist attractions. They also film various Hollywood films here and it's been Skull Island (King Kong's home) and Asgard (Thor's home) among other places. The reason why it is on this list is because there are multiple shorter walks here. You can just do a 1 or 2 short strolls to waterfalls, and a couple of other 3 to 5 km walks. I think the total would be about 10 kms in total if you want to do all of them. Plus, you can swim at Cedar Creek Falls, walk among the treetops in the paid Skywalk, take the kids to see the glowworms (again paid attraction) and finish it all off with some nice food.



6. Lake Enoggera

When people think of hiking in South East Queensland, they don't really think of hikes around lakes. But there are actually a lot of hikes beside or around lakes in the area , and some lake hikes in Brisbane itself . The best and most popular is Lake Enoggera, a lake in Brisbane that is easily accessible by public transportation. There is a cafe, a small zoo, opportunities to hire kayaks and paddleboards to further explore the lake, and hikes . There is the 5 km Araucaria track circuit and a 12 km circuit of the lake. You can also follow trails from the lake that go across South D'Aguilar National Park.



7. Girraween

South East Queensland is not all beaches and rainforests, and there are plenty of bushland locations as well. There is one unique location though, full of giant granite outcrops, balancing rocks, and odd rock formations, and that is Girraween. You can walk or climb up various rock formations and it stands out as one of the special locations in the area. Yes, it is a 3-hour drive from Brisbane, but well worth it, and most people stay overnight, either camping in the park or finding a nice spot in the nearby Stanthorpe.



8. Cunninghams Gap

Cunningham's Gap is one of the best places to hike from Brisbane because it is closer than most other places on this list. There are 2 walks on either side of Cunninghams Highway. Mt Mitchell is a lovely walk to great views where there is a grass tree-covered platform at the top. On the car park side of the road, Mt Cordeaux is a popular destination, but I would recommend keeping on going until you get to Bare Rock. This trail actually is actually part of the Scenic Rim Trail, and a nice overnight walk is to keep going to Goomburra to camp in the car camping spots. There is also a walk down to the top of Gap Creek Falls, which is less popular than the other hikes.



9. Lamington National Park

Let's return to the rainforests - Lamington National Park has the home to rainforests since the age of the dinosaurs. Maybe I shouldn't throw the various sections of this national park together, as there are 2 main sections, Binna Burra and Green Mountains , though everyone calls Green Mountains O'Reilly's after the O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat. There is also the Christmas Creek section, which is more for serious hikers, but the walk to Larapinta Falls is well worth it. But for most people, you head to Binna Burra or Green Mountains, two areas where there are multiple hikes, from short strolls to hikes up to 21 kms, plus it is part of the Gold Coast Great Walk if you want to do overnight hikes. There are rainforests, waterfalls, and views of the surrounding valleys. Both sections also have camping, glamping, accommodation, and a cafe.



10. Mt Nebo & Mt Glorious

If you like rainforests but you don't want to travel far from Brisbane then Mt Nebo and Mt Glorious have you covered. These 2 rainforest-covered peaks are so close to Brisbane that Mt Nebo is in Brisbane itself, and Mt Glorious just a little further beyond that. There are numerous easy walks, like Mt Nebo Lookout and Greenes Falls, as well as various forest and fire trails that you can explore across the area, including some to campsites. There are also several hiking campsites as well, and one of the few places you can hike to in South East Queensland where you can have campfires. The are also numerous cafes on the mountains to enjoy coffee, cake or a meal after your hike.



11. Bunya Mountains

The Bunya Mountains National Park is one of the few remaining locations with an abundance of Bunya Pines, with many having been lost to logging or deliberate destruction to remove an important source of food in the area for Aboriginal gatherings. This lovely national park has a small town at one end and a road that runs through it, with 3 campsites. There is a 20 km hiking trail through the park, with lots of options to do shorter hikes, plus there are additional hikes in the Russell Park Area nearby. With a combination of bunya and hoop pines, rainforest, and eucalyptus bushland, plus tourist attractions nearby, this is a great hiking location 3 hours drive from Brisbane.



12. Mt Maroon

When you are advised to give yourself 6 hours to complete a 6 km return hike, you know you know it is not going to be easy. Most of the walk is just steep with a scramble up the gorge being the main difficult section. The views from the top are worth it though and so it is a fairly popular hike.



13. Kondalilla National Park

This area on the Sunshine Coast National Park includes part of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk. The most popular walk is to Kondalilla Falls, with a short walk to the swimming hole and small falls above the falls themselves known as the Rock Pools, and then a circuit that goes down to the bottom of the falls via a lot of stairs. You can also walk to the falls from the Baroon Pocket Dam which is 20 kms return, but many people come with a group and do a car shuffle to make it a 12 km one way walk (yes, those numbers add up, because you have about 10 kms to the falls and then you have to walk out to the car park). There are some shorter walks at Baroon Pocket Dam to lookouts and falls. The other walk in Kondalilla National Park is to Baxter Falls .



14. Gheerulla Valley

One section of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk is the Gheerulla Valley Circuit . This is 21 kms around this circuit that includes rainforest in the valley and eucalyptus bushland on the ridge. The tracks up and down the ridges are very steep but you can do a shorter and easier return walk on the ridge or in the valley.



15. Bribie Island

When it comes to beach walks, Bribie Island is probably the best. The southern end of the island is bushland, and Red Beach extends around the end of the island from Bongaree to Woorim. There are dirt roads that let people drive to various parts along the 8 km stretch, so you won't have it all to yourself, but most people stick close to where they parked their car, so in some areas, you won't see anyone else. You can end the hike by taking the bus back to your starting point, or alternatively, walk the 5 kms along the road along paths with trees on both sides, so it doesn't really feel like walking beside a road.



16. Mt Barney National Park Short Walks

Mt Barney is a challenging and difficult walk which most people shouldn't attempt. But the Mt Barney National Park actually has a number of easier hikes. I have already mentioned Mt Maroon, but there is also the Yellow Pinch Lookout if you want views of Mt Barney, Cronan Creek Falls to a perfect swimming hole below small falls, Lower Portals, where you have to crawl and climb through a rock portal to get to a nice swimming hole, and the Upper Portals. There are also some unmarked and unofficial tracks around the area as well.



17. The Falls hikes on the Falls Drive

The Head drive runs from Boonah to Killarney, winding up the range from farmland into rainforest and then bushland over the other side of the range. There are 4 waterfalls on this drive, hence the name, The Falls Drive. Teviot Falls can be seen from a lookout on the side of the road, and Daggs Falls has a lookout just a few metres from the car park. But Queen Mary Falls is a lovely easy 2 km circuit across the top and down to the bottom of the falls. Browns Falls is a bit shorter hike at 1.2 kms return, but the path is rougher, and therefore more fun.



18. Conondale National Park

The Conondale National Park is lush rainforest, and while it lacks the numerous waterfalls, views, and easy access that other rainforest hiking locations in South East Queensland have, it is very much worth visiting. The main day walks start from the Booloumba Creek Day Use Area . To get here you need to cross 3 creeks, and while the first 2 are usually not a problem, the 3rd one is an issue unless you have a 4 wheel drive. Most people with conventional vehicles just park at the gate to the national park and walk the extra 1.5 kms into the national park. There are short walks here to the Gold Mine and Strangler Cairn , and it is 10.5 kms return to the Artists Cascades , adding 3 kms if you parked at the main gate rather than the day use area, and some people even push on the Booloumba Falls and back in a single day. If you have a 4 wheel drive, you can also access other tracks around the national park for hiking.



19. Mt Greville

This is a very unique 5 km walk up to the top of the mountain with great views of the area. But the walk up and down is what makes the hike special. There are 3 trails up or down the mountain. The best way up is via Waterfall Gorge, which is a deep cutting in the mountain where you need to scramble up. The gorge is full of trees, especially palm trees, and while hard, anyone with reasonable fitness can do this walk. The most popular way down is via Palm Gorge, which again is a deep tree-filled gorge. Though there is also the exposed ridge track as well. Trails are not well marked and it is easy to get lost.



20. Mt Gravatt

This location is close to the bottom of the list because, while it is a great place to hike, you probably not going to make it your priority unless you are in the area. The main hike is the circuit around the mountain that goes up to the summit where there are nice views of the city and also views of the setting sun as well. You may be lucky on your hike to spot various wildlife like koalas in the trees and echidnas on the ground. Plus, you can explore further to find the Mt Gravatt Caves or head over to Tooheys Forest for more hiking. Overall, a nice local spot to visit and a reasonably easy hike.



21. Goomburra Hiking

While there are lots of rainforests with waterfalls and lookouts across South East Queensland, one of the loveliest is at the Goomburra Section of the Main Range National Park . It is down the bottom of this list because it is out of the way to drive from Brisbane, and then, while the roads are marked as suitable for 2 wheel drives, you would want at least an all-wheel drive to get to some of the trail heads. However, there are 2 tracks easily accessible by 2 wheel drive cars, the Cascades Circuit and the North Branch Track . But if you can drive to them, Mount Castle Lookout, Sylvesters Lookout and Araucaria Falls are great hikes as well. The Winder Track is worth doing if you have time, which many people do have because they spend several days at Goomburra camping.



22. Flinders Peak

Flinders Peak . is the highest spot in the Greater Brisbane Area and is readily seen from vantage points such as Mt Coot-tha and Mt Gravatt, and can be easily identified by its unique double peak. This is a tough hike though only 6 kms return, with one area where you can either climb up a rock formation or scramble up the dirt bluff next to it. It is a popular hike because it is hard but not too hard, it is near Brisbane, and there are great views from the top. The main advice I would give people is to make sure you don't lose the track on the way down. Basically, you stick to the ridge and any unmarked side tracks will take you the wrong way.



23. Spicers Gap

Spicers Gap is a nice little spot where you can drive up to the Governors Chair Lookout or do a fairly easy circuit. Now the National Parks website tells you that the Mount Mathieson Tail is 8 kms return, but most people walk this trail and then walk back via the road from Governors Chair, making it around 6 kms in total. There is a little bit of easy scrambling in one area, but it is well worth the walk for the views on the trail and Governors Chair Lookout. The name of the lookout comes from the fact that back in the 19th century the Queensland governor would travel out west to various towns via Spicers Gap and often stop for lunch with a view at the rocky outcrop that has become known as Governors Chair.



24. Table Top Mountain Toowoomba

One of the great little walks in the South East Queensland region is Table Top Mountain in Toowoomba. It is only 2 kms up and back, plus of course, you can hike around the flat table like top of the mountain. The path up is rocky and there is an easy climb up a rock face, but overall it is not that hard.



25. Gold Creek Reservoir, Lake Manchester & Mermaid Mountain in South D'Aguilar National Park

Last but not least are the hikes in South D'Aguilar National Park that I have not yet mentioned. These are all in the old Brisbane Forest Park area of South D'Aguilar National Park and are actually all linked together with forest and fire trails if you want to combine them all into one big hike. Gold Creek Reservoir is a lovely 5 km walk around this disused dam. Lake Manchester is a longer 17 walk around another dam. While Mermaid Mountain lies in between and is an unofficial lookout that is really worth hiking to.



Bonus: K'Gari/Fraser Island

While not in South East Queensland, if you are in this area it is worth heading up to Hervey Bay and taking the Ferry over the K'Gari , also known as Fraser Island. On a day trip, you can do the short Commando Trail at Kingfisher Bay or hike out to Lake McKenzie. You can also have the Fraser Island Taxi Service drop you somewhere where you can hike, and also pick you up again at the end of the day. There is the K'gari Great Walk, but you can easily do hikes for 1 or 2 nights from Kingfisher Bay.



And more

There are so many hiking locations and hikes big and small in South East Queensland that I can't really list them all. I would say that these 25 hiking spots are the essential ones to really get a feel for the area. But there are some small simple walks worth doing, as well as some challenging or off-trail hikes I left off this list. But this list should be enough to get anyone started.

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