Lamington National Park walks: Gold Coast hinterland

Lamington National Park walks at a glance

Lamington National Park walks start from two sections, Green Mountains and Binna Burra, and a long track called the Border Track joins them. The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) says the park was declared in 1915, covers 20,590 hectares and has about 160 km of walking tracks.

QPWS lists Lamington inside the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area. UNESCO says the site as a whole was first listed in 1986 and extended in 1994, and that its name changed in 2007 from Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves (Australia).

QPWS gives each track a class, based on its hardest section, and says it is completing class assessments of the park's walking tracks. Class 2 is easy and suits all fitness levels, Class 3 needs a reasonable level of fitness, and Class 4 suits walkers with a moderate fitness level and previous experience.

QPWS says to allow more time for rests and to return to your starting point if you walk with small children or are an inexperienced bushwalker.

Sources for this section: QPWS, About Lamington; UNESCO, Gondwana Rainforests of Australia.

Green Mountains walks

Green Mountains is on the western side of the Lamington Plateau, in an area QPWS calls O'Reilly. Two of its half-day walks leave Lamington National Park Road 800 m downhill from the park's information centre. The Python Rock track is 3.1 km return, about 1 hour, and its lookout has views of Morans Falls, Castle Crag and Lost World. The Morans Falls track has a constructed lookout over the falls and the gorge.

For a full day, the Box Forest circuit branches from the Border Track 3.2 km from the trailhead and leads to Picnic Rock and Elabana Falls. If you walk the whole circuit, QPWS says to go clockwise.

O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat describes its Tree Top Walk as 180 metres long, with nine suspension bridges and much of the walkway 15 metres above the ground. The retreat says the walk is free, with no age or height limits, but it recommends parental guidance for young children on the ladder climb to the observation decks.

Sources for this section: QPWS, About Lamington; QPWS, Frequently asked questions; QPWS, Green Mountains section map; O'Reilly's, Tree Top Walk.

Binna Burra walks

For a quick introduction to Lamington's typical warm subtropical rainforest, QPWS says to follow the Border Track for 500 m, then branch right onto the Rainforest circuit. The Tullawallal circuit leads to the closest patch of cool temperate rainforest to Binna Burra. QPWS says the Antarctic beech trees on Tullawallal's summit are the northernmost of their species in Australia. The Caves circuit is 5 km return. QPWS warns that the circuit has unstable surfaces and that rockfalls may occur, and asks walkers not to linger near Kweebani Cave.

The Coomera circuit is a full day. It leaves the Border Track 1.9 km from the trailhead, follows the edge of the Coomera Gorge and crosses the river several times. QPWS says the crossings can be hazardous after heavy rain and should not be tried when the river is in flood.

Sources for this section: QPWS, About Lamington; QPWS, Binna Burra section map.

The Border Track between the two sides

QPWS calls the Border Track the backbone of the park's walking track system, with most walks radiating from it. The track connects the Binna Burra and Green Mountains sections and is part of the 54 km Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk. It follows part of the original route of the 1863 to 1865 survey of the Queensland and New South Wales border.

QPWS says to stay on the Border Track. It says there is no shorter way to walk from either trailhead, and other routes may appear shorter but end up longer. It recommends walking only in daylight and, as a general rule, finishing an hour before sunset, and it says not to attempt long walks after midday.

Our advice for a one-way walk is to plan the trip back. QPWS says to allow 80 minutes to drive between the two sections. Its About page says there is no public transport to the park, but its FAQ answers yes for Green Mountains, saying some bus companies run regular tours there.

Sources for this section: QPWS, About Lamington; QPWS, Nature, culture and history; QPWS, Frequently asked questions.

How to reach each side

For Green Mountains, QPWS says to drive 40 km from Broadbeach to Canungra via Nerang. From the north, QPWS says to take Pacific Motorway exit 34 to Beenleigh, then route 92 to Tamborine and route 90 to Canungra. QPWS says the 36 km winding and often narrow bitumen road from Canungra requires care, is unsuitable for caravans and takes at least 50 minutes. One of its FAQ answers says to allow 45 minutes for the same road.

For Binna Burra, QPWS says to allow 70 minutes from Broadbeach. Drive 38 km to Beechmont via Nerang. From the north, QPWS says to take Pacific Motorway exit 69 and follow the signs west to Binna Burra. The final section of the 10 km drive to Binna Burra is very narrow. QPWS also says no vehicle fuel is available on the plateau; fuel and supplies are available at Canungra and Nerang.

Sources for this section: QPWS, About Lamington; QPWS, Frequently asked questions.

What to bring

QPWS says to be prepared even on half-day walks. Take warm clothing and a raincoat, because the weather can change quickly at any time of the year. Wear boots or strong shoes and a hat, and apply sunscreen. Carry enough drinking water, a torch, extra food and a first-aid kit.

QPWS considers Lamington to be on average 5 °C cooler than Brisbane, and the park's wet season is typically November to March. Leeches are common in wetter areas, and snakes tend to be seen more in spring and summer. Pets are not allowed in the park. Before a long walk, leave a copy of your plans with a friend, a relative, another reliable person or your accommodation. This is general information, not medical advice.

Sources for this section: QPWS, About Lamington; QPWS, Frequently asked questions.