Beerburrum and Beerwah State Forests Brisbane | Sunshine Coast

Head to Coochin Creek in Beerburrum and Beerwah State Forests and enjoy fishing, canoeing, camping and picnicking. Photo credit: Tomek.Z.Genek © Queensland Government

Nature, culture and history

    Kookaburras are one of the many birds you will see in the park, especially in the day-use area.

    Photo credit: Ross Naumann, QPWS volunteer.

    Herons are often seen stalking their prey in the mangroves.

    Photo credit: Ross Naumann, QPWS volunteer.

    Keep an eye out for rails. These secretive birds are usually found hiding in the vegetation at the water's edge.

    Photo credit: Cheryl Thomson, Queensland Government.

    Natural environment

    Beerburrum and Beerwah State forests sit within diverse landscapes with amazing views of Glass House Mountain peaks, extensive pine plantations and diverse natural habitats from coastal wetlands and forests to montane heath.

    The craggy peaks of the Glass House Mountains tower above the surrounding Sunshine Coast landscape. The Glass House Mountains were named by Lieutenant James Cook in 1770. In The Genesis of Queensland (1888), the following extract from Cook's journal on Thursday, 17 May 1770 noted:

    “These hills lay but a little way inland, and not far from each other, they are remarkable for the singular form of their elevation, which very much resembles a glasshouse for this reason I called them the Glass Houses…”

    Read more about Glass House Mountains nature, culture and history.

    A short boat trip from the Coochin Creek camping and day-use areas, Moreton Bay Marine Park protects a vast array of marine habitats, plants and animals. Covering more than 3400km2 of open and sheltered waterways and dotted with islands, Moreton Bay Marine Park includes some of Australia's premier wetlands. Extensive mangroves and tidal flats support and shelter fish, birds and other wildlife. Sandflats provide roosting sites for migratory birds and seagrass beds nurture fish, shellfish, dugong and turtles.

    Read more about Moreton Bay Marine Park’s nature, culture and history.

    Plants

    This area contains a wide variety of vegetation communities including heathlands, woodlands and forests. Discover more about the plants in this area by reading the 'Ranger field guide: Native plants of Glass House Mountains National Park'. This guide also includes information about plants in the Beerburrum and Beerwah State Forest areas.

    Wildlife

    This area is home to koalas, goannas, echidnas and grey kangaroos. Many birds such as kookaburras, cockatoos, lorikeets, rosellas and peregrine falcons can also be seen. The glossy black-cockatoo, which is considered vulnerable to extinction, is found in Beerburrum and Beerwah State forests and the Glass House Mountains area.

    Obtain a species list for Beerburrum West State Forest, Beerburrum East State Forest and Beerwah State Forest.

    Culture and history

    The Glass House Mountains area was a special meeting place where many Aboriginal people gathered for ceremonies and trading. This place is considered spiritually significant with many ceremonial sites still present and protected today.

    Aboriginal people could ‘read’ environmental signs and knew that certain events (such as a tree flowering) heralded another food supply. The people here planned large festivals and gatherings such as bunya nut festivals at times when local food sources were peaking. This way, a crowd of hundreds of people could be catered for with minimal effort. Early missionaries in this area saw gatherings of thousands of people.

    The bush here sustained people for thousands of years. The Glass House Mountains area provided many resources from a varied and rich environment which included river systems, open forests, coastal wetlands and mountain forests.

    During the 1860s, much changed for the Aboriginal people here. Vast areas of timber were felled and burnt to make way for farming and stock. The railway from Caboolture to Landsborough, built in 1890, opened the way for more intensive settlement. As part of the Beerburrum soldier settlement scheme in the early 1900s, ex-servicemen and their families were allocated land and grew pineapples. However, many farms were unsuccessful and farmers turned to the timber industry to survive.

    Plantation forests were first established in this area in the 1930s. Learn more about pine plantations that are currently managed by HQPlantations Pty Ltd.

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