• Enjoy scenic views along the Barker Creek lookout track. Photo credit: © Queensland Government
• Follow Barker Creek along the rainforest Barker Creek lookout track. Photo credit: Maxime Coquard © Tourism and Events Queensland
• The Bunya Mountains’ tallest waterfall, Big Falls, only forms after heavy rain. Photo credit: © Queensland Government
• The Barker Creek lookout track leads to views of Big Falls and the gorge below. Photo credit: Robert Ashdown © Queensland Government
• Read the tree identification signs along the Barker Creek lookout track. Photo credit: Robert Ashdown © Queensland Government

From Paradise car park, meander through rainforest, following Barker Creek. Pass picturesque Paradise Falls and Little Falls. Follow the track to Big Falls lookout and gaze at the falls and valley below, featuring large hoop pines. The true splendour of the falls, the tallest in the Bunya Mountains, is only revealed after heavy rain.

Have lunch on the grassy ‘bald’ above Big Falls and view Barker Creek Gorge. Look for carpet pythons basking in patches of sunlight. Gaze at grey goshawks and wedge-tailed eagles soaring, or topknot pigeons wheeling overhead. In the rainforest, listen for green catbirds and wompoo fruit-doves.

Getting there and getting around

Barker Creek lookout track is in the Bunya Mountains National Park, 200km north-west of Brisbane and 125km north-west of Toowoomba in the South Burnett region.

• The track starts from either the Dandabah picnic area at the south-eastern park entrance (turn onto Bunya Avenue and drive 1km to the picnic area) or Paradise car park, 2.5km along Bunya Mountains Road from the south-eastern park entrance.

Several steep, narrow and winding routes, signposted as the Great Bunya Drive, lead to the park. The Bunya Mountains Road passes through the park from the south-east to the north.

From Brisbane via Toowoomba

• Drive 138km west along the Ipswich Motorway and Warrego Highway to Toowoomba.
• Continue 44km along the Warrego Highway to Jondaryan and turn right towards the Bunya Mountains.
• Travel 34km to Maclagan, turn left and follow the signs for about 31km to the park; 2km of this road is gravel.

From Brisbane via Yarraman

• Travel up the Brisbane Valley through Esk, or the D'Aguilar Highway through Kilcoy.
• Drive to Yarraman then turn left onto the New England Highway towards Toowoomba and travel 20km.
• Turn right to Maidenwell on Kingaroy-Cooyar Road, then turn left to the Bunya Mountains; about 3.8km of the road is gravel.

From Nanango

• Drive 30km to Maidenwell on Nanango-Tarong Road and turn right to the Bunya Mountains. This 55km route has about 4km of gravel road.

From Kingaroy

• Drive via Kumbia on the Bunya Highway and turn left onto Bunya Mountains Road and drive to the northern park entrance. This 56km route is sealed road.

From Dalby

• Travel 25km along Dalby-Cooyar Road to Kaimkillenbun, then drive 30km via Yamsion to Bunya Mountains Road and through to the south-eastern park entrance. These roads are sealed.

Wheelchair access

There are no wheelchair-accessible facilities.

Before you visit

Opening hours

Barker Creek lookout track is open 24 hours a day.

Check park alerts for the latest information on access, closures and conditions.

Visiting safely

For more safety information see Visiting Bunya Mountains safely and Walk with care.