Lamington National Park Brisbane | Gold Coast

There are endless views from the Orchid Bower lookout. Photo credit: © Lesley Hutley

Lush rainforest, ancient trees and stunning waterfalls make Lamington National Park an outstanding place to visit! Photo credit: Nick Hill © Queensland Government

Araucaria lookout track

Stunning spring orchids, ancient pines and spectacular panoramas will entice you along this alluring walk.

Journey type
Walk
Distance
17.8km return Start and finish points are the same and the traveller must return via the same path
Time suggested
Allow about 7hrs walking time.
Grade
Grade 4 walking track
Where
View map

Accessible by

  • Conventional vehicle
  • Bicycle

Journey facilities

  • Lookout (natural)
  • Walking

From the Border Track and Mount Hobwee circuit, ramble through lush, delicate rainforest and up moss-carpeted steps to Orchid Bower lookout. Drink in the spectacular views of the Mount Warning caldera and a beautiful display of rock orchids in spring.

Past the lookout, the track winds down towards Araucaria lookout, passing some of the most intricate and extensive dry-stone rock construction in the park.

Araucaria lookout is named for the ancient hoop pines—Araucaria cunninghamii— that point sharply above the surrounding canopy. These hoop pine communities are a living representative of the Jurassic Age (the age of the conifers) about 180 million years ago.

Take in the awe-inspiring vistas of the Springbrook Range and Mount Warning caldera, before continuing the loop around the summit and through open heath dotted with rock orchids.

This park is part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, famed for its ongoing geological processes, evolutionary history, and diversity (especially of rare, threatened and endemic species).

Getting there and getting around

Getting to Lamington

Lamington National Park is made up of two sections—Green Mountains and Binna Burra. Green Mountains section is located on the western side of the Lamington Plateau. The Binna Burra section encompasses the rest of the park to the east.

Getting to Green Mountains section

From Broadbeach, drive 40km to Canungra via Nerang. From the north, take Pacific Motorway exit 34 to Beenleigh, route 92 to Tamborine, and route 90 to Canungra. The 36km winding and often narrow bitumen road from Canungra requires care and takes at least 50min. This road is unsuitable for recreational vehicles (RVs) longer than 4m and vehicles towing caravans and camper trailers.

Getting to Binna Burra section

Allow 70min from Broadbeach. Drive 38km to Beechmont via Nerang. From the north, take Pacific Motorway exit 69 and follow the signs west to Lamington National Park—Binna Burra section. The final 1.8km of the drive is very narrow and winding.

There are many commercial tour operators that conduct tours to Lamington National Park. See the tourism information links for further details.

There is no public transport to the park and getting taxis and ride share operators to pick up from the park can be difficult.

Wheelchair accessibility

There are wheelchair-accessible toilet facilities at the day-use area in both the Green Mountains and Binna Burra sections of Lamington National Park. Binna Burra section also has wheelchair-accessible picnic tables.

At Green Mountains section there are two wheelchair-accessible walking tracks. The Centenary track is a 900m universal access track, and the first 700m of the Border Track is accessible for wheelchairs with assistance.

Before you visit

Opening hours

Araucaria 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 Lamington safely and Walk with care.