Box Forest track
Step back in time as you wander through Gondwanan subtropical rainforest and giant brush box trees along West Gap Creek.
- Journey type
- Walk
- Distance
- 5km return Start and finish points are the same and the traveller must return via the same path
- Time suggested
- Allow 2hr walking time.
- Grade
- Grade 3 walking track
Accessible by
- Conventional vehicle
Journey facilities
- Walking
Marvel at the grand old ladies of this forest. The giant brush box trees have one of the largest trunk diameters of any rainforest tree, and can be over 100 years old. If you're visiting the park during the summer months, you'll notice their smooth, salmon-coloured trunks, freshly exposed after shedding long strips of bark.
The high western ridges of Main Range capture cloudbursts that collect as small trickling rainforest creeks, just like West Gap Creek. From here the creek flows west, out of the park, and joins the Darling and Murray rivers before emptying into the Great Australian Bight at South Australia.
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
The Box Forest track is in the Cunningham Gap section of Main Range National Park, about 120km south-west of Brisbane.
- The track starts at either the western end of The Crest or at the West Gap Creek picnic area.
Getting to the Goomburra section
- The Goomburra section can be reached from both the New England and Cunningham highways.
- From the New England Highway turn off the highway 3km south of Allora onto Inverramsay Road, follow Inverramsay Road, then Forestry Reserve Road east for about 35km to the park entrance.
- From the Cunningham Highway turn off at Gladfield, 25km west of Cunninghams Gap or 13km east of the Cunningham and New England highway junction, and travel 8km to join Inverramsay Road, then follow Inverramsay Road, and Forestry Reserve Road to the park entrance.
For tourism information for all regions in Queensland, see Queensland.com, and for friendly advice on how to get there, where to stay and what to do, find your closest accredited visitor information centre.
Wheelchair access
There are no wheelchair-accessible facilities.
Before you visit
Opening hours
Box Forest 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 Main Range safely and Walk with care.
- Main Range National Park - Cunninghams Gap section walking track closures 7 February to 5 May 2024
- Roadworks at Cunninghams Gap - Mount Mitchell track temporarily realigned 10 November 2023 to 31 July 2024
- Box Forest track - Fallen trees across track 27–28 April 2024