Mount Castle lookout track
This short walk has superb views over Laidley Valley, Little Liverpool Range, Mount Castle, Brisbane and beyond.
- Journey type
- Walk
- Distance
- 960m return Start and finish points are the same and the traveller must return via the same path
- Time suggested
- Allow 30min walking time.
- Grade
- Grade 3 walking track
Accessible by
- Conventional vehicle
Journey facilities
- Lookout (constructed)
- Walking
- Photo credit: Maxime Coquard © Queensland Government
- Photo credit: Maxime Coquard © Queensland Government
Immerse yourself in lush rainforest scattered with towering hoop pines on the way to the lookout. Trees in this area, including red cedar, hoop pine and New England blackbutt, were harvested from the 1840s until 1985. The timber was used for buildings and furniture in Brisbane, Ipswich and nearby towns and villages.
A sign at the lookout labels the features of the sweeping view. Take in the peaks of the Little Liverpool Range, including Mount Castle directly in front of the lookout. Follow the line of the Laidley Valley and the craggy outline of the D’Aguilar Range and Mount Coot-tha. If it’s a fine day, you’ll also have good views of Brisbane.
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 Mount Castle lookout track is in the Goomburra section of Main Range National Park, about 175km south-west of Brisbane.
- Turn left at the park entrance and follow Lookout Road for 6.5km to the track.
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
Mount Castle 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 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