Mount Barney National Park Brisbane

Photo credit: Steve Browne © Queensland Government

Watch the Mount Barney safety video to plan your visit

There is no easy way to climb Mount Barney and preparation is the key to a safe and enjoyable visit. The safety video only takes 4.5 minutes to watch but it could save you from being caught out overnight or being rescued. Photo credit: Steve Browne © Queensland Government

About Mount Barney

    Park features

    The distinctive peaks of Mount Barney, Mount Maroon, Mount May, Mount Lindesay, Mount Ernest, Mount Ballow and Mount Clunie make up Mount Barney National Park. These rugged peaks are the remains of the ancient Focal Peak Shield Volcano which erupted 24 million years ago. Mount Barney is the second highest peak in South East Queensland.

    The park has varied vegetation with open forests around the foothills of the peaks, subtropical rainforest above 600m and montane heath shrublands towards the summits. The summit of Mount Ballow is cool temperate rainforest, and on Mount Maroon there are mallee eucalypt shrublands.

    Many rare and unusual plant species grow in the park including the endangered Mt Maroon wattle Acacia saxicola, the near-threatened bell-fruited mallee Eucalyptus codonocarpa, and the vulnerable bush pea Pultenaea whiteana and Hillgrove gum Eucalyptus michaeliana.

    Most of Mount Barney National Park is in the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area.

    • There is no easy way to climb Mount Barney and preparation is the key to a safe and enjoyable visit. The video only takes 4.5 minutes to watch but it could save you from being…

      There is no easy way to climb Mount Barney and preparation is the key to a safe and enjoyable visit. The video only takes 4.5 minutes to watch but it could save you from being caught out overnight or being rescued.

    Looking after the park

    Minimal impact bushwalking means being thoughtful about your actions in the bush. To minimise your impact on the environment, please follow these guidelines.

    • Everything within the national park is protected. Do not take or interfere with plants, animals, soil or rocks.
    • Wood fires are prohibited. Use a fuel stove for cooking.
    • Camp at existing sites. Do not create new sites. Use a free-standing tent requiring few pegs.
    • Stay on walking tracks. Shortcutting causes erosion and can lead to visitors becoming lost.
    • Carry it in, carry it out. Reduce your rubbish by bringing as little packaging as possible. Remove all rubbish including items such as aluminum foil, plastic bottles, tins and cigarette butts.
    • Bury human waste and toilet paper at least 15cm deep and at least 100m from watercourses, tracks, routes and camp sites. Bag and carry out all non-biodegradable items—this includes personal hygiene products.
    • Wash away from streams. All detergents, shampoos, toothpastes and soaps pollute water and are harmful to aquatic life.
    • Walk in small groups (4 to 8) rather than one large group. Smaller groups have proportionately less impact.
    • Do not feed or leave food for animals. Human food can harm wildlife and cause some animals to become aggressive.
    • Take notice of all signs and safety notices.
    • If you need to cross private property, obtain the owners' permission first and respect their wishes.

    Pathogens

    Stop the spread of pathogens (disease producing organisms such as phytophthora, myrtle rust and amphibian chytrid fungus). Soil and detritus can contain pathogens such as fungal spores that are harmful to the forest and frogs.

    • Start and finish your activity with clean footwear and camping gear—remove soil from your footwear, tent pegs and camping spade or trowel before leaving an area. Keep all gear as clean and free from soil as possible during your visit.
    • Please clean and disinfect footwear and camping equipment using a disinfectant either at home or before visiting the park. Use pathogen control stations located at key trailheads in the park.

    Be frog friendly

    Mount Barney’s waterways provide important habitats for a number of endangered or vulnerable species, particularly frogs. Please help protect these sensitive habitats by following the guidelines below.

    • Please do not disturb, handle or remove frogs, their eggs or tadpoles.
    • Do not use or discard, soap, detergent, shampoo, sunscreen, insect repellent or any other potential pollutant in creeks or along the banks.
    • Keep to walking tracks and cross directly where the track crosses the creek.
    • Please do not disturb or remove rocks or trample vegetation in or directly adjacent to creeks.

    See the guidelines on caring for parks for more information about protecting our environment and heritage in parks.

    Park management

    Mount Barney National Park is a reserve of international significance and is managed by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 to preserve and present its remarkable natural and cultural values in perpetuity.

    The park's outstanding geological history, evolutionary significance and role in nature conservation are recognised through its inclusion in the World Heritage listed Gondwana Rainforests of Australia. Management is in accordance with internationally recognised obligations under the World Heritage Convention.

    A management plan for Mount Barney National Park will be prepared in the future.

    Tourism information links

    For more information about activities, tours and accommodation in this region, contact:

    Beaudesert Community Arts and Information Centre
    www.visitscenicrim.com.au
    Westerman Park, Cnr Mt Lindesay Highway and Enterprise Drive, Beaudesert Qld 4285
    ph (07) 5541 4495
    email bdstarts@bigpond.net.au

    Boonah Visitor Information Centre
    www.destinationscenicrim.com and www.visitscenicrim.com.au
    Bicentennial Park, 20 Boonah-Fassifern Road, Boonah Qld 4310
    ph (07) 5463 2233
    email boonahvic@gmail.com

    Rathdowney Visitor Information Centre
    www.rathdowney.org.au
    Mount Lindesay Highway, Rathdowney Qld 4287
    ph (07) 5544 1222
    email info@rathdowney.org.au

    For tourism information for all regions in Queensland see Queensland Holidays.