Hike | Queensland | Australia
The 3 Best Walks in Lamington National Park
Text | Anninka Kraus
Photography | Tobias Kraus
Australia Queensland
World Heritage-listed Lamington National Park in the Gold Coast hinterland was one of our favourite spots in Queensland for the combination of subtropical Gondwana Rainforests, a gorgeous campground at O’Reilly’s with sweeping views of the hinterland, and myriad tracks to explore that pass by gushing waterfalls and across magical streams. If you’re looking to escape the heat in Brisbane this summer, the lush rainforests at almost 1000 metres above sea level make for a fabulous cool mountain retreat.
Similar to Daintree National Park, there are two sections to Lamington: Green Mountains (O’Reilly) and Binna Burra. As the crow flies, the two places lie almost next to each other, but driving from one section to the other takes a 1:20-hour circuitous, round-about journey on narrow, winding roads. Even the famous 21.4km Border Track linking Binna Burra and O’Reilly is shaped in the elaborate form of the letter “W” as it traces the state border of Queensland and New South Wales along the rim of an erosion caldera.
We chose O’Reilly (Green Mountains) as our base, but Binna Burra, just like the Green Mountains has an extensive walking track network to explore during a longer stay, with more trails even than you’ll find at O’Reilly’s. The Queensland National Parks brochure on Lamington lists 21 walks, of which most are rated Grade 4 (moderate to challenging) with a couple of shorter Grade 1-3 tracks in either section.
On Saturday mornings, shuttle busses run from O’Reilly to Binna Burra and in the opposite direction, for those wanting to walk the Border Track. The track is often referred to as the backbone of
Lamington’s trail systems and has many trails branching from it that can only be accessed via the Border Track. For those walking the track a second or third time, a few trails that run parallel to and cross the Border Track offer variety and challenge to the hike (but also increase the total trail distance and walking times) – sections of the Coomera circuit and the Toolona Creek circuit for instance.
We explored many of the tracks in Lamington, but three trails in the Green Mountains section really stood out for their scenic beauty and walking experience. The famous Border Track (21.4km) that connects the two sections of the park, the West Canungra Creek circuit (13.9km), and the short but very special Tree Top Walk at O’Reilly’s.
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The West Canungra Creek circuit runs through gorgeous Gondwana Rainforests.
Hike the famous Border Track that connects the two sections of Lamington National Park, Green Mountains and Binna Burra.
Explore the Tree Top Walk at O’Reilly’s and discover birds, orchids, and ferns as you walk through the tree tops.
location & park information.
Best time to visit: The rainforests in Lamington National Park are a great destination at any time of the year and particularly popular in summer, when you can expect significantly lower temperatures on the Lamington Plateau at almost 1000 metres above sea level than on the coast. At that elevation, however, you’ll also face more changeable weather conditions and taking plenty of layers is a good idea also in summer. If you plan to go hiking, be aware that after heavy rain some tracks with creek crossings may become impassable and summer rains bring out the leeches. Wear hiking boots or take some repellent.
Accommodation in Lamington National Park: A variety of accommodation options, including campsites, are available at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat and Binna Burra Mountain Lodge. The campground at O’Reilly’s is beautiful but caters more to tents than small campervans (large caravans or camper trailers are not permitted on the access road to the Green Mountains anyway). Unfortunately, there are very few level non-powered sites, so you need to bring levelling ramps. If available, take sites CV01, CV15, CV16, or one of the powered sites.
Permits: No permit is required to access the park, but all accommodation, including campsites, must be booked in advance.
Further information: Official park website
Gold Coast Hinterland | Queensland
The Tree Top Walk at O'Reilly's
The Tree Top Walk at O’Reilly’s offers a beautiful stroll through the rainforest canopy. Nine suspension bridges that float 15 metres above the forest floor are joined into a 180m long boardwalk, which allows you to observe the plant and birdlife in the canopy at close range.
You’ll see plenty of birds, orchids, and ferns, and the more adventurous can climb the steep ladders up a Strangler Fig to two observation decks. The decks are much higher off the ground than the boardwalk even and offer long views across the forested ranges.
The full circuit is a 1-km loop starting from O’Reilly’s.
track details.
Walk | Loop trail | 30 minutes
Start/End: Green Mountains day-use area/O’Reilly’s
Distance: 1km
Time: 30 min
Elevation: 30 meters (+/-) (lowest point: 925m / highest point: 950m)
Difficulty: easy
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