Best Hiking Trails in Queensland

Queensland’s sunny skies and awesome beaches are legendary, calling sun worshipers and beach bums from around the world, including me!  I quickly learned there is a lot more than just amazing beaches to the Sunshine State. Its incredible hinterland scenery is filled with hiking trails and rainforests and there’s no better way to experience it all than on foot.

So why not strap on your backpack, grab your best mate and hit the hills.  You can even camp under the stars around these popular spots, all of which are personal favourites of mine.  Whether you have a single man tent or a caravan full of friends, these places offer a great stay.  Oh, and don’t forget to ‘slip, slop, slap’!

Photo credit: www.oreillys.com.au  

Lamington National Park – O’Reilly’s Tree Top Walk

This lush national park is located in the Gold Coast hinterland and stretches across the McPherson Range.  The park is well known for its 150 kilometres of walking trails which wind through dense rainforest and past stunning waterfalls and cliff tops.  High mountain lookouts offer awesome views of the surrounding valleys and forests.

Hold your breath if heights make you queasy (like me!) because the O’Reilly’s Tree Top Walk is 15 metres above the ground on nine incredible suspension bridges. It does offer close up views of the rainforest canopy though and a kookaburra-eye view of the scenery below.  Camping is permitted in certain spots but book ahead of time.



Springbrook National Park - Natural Bridge Trail

Next door to Lamington Park just to its east, Springbrook is comparatively small but offers one heck of a trail for all experience levels.  The best trail leads to the Natural Bridge and is an easy hike.  Leading to a stunning natural bridge carved by a waterfall, this wonder makes for one of the coolest sights that I’ve seen on any trail.  A ragging waterfall opened up a hole in the rock below and after thousands of years exposed an underground cave which created the natural rock bridge.  Hikers are able to explore the cave as the waterfall roars through the rocky opening above.

If you’re up for a walk later in the day, check out the cave as the sun goes down when the glow worms come out and light up the cave ceiling.  The Settlement camping area accepts tents and caravans and is linked to another hiking trail to Purling Brook Falls.  You’ll find plenty of great things to do in this awesome park.



Noosa National Park’s Coastal Track

Noosa is one of Queensland’s hot spots for surfing and beach life – not to mention the party life of Hastings Street.  The nearby Coastal Track in Noosa National Park begins just past Noosa’s Main Beach along Laguna Bay.  Winding along the jagged Pacific cliff tops, the track offers dense forest on one side and stunning ocean views on the other.  Hikers are taken on a journey high above the churning waters of appropriately named inlets such as Winch Cove, Hells Gates and Devils Kitchen.

It’s hard to know which way to look because you’re almost guaranteed to spot a furry koala in the trees along with the colourful Queensland bird life.  The cool thing with this hike is that it’s broken up by the Alexandria Bay Beach – and the far end along the rocks is clothing optional.  So throw caution to the wind with a quick skinny-dip to cool off before heading back through the inland route.  Be warned though, the beach isn’t patrolled and the waves can be intense.



Fraser Island Great Walk – Great Sandy National Park

World Heritage listed Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world and packed full of sights and high adventure including sand boarding, 4WD exploring up and down the beach or scenic flights that take off and land on the beach.  

The Great Walk on the eastern side is a 90km trail that leads through abundant rainforests and features some of the most beautiful freshwater lakes found anywhere in Australia.  Lake McKenzie is one of the most stunning of all and is perfect for swimming.  The sand is so pure they say you can even polish your teeth with it! This is the best watering hole for a swim as the ocean can be a little rough and full of predators.

Several campgrounds are along the way but if you’re unable to do the full 90 kilometres, the trail can be tackled in short sections.  Be sure to take plenty of provisions when camping though as there are no nearby services.

No matter where you are in Queensland, it is ripe for exploring.  With excellent camp sites and diverse walking trails, choosing a Queensland holiday is a no brainer!  Get your hiking shoes on and set out now.

If you need help planning group trips or tours with your mates, get advice from one of the local travel consultants in Australia like Student Flights, just sit back and let them do all the planning!