National Parks & State Forests
Hiking & Bush Walking
the South Burnett has some fantastic walking tracks on offer from easy strolls to hard tracks there is something to suit everyone.
Mountains & Nature Reserves
Camping Spots
Looking to get out into nature, why not discover some amazing camping spots around the South Burnett.
One of the best ways to see the South Burnett is from the saddle, of a bicycle that is. With hundreds of kilometres of rail trail and mountain bike tracks crossing some of the best forest and countryside scenery southeast Queensland has to offer.
Get out on the Water
With several great dams, lakes, rivers and lagoons there’s plenty of top freshwater fishing options in the South Burnett for anglers of all abilities to explore.
National Parks & State Forests
Get outside: Explore the South Burnett’s National Parks and State Forests. From dry eucalypt forests to rich wetlands, prehistoric bunya pines, hidden palm paradises and thick scrubland the vastly different national parks and state forests that spread across the South Burnett are wonderful places to venture on foot, bike, by horse or in a 4WD. Back to top
Benarkin State Forest
Situated in the stunning Blackbutt Range, Benarkin State Forest is a perfect spot to picnic, fish, hike or ride on forest trails or even spot a platypus. Enjoy a scenic forest drive through rainforest, hoop pine plantations and eucalypt forests. Explore the inviting waters of Emu Creek and enjoy a stay at one of the two camp areas available. The Brisbane Valley Rail Trail and Bicentennial National Trail pass through Benarkin State Forest. Back to top
McEuen State Forest
McEuen State Forest covers an area of about around 440 hectares and is located near Wondai. Dry sclerophyll forest with dry rocky creek beds and outcrops. Great walking and mountain biking tracks. Find out more
Yarraman State Forest
Hoop pines grow in impressive plantations or emerge above subtropical rainforest and prickly vine forests on the broad hills above Yarraman. Drive through the plantations to picnic at picturesque Rogers Park. Back to top
Bunya Mountains
Explore the Bunya Mountains
Things to do: Enjoy a carriage ride through the rainforest, hand feed the local birds, taste some delicious bunya nut tucker, trek through the region.
The Bunya Mountains, referred to by the locals as simply ‘The Bunyas’, is definitely one of the best overnight and long weekend locations in the South Burnett, whether it be for a romantic couples getaway or an exciting hiking adventure for the whole family. With several different walks on offer ranging from 2.3 to 10 kilometres, there is something for all fitness levels and stunning scenery and nature to see at every turn including gorgeous waterfalls and incredible giant strangler figs.
There’s also a range of accommodation for every budget, from national park camping spots to luxury mountain cabins complete with saunas - the Bunyas has it all. Even if you don’t have time to stay, a day trip is still ample time to see what’s on offer with a number of pretty day-use areas to enjoy a picnic lunch with friends. The Bunyas are also home to monthly markets on the last Sunday of every month from 9 am-2 pm offering a lovely range of local artisan products.
After a hike, why not take the chance to get up and close with a personal encounter with the local Australian King Parrots and the Crimson Rosellas at the kiosk. Wild bird feeding began at the Bunyas in the 1970s when Joe Walker, who built the kiosk, offered feed to the parrots to keep them out of his veggie patch. Visit the General Store to purchase a feed tray specially made for these birds for $5 per tray. Please note feeding the birds with other food is strictly prohibited. The birds have an important job to do for the forest. By eating seeds from native plants and redistributing them, they help ensure the regeneration of the forest. After working up a hunger and thirst on your nature encounter, it’s time to explore the food and drink on offer. The Bunyas is fortunate to have a range of dining options available.
Featuring the delightful, yet somewhat elusive (and potentially dangerous) Bunya Nut. An ancient mammoth of a tree, the Bunya Pine is believed to be up to 200 million years old with the trees only flowering every three-four years, depending on the amount of rainfall received. Some of the pine trees found at the Bunya Mountains are up to 800 years old. The best way to properly take in all of the Bunya beauty is by horse-drawn carriage. Bunya Mountains Horse Drawn Tours has been operating at the Bunya Mountains for over 30 years offering a range of tours ranging from short 10-minute trips to two-hour journeys into private rainforest. Bunya Mountain Horse Drawn Tours also offer a unique billy tea and damper tour for guests seeking a special Bunya Mountain experience. After the gentle Clydesdales meander down an old logging track through private rainforest, visitors are treated to traditional billy tea, fresh damper and roasted Bunya nuts around a campfire. Back to top
Boat Mountain
Boat Mountain Conservation Park
Murgon is also just a cooee away from Boat Mountain Conservation Park. A great location for avid bird watchers, the park has at least 46 species of birds including rufous whistlers, black-faced cuckoo-shrikes, double-barred finches, red-backed wrens, honeyeaters, fantails, doves and pigeons. You might also see black-striped wallabies and echidnas by day or pygmy-possums and sugar gliders at night.
In a Nutshell:
Although discovered in the 1930s, it was in the 1980s when palaeontologists Henk Godthelp and Mike Archer recognised the significance of the lake sediments at Murgon, with one of the most important finds the discovery of Australia's oldest placental land mammal. The ancient swampy environment was home to soft-shelled turtles, Australia's oldest known frogs and swamp crocodiles, Australia's oldest known bat, the world's earliest known songbirds and Australia's oldest known bandicoot. The fossil findings provided evidence of Australia's Gondwanan connection due to the discovery of a group of marsupials otherwise known only from South America. Back to top
Mount Wooroolin
Mount Wooroolin
Kingaroy is synonymous with red soil and peanuts but there’s much more to this town than meets the eye. To get a good vantage point of the township, take a little drive (or a walk if you’re feeling brave) up Mt Wooroolin. The lookout provides 360 degree views of the South Burnett including the heritage-listed peanut silos as well as the surrounding farmland and if it’s a clear day you’ll also catch the beautiful Bunya Mountains looming in the distance. Explore Mount Wooroolin by taking on one of the two walking tracks nestled amongst 160 acres if endangered eucalypt woodland and dry vine forest. Bird watchers are often rewarded with sightings of Regent Bower Birds, Black Breasted Button Quail and Eastern Shrike-tit. If you're looking for a more relaxing alternative Mount Wooroolin look-out offers nice grassy areas with picnic and BBQ facilities. Back to top
Nanango Fauna Reserve
Nanango is a bird watcher’s delight with a variety of species to be found including the Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Australian Darter, Varied Sittella, Nankeen Night Heron, and Little Black and Little Pied Cormorant. The best place to spot these beauties is just ten minutes out of town at the peaceful Nanango Fauna Reserve with over 90 different species observed, the peaceful Nanango Fauna Reserve offers many different environments to explore, from seasonal waterholes to eucalypt woodland, acacia scrub, and dry vine scrub. Back to top