About Bunya Mountains

Park features

Rising abruptly from the surrounding plains, the cool peaks of the Bunya Mountains reach more than 1,100m and offer spectacular mountain scenery, views and abundant wildlife.

Bunya Mountains National Park (declared in 1908) is Queensland’s second oldest national park. It shelters the world’s largest stand of ancient bunya pines Araucaria bidwillii and more than 30 rare and threatened species.

The bunya pines tower over tall, moist rainforest along the range crest, while hoop pines dominate dry rainforest on lower slopes. Subtropical rainforest, once the most widespread rainforest community in Queensland, grows along the range crest and upper parts of the eastern side of the mountains. Semi-evergreen vine thickets and at least seven other types of dry rainforest grow on the lower or western slopes. The park's forests shelter rare and threatened plants including orchids and small herbs. Natural grassland (locally known as 'balds') containing rare grass species are scattered across the mountains. The national park also protects open eucalypt forests, woodlands, brigalow scrub and the largest protected areas of vine thickets dominated by bottle trees in Australia.

The park is home to about 120 species of birds and many species of mammals, frogs and reptiles. Several rare and threatened animals live here including sooty owls, powerful owls, the black-breasted button quail, a skink species and a number of mammals. Birdlife is abundant, with brightly-coloured parrots being popular visitors to picnic areas.

Long revered by generations of Aboriginal people—travelling long distances every few years for feasts and celebrations coinciding with mass crops of bunya 'nuts'—the Bunya Mountains are for all a worthy destination. Picnic and camping areas and more than 35km of walking tracks make it a wonderful place to escape the heat, or the hustle and bustle of modern life.

• Read more about the nature, culture and history of Bunya Mountains National Park.

Looking after the park

By observing these rules you will contribute to the protection and conservation of the park so it may continue to give enjoyment to you and others.

• Stay on designated roads and tracks and please obey signs.
• Clean footwear and equipment when going in and out of the forest. Read the Protect bunya pines for future times fact sheet (PDF, 391.2KB) before visiting.
• Leave pets at home. Dogs, cats and other domestic animals are not permitted in national parks.
• Never feed birds, wallabies or other wildlife. Feeding wildlife human foods can lead to illness, disease and death or over-population of some species. Animals can also develop aggressive behaviour that affects the enjoyment and experience of other visitors.
• All plants, animals and natural and cultural features of the national park are protected. Do not remove living or dead plant material (including bunya cones and fallen timber), rocks or animals.
• Minimise rubbish. Please take your rubbish and recyclable waste off the mountains.
• Take care with fire. They are only permitted in the wood barbeques. If you light a fire, make sure it is out before you leave it. Use water, not sand or dirt, to extinguish the fire. Summer is a high fire risk time in the Bunya Mountains.
• The small mountain streams are very sensitive to disturbance and not suitable for swimming. Please protect the aquatic life and water quality by staying out of the water.

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

Park management

Bunya Mountains National Park was declared in 1908 and is Queensland's second oldest national park. It covers 19,600 hectares. See the description of the park's nature, culture and history for more information about the history and values of Bunya Mountains National Park.

The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service manage Bunya Mountains National Park under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.

A management plan for Bunya Mountains National Park will be prepared in the future.

Tourism information links

South Burnett Visitor Information Centres
www.discoversouthburnett.com.au
Kingaroy Visitor Information Centre
128 Haly Street
Kingaroy QLD 4610
ph (07) 4189 9555
email tourism@sbrc.qld.gov.au
or
Nanango Visitor Information Centre
At the South Burnett Energy Centre
41 Henry Street
Nanango QLD 4615
ph (07) 4189 9555
email tourism@sbrc.qld.gov.au

Dalby Visitor Information Centre
www.westerndownsqueensland.com.au
Thomas Jack Park
Warrego Hwy
Dalby QLD 4405
ph (07) 4679 4461
email dalby.vic@wdrc.qld.gov.au

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

For information on road conditions check with the Department of Transport and Main Roads or phone 13 19 40 before setting out.