The Scenic Rim is about 90 minutes southwest of Brisbane. It’s a true adventurer’s playground. We find ourselves heading out this way most weekends to explore it’s bush land, waterholes and mountains. The best way to see the Scenic Rim is on foot, so dust off those hiking boots and hit the trails. Here are some of my favourite hikes in the Scenic Rim:
Mt Cordeaux & Bare Rock
12.4km Return – Easy
This is beautiful and relatively easy hike, starting at Cunninghams Gap in Main Range National Park. The path is an easy grade and works its way through some pretty incredible forest. If 12km sounds like too much, you don’t have to go all the way to Bare Rock. The trip to Mt Cordeaux is just over 3km one way and still offers incredible views of the surrounding ranges.
Mt Mitchell
10.2km Return – Easy
Also in Main Range National Park, this it Mt Cordeaux sister peak. The path starts just on the other side of the road and the grade is pretty similar. The track is surrounded by Eucalyptus trees rather than rainforest, and the summit is a bit more open. You literally have a 360 degree view at the top, making it the perfect place to take in a sunset (or sunrise if a 4am alarm doesn’t bother you!).
The Lower Portals
7.4km Return – Moderate
The lower portals are set at the base on Mt Barney, about 90 minutes south of Brisbane. The walk starts at the end of a dirt road (search “Lower Portals carpark” in GoogleMaps) and then heads through some sound pretty bushland before reaching the creek. You’ll need to rock hop to reach the best part of the gorge, but it’s 100% worth it. You can climb the waterfall and the end of the gorge, just look for the rope tied behind the torrent of water!
Mt Greville
6km Return – Moderate
Mt Greville sits in the middle of Moogerah Peaks National Park and it’s a great hike if you like a little adventure! There are a few different ways to get to the summit – Palm Gorge, Waterfall Gorge & the South East Ridge being the main ones. Whichever way you choose, there WILL be some bush-bashing! Tip – if you haven’t already, install the MapsMe app on your phone… it’ll come in handy when you realise you’ve completely lost the path and have no idea which way you came!
Mt Maroon
6km Return – Hard
This is one of my favourite hikes in the Scenic Rim. It’s not terribly long, but it is steep right from the get go! That said, you get great bang-for-your-buck on this hike. The views along the way are almost as good as those at the top. There are heaps of awesome rock formations the whole way up, and the terrain keeps things interesting.
Mt Barney
13km Return – Hard
This is one of the most iconic hikes in the Scenic Rim. There are two peaks on Mt Barney – the West and the East peak. There’s also a few different ways to get to the top and the trail can be easy to lose (download the MapsMe app – it’ll help). I like the ascent via the South East Ridge, especially at sunrise. There is a little scrambling involved and some big drops, so take it easy and watch your step. The summit iswide open and on a clear day, you’re spoilt with views of Mt Lindsay, Mt Maroon and across the whole Scenic Rim.
The Steamers
12 – 16km Return – Hard
My favourite hike in SE Qld. Big call, I know…But the scenery here is unlike anything else in this part of the world. The view from the stern is worth sweating, bush-bashing, rock climbing, being scared to death by snakes and getting lost (repeatedly)! It’s not a marked trail and it’s a long way from anywhere, so don’t head out here unless you are a confident hiker. Want to know more about finding this gem? I got you covered!
