National park · Australia
Glass House MountainsGlass House Mountains National Park
Entry is free; drive to a trailhead and walk. Do Mount Ngungun (2.8 km, 1.5–2 h — check) or Wild Horse Mountain (30 min — check) before 9:00; Beerwah's summit route is closed, so skip it and use the lookout for the view.Entry is free; drive to a trailhead and walk. Do Mount Ngungun (2.8 km, 1.5–2 h — check) or Wild Horse Mountain (30 min — check) before 9:00 AM; Beerwah's summit route is closed, so skip it and use the lookout for the view.Entry is free; drive to a trailhead and walk. Do Mount Ngungun (1.7 mi, 1.5–2 h — check) or Wild Horse Mountain (30 min — check) before 9:00; Beerwah's summit route is closed, so skip it and use the lookout for the view.Entry is free; drive to a trailhead and walk. Do Mount Ngungun (1.7 mi, 1.5–2 h — check) or Wild Horse Mountain (30 min — check) before 9:00 AM; Beerwah's summit route is closed, so skip it and use the lookout for the view.
Map to the park
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Area
30 km²12 sq mi
approximate
Established
1994
Best months
Apr–Aug
UNESCO
None
Rules in force · 7
- Oceania ↗Oceania's island states guard their farms and reefs at the border: tick 'yes' on the arrival card for any food, plant, animal product, soil or used outdoor gear, and let the officer decide.
- Oceania ↗Across the tropical South Pacific, cyclones are possible from November to April: choose insurance that covers weather delays and keep one spare night before a long-haul departure.
- Australia and New Zealand ↗Both countries drive on the left, with long distances between fuel stops in the outback and on New Zealand's back roads; fatigue causes more visitor crashes than speed.
- Australia ↗Almost every visitor needs a visa or an electronic authorisation (ETA or eVisitor, depending on passport) before boarding: apply only through the official Department of Home Affairs site or the official AustralianETA app, and check the rules for your passport.
- Australia ↗Declare all food, plant material, seeds, wood and animal products on your arrival declaration; undeclared items can bring on-the-spot fines or visa cancellation. When unsure, declare it.
- Australia ↗Drive on the left. An overseas licence in English (or with an official translation or International Driving Permit) is accepted for visitors; check the state rules and your rental contract.
- Australia ↗Swim between the red and yellow flags on patrolled beaches; rip currents cause most beach drownings.
At a glance
- Country
- Australia
- Area
- 30 km²12 sq mi
- The park is a series of separate sections around the peaks rather than one block; the mapped area is about 30 km² (check).
- Established
- 1994
- Best months
- Apr–Aug
- Permits
- For some areas
The Glass House Mountains are the cores of extinct volcanoes, 25–27 million years old, standing as bare trachyte plugs on a flat coastal plain about an hour north of Brisbane. Captain Cook named them in 1770; the Gubbi Gubbi people are the traditional owners of the land they sit on. Queensland Parks manages the national park as a set of separate sections around the peaks, with the state forests of Beerwah and Beerburrum filling the gaps. Entry is free and the signed tracks need no permit (check), so the real decisions are which summit to walk, what time to start, and which peaks you only look at: Beerwah's summit route is closed because of unstable rock, and Coonowrin is closed to climbing altogether.
Decide
Why go, which months, and what lives here when
At a glance
Status
- No UNESCO listing; national park since 1994.
Size and age
30 km²12 sq mi · national park since 1994
The park is a series of separate sections around the peaks rather than one block; the mapped area is about 30 km² (check).
Why go
- Volcanic plugs rising straight out of a flat coastal plain, 45–60 min north of Brisbane.
- Short, steep summit walks with wide views for very little effort in travel time.
- Montane heath on the upper slopes holds plants found nowhere else.
- Free entry and no permit for the open walking tracks.
When to go
- JanCaution
- FebCaution
- MarGo
- AprBest
- MayBest
- JunBest
- JulBest
- AugBest
- SepGo
- OctGo
- NovCaution
- DecCaution
- JanHot and humid; storms most afternoons (check)
- FebWettest month; rock greasy (check)
- MarRain easing; green slopes (check)
- AprWarm days, dry rock, clear air (check)
- MayCool mornings; the clearest month (check)
- JunDry and mild; cold at dawn (check)
- JulDry; coldest mornings, best visibility (check)
- AugDry and sunny; fire season starts (check)
- SepWarming; watch fire warnings (check)
- OctHot by midday; start early (check)
- NovHeat and building storms (check)
- DecHot, humid, stormy; school holidays (check)
Wildlife and nature calendar
| What | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montane heath wildflowers on the upper slopesAug–Oct · Several species grow only on these peaks. | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | no | no |
| Grey kangaroos and wallabies on the lower slopesAll year · Most active around dawn and dusk. | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Forest birds, including cockatoos and kookaburrasApr–Sep | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Snakes and ticks in warm wet monthsNov–Mar · Stay on the track and check legs after walking. | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes |
Arrive & move
Getting in, how the park is divided, and where things are
How to get there
From Brisbane
Bruce Highway (M1) north to Exit 163, then Steve Irwin Way and the signed trailheads.
1 h
Open the page →
From Sunshine Coast (Maroochydore)
Bruce Highway south to Exit 179, then Roys Rd to Beerwah and Steve Irwin Way.
40–50 min
From Beerwah or Glass House Mountains township
TransLink train from Brisbane or the coast, then a taxi, bike or a long walk to the trailheads.
5–15 min by road
From Brisbane without a car
Train to Beerwah, then a booked tour or taxi; trailheads are not walkable from the station in one go.
1.5–2 h
Zones and sectors
| Zone | What is there | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Beerwah and Coonowrin section | The two biggest plugs; Beerwah's summit route is closed, Coonowrin is closed to climbing. | Lookout only; no summit access. |
| Ngungun and Tibrogargan section | The main walking peaks, with the busiest trailheads. | Open tracks; no permit. |
| Beerburrum and the southern peaks | Forest drive, the Beerburrum summit walk and the regional lookout. | Open; forest roads may close after rain. |
| Beerwah and Beerburrum state forests | Eucalypt and rainforest patches around the park, with 4WD and forest roads. | Open; some tracks need a 4WD (check). |
Sketch map
- 1Glass House Mountains township · Town≈-26.899, 152.958Map ↗
- 2Beerwah · Town≈-26.858, 152.960Map ↗
- 3Mount Ngungun trailhead · Trail≈-26.906, 152.933Map ↗
- 4Mount Beerwah · Summit≈-26.897, 152.885Map ↗
- 5Mount Tibrogargan · Summit≈-26.933, 152.948Map ↗
- 6Wild Horse Mountain lookout · Viewpoint≈-26.960, 153.000Map ↗
- 7Glass House Mountains lookout · Viewpoint≈-26.931, 152.895Map ↗
See & do
Caves, trails and wildlife, with how hard each is and whether it needs booking
Top experiences
Practical
Fees, permits, rules, where to sleep and what can go wrong
Entry fees and permits
| Item | Range | Per | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park entry and open walking tracks | Free | person | No entry fee for the signed tracks (check). |
| Vehicle access to trailheads and lookouts | Free | vehicle | Roadside and car-park parking at the trailheads; no shuttle (check). |
| Roped sports (climbing, abseiling) on permitted cliffs | Free | person | No fee stated; check current park conditions and any registration requirement before you go (check). |
| Camping | Free | night | No camping inside the national park; nearby state forest camping is booked separately (check). |
Ranges, not quotes: fees change without notice. Check with the park or your operator · checked Sep 2026.
Walking the signed tracks no permit
Roped sports permit or guide
Beerwah summit route permit or guide
Park rules
- Beerwah summit route
- Closed because of unstable rock and rockfall risk; do not climb past the signs.
- Coonowrin
- Closed to climbing; view it from the road or the lookout.
- Drones
- Not allowed in the national park without a permit from Queensland Parks (check).check
- Dogs
- Not allowed in the national park sections; keep them to the state forest where permitted.
- Fires and camping
- No camping or campfires in the national park; use nearby state forest or town accommodation.
- Roped sports
- Climbing and abseiling only on the permitted cliffs; check the current registration requirement before you go (check).check
Where to stay
Near the park
Beerwah
Motels and holiday units on Steve Irwin Way, closest to the main trailheads.
Near the park
Glass House Mountains township
Small town with a visitor centre, cafe and a few farm stays.
Near the park
Landsborough and the Sunshine Coast
More beds and better food, 15–40 min away.
Safety
Rockfall and loose stone on the closed and steep routes high
Heat and humidity from November to March medium
Afternoon storms in summer medium
Bushfire medium
Accessibility
- The Glass House Mountains lookout and Wild Horse Mountain lookout are drive-up or short sealed walks.
- Ngungun and Beerburrum summit tracks are steep, stepped and not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers.
- The visitor centre in the township has maps, toilets and flat ground.
Visiting lightly
- Stay on the marked track: the heath on the upper slopes is fragile and slow to recover.
- Take all rubbish out; there are few bins at the trailheads.
- Car-pool from Beerwah or the coast; parking at Ngungun fills early on weekends.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Glass House Mountains?
Nothing for the signed walking tracks: there is no entry fee stated for the national park, and parking at the trailheads is free (check). You pay only for transport, food and any tour you book.
What are the best hikes in Glass House Mountains?
Mount Ngungun (about 2.8 km return, 1.5–2 h — check) for the classic summit view, Mount Beerburrum (3.5 km return, 1.5 h) for a steep sealed climb to a fire tower, and Wild Horse Mountain (30 min — check) if you want a view without a real walk. The Yul-yan-man track is the longer traverse.
When is the best time to visit Glass House Mountains?
April to August is the usual recommendation — dry rock, clear air and mild days (check). November to March is hot and humid with afternoon storms, so start before 9:00 if you go then (check).
Can you climb Mount Beerwah?
No. The summit route is closed because of unstable rock and rockfall risk. You can walk the base and photograph it from the Glass House Mountains lookout.
Do I need a car to visit?
It helps. Trains reach Beerwah and the Glass House Mountains township, but the trailheads and lookouts are a few kilometres out, so you need a taxi, bike or booked tour from the station.
Can you camp in the national park?
No. There is no camping in the national park. The nearest camping is in the Beerwah and Beerburrum state forests, or stay in a motel in Beerwah or the township.
Deep dive
Every source; fees and rules change, so check before you go