Mount Barney Summit is a 17.5km, grade 5 hike located in Mount Barney National Park, Queensland. The hike should take around 8 hours to complete.
Hike overview
Mount Barney, at 1359m, is QLD's 4th highest mountain and one of the state's most spectacular mountains. and is a mecca for experienced bushwalkers and climbers. It's part of the McPherson Range and presents walkers with some formidable challenges and is no place for novice walkers.
There are many established walking tracks up and around the mountain, although none of them are easy. All routes require a reasonable level of fitness and advanced route-finding and rock-scrambling skills. Mount Barney via SE and Peastant Ridge is the most common route and for this reason will be the only one I provide on this site. Please note the wearings however as this is a hike for the experienced ONLY. People have gone missing and have died on this hike.
Another popular hike in this region is the Lower Portals track, which is the best-marked track in the park, but still requires Grade 4 walking experience. The 7.5k round trip leads to one of the most spectacular water holes in the region, with a cave and waterfall and 30m cliffs above it.
Route and GPX file
Max elevation: 1347 m
Min elevation: 219 m
Total climbing: 3572 m
Total descent: -3578 m
Tips
- Although there is a worn foot track to follow most of the way, the trail is not constructed or maintained by QPWS, just by repeat footfall. As there is no track from the saddle to the summit, knowledge of the area and map skills apply. It is essential to prepare your knowledge base before trying this walk.
- Care must be taken at the summit, as the 60m cliff break is unfenced.
Trail location
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About the region
The distinctive peaks of Mount Barney, Mount Maroon, Mount May, Mount Lindesay, Mount Ernest, Mount Ballow and Mount Clunie make up Mount Barney National Park. These rugged peaks are the remains of the ancient Focal Peak Shield Volcano which erupted 24 million years ago. Mount Barney is the second highest peak in South East Queensland.
The park has extremely varied vegetation with open forests around the foothills of the peaks, subtropical rainforest above 600m and montane heath shrublands towards the summits. The summit of Mount Ballow is cool temperate rainforest, and on Mount Maroon there are mallee eucalypt shrublands. Many rare and unusual plant species grow in the park. Cronans Creek provides a beautiful spot to cool off, track leaves from the Yellow Pinch reserve.
There are picnic tables, toilets, barbecues and information displays at Yellow Pinch at the base of Mount Barney.
Similar trails nearby
Explore Safe
While planning your hike, it’s important to check official government sources for updated information, temporary closures and trail access requirements. Before hitting the trail, check local weather and bushfire advice for planned burns and bushfire warnings and let someone know before you go. Plan ahead and hike safely.
Let someone know
Adventure with peace of mind: Fill out your trip intentions form. Before you hit the trail, fill out an online form to privately send important details about your hike to your family or friends. If you don’t return on time, they can easily alert emergency services, preventing worry and ensuring a swift response. Hike with peace of mind and enjoy your outdoor adventure to the fullest. Be smart, be safe: Register your plans here.
Gear to consider
My free planning, food and packing checklists provide an introduction to things your could consider (as well as the Ten Essentials) on your day, overnight and multi-day adventures. Customise your kit according to your personal needs, always considering safety first.Â
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Acknowledgement of Country
Trail Hiking Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we hike and pay respects to their Elders, past and present, and we acknowledge the First Nations people of other communities who may be here today.
1 Review on “Mount Barney Summit Hike (17.5km)”
If 5 stars means ‘super fuckinghard’, 5 stars it is. I’ve done Mt Bartle Frere and Mt Halifax twice each, and this was by far the hardest and way scariest. Exposed outcrops on ridges with 300m drops on both sides – i think the angels were looking after me because heavy cloud cover blanketed my views at the scariest sections and while I *knew* one false step could see me plummeting to my step, I couldn’t see more than a few metres and I could delude myself that there was no deadly drop in my vicinity. Had there been a clear view of my doomawaiting me, I might have cried and begged for a helicopter. Bring ropes!!!!! the down was quite hectic too, but any slips would at most be a coule of metres and a broken bones at worst, Watch the changing vegetation – from lowland schlerophyll forest (gum trees) to conifers (native pines), mosses and ancient forest remants from the gondwanaland super continent. Hard but amazing.
David Scallion… hopefully next time on the scenic rim!
Sam Dermody – an alternative?