Mount Beerwah Summit is a 4.3km, grade 4 return hike located in the Glass House Mountains National Park, Queensland. The hike should take approximately 3-4hrs to complete.

Summary

Mount Beerwah is the highest of the Glass House Mountain peaks. This is a steep climb, requiring high fitness levels and some rock scrambling skills. The route takes you through wet eucalypt forest before opening up into heath, dotted with grass trees and banksias, as you climb towards the summit. At the summit you are rewarded with stunning 360 degree views of the coast, other Glass House peaks and the D’Aguilar Range to the west.

The Beerwah North Face Summit Track Route or “Hikers’ Route” is the easiest and most popular access route.

About the Region

Glass House Mountains National Park is a heritage-listed national park at Glass House Mountains, Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. It is also known as Beerburrum Forest Reserve 1. It is 70 km (43 mi) north of Brisbane and consists of a flat plain punctuated by rhyolite and trachyte volcanic plugs, the cores of extinct volcanoes that formed 27 million to 26 million years ago. The mountains would once have had pyroclastic exteriors, but these have eroded away.

The Glass House Mountains are a group of dome shaped hills and conical peaks rising sharply above the surrounding sub-coastal lowlands. They are the remnants of rhyolite and trachyte volcanic plugs and are located in southeast Queensland 65-75 kilometres north of Brisbane and west of the townships of Glass House Mountains and Beerburrum.

Getting There

The Glasshouse Mountain group is located in south east Queensland, just 66km north of Brisbane. From Brisbane, frequent electric train services, shuttle and bus services operate from the city and airport . The nearest railway station to Mt Beerwah is Glasshouse Mountains (about 10km). To drive, take the Gateway Motorway north from the airport or the Gympie Arterial Road from the city. These roads converge to form the Bruce Highway (Hwy 1). Take the Beerburrum/Glasshouse Mtns Tourist Route exit. Follow this road for about 10km then turn left into Glasshouse Mountains township. Turn left again, and cross the railway bridge before taking another left turn into Coonowrin Road. Continue west for approx 4 km to a T intersection, then left again into Old Gympie Road, after 400m take the next right which is signposted “Beerwah National Park” to the car park on the north side of the mountain.

The Glass House Mountains Visitor and Interpretive Centre is a great place to visit first for an orientation to the area. This accredited information centre is staffed by knowledgeable locals. It is located at Settler’s Rotary Park, Reed Street, Glass House Mountains (open daily 9am to 4pm).

There are separate access routes to each of the recreation nodes around the mountain peaks—Mount Beerburrum (Glass House Mountains and surrounds map ref 3), Mount Beerwah (map ref 4), Mount Ngungun (map ref 5), Mount Tibrogargan (map ref 6).

Refer to the Glass House Mountains and surrounds map (PDF, 225K) for access routes.

Tips

• Summit routes are not walking tracks and are unsuitable for inexperienced people who cannot climb unassisted, bushwalkers and young children.
• Summit routes are suitable for people with a high level of fitness, experience and skills in rock scrambling. They have steep rocky sections and irregular surfaces with loose stones that require rock scrambling skills.
• People accessing the summit routes must be well-prepared climbers with a high level of fitness and rock-scrambling experience.
• The summit routes have exposed, steep rocky sections and irregular surfaces with loose stones that require rock scrambling and climbing skills.
• Serious injuries have occurred on summit routes, death may occur.
• Rock falls may occur at any time. If you access the summit routes you need to be aware of the risks. Your safety is your responsibility.
• Summit routes are not walking tracks and are unsuitable for inexperienced people who cannot climb unassisted and young children.
• If you feel unsure about your ability to climb or keep up with the rest of your group, then don’t attempt it.