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The 10 Best National Parks in Queensland, Australia
Queensland (abbreviated as Qld) is the second-largest and third-most-populous state in the Commonwealth of Australia. Situated in the north-east of the country, it is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean. The state is the world's sixth largest sub-national entity, with an area of 1,852,642 km.
Restaurants in Queensland
1. Hinchinbrook Island
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 69 reviews
Reviewed By 155kerri
I had a great time hiking solo on hinchinbrook island. It was pretty hot in November so I recommend going in winter/spring. I ran into a few other hikers while I was there and shared camp sites most nights but had the days to myself. My phone fell in the first creek crossing so I recommend using a clip seal bag if your phone isn’t waterproof haha. My adventure turned into a tech detox too! I recommend transfers with hinchinbrook island cruises for great info and easy transfers. And make sure you have your permits handy as the rangers come a round to the camp sites.
2. Noosa National Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3,016 reviews
Reviewed By sundaysap - Sydney, Australia
While visiting Noosa twice last year in January and June I did a lot of bushwalking through their pristine National Park. We have quite a few National Parks here in NSW but none of them compare to this stunning treasure. They were updating the walkways into the National Park when I was there in June last year, but I personally found their walkways were well maintained when I was there previously in January 2018. There is wheel chair access for the disabled and also well paved walking track for families with young children with prams and also the elderly. The best part of this pristine National Park walk are the beaches you come across on your way up which are Tea Tree Bay, Granite Bay and further into the National Park (depends on your fitness level) is the beautiful Alexandria Bay. And before you venture into this beautiful National Park make sure you stop into the Kiosk located at the information centre within the National Park, they make the best coffee ???? I have tasted in Noosa. Seriously a great pick me up for your long walk up into this pristine treasure. Absolutely loved it.
3. Lamington National Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 30 reviews
Reviewed By x96lee26 - Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Finally reached to the peak of O’relly of Lamington National Park. After 45 minutes of dr ing in the winding up road. Enjoy the breezy walk along the bridge coaster country side of this park. The Tree Top Walk consists of 9 suspension bridges up to 16 metres above ground. Enjoy a bird's eye view from a deck 30 metres above ground in a fig tree over the walkway. The Tree Top Walk, was the first of its kind in Australia, is 180 metres in length. It consists of 9 suspension bridges, with much of the walkway being 15 metres above the ground. Enjoy a bird's eye view from a deck 30 metres above ground in a fig tree over the walkway. Lamington National Park is a jewel in the crown of rainforest bushwalking destinations in Queensland. It contains over 320 kms of walking tracks that lead to spectacular lookouts, waterfalls and some of Queensland’s most significant wilderness areas.
4. Kroombit Tops National Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 5 reviews
Visit sandstone escarpments, gorges, creeks and waterfalls of Kroombit Tops and camp inside this national park.
Reviewed By JessiPalmer - Hervey Bay, Australia
Kroombit Tops is a fun national park for 4WD. It's wild, beautiful, rugged and spectacular and although we only spent a day, we would love to come back and camp for a few days. Both kids and adults loved going in search of (and finding) Beautiful Betsy!
5. Museum of Tropical Queensland
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 382 reviews
Want to explore a shipwreck, dive on the Great Barrier Reef and visit a rainforest, all in one day? Situated in the city centre, the Museum showcases life in the tropics from dinosaurs to modern day, with our travelling exhibitions and local displays adding a touch of the unexpected. The Museum is family-friendly and has free activities and tours every day including a great activity where you can help fire a ships cannon (at 11am and 2.30Pm daily, covered shoes required). Our Cafe is open from 10am to 3pm daily and serves great coffee, milkshakes, fresh sandwiches, wraps, slices and more. There are gluten-free options as well. And we've got FREE WiFi!
Reviewed By SallieRae
We visited the Museum of Tropical Queensland and were fascinated by the story of the HMS Pandora, it’s journey in 1790 to try to reclaim the HMS Bounty and its subsequent shipwreck on the Great Barrier Reef in 1791. The museum contains a life-size model of the bow of the HMS Pandora that provides enormous insight into the construction and size of the ship. The museum also houses numerous artifacts and provides visual storytelling of the discovery and investigation of the shipwreck of the HMS Pandora. A thoroughly enjoyable and informative museum.
6. Undara Volcanic National Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 108 reviews
Park that contains the remains of the longest flow of lava on earth, which has created a complex network of subterranean caves and passages.
Reviewed By MarkE20 - Whitianga, New Zealand
Great place set up by a local family station holders. Sealed road all the way off the highway. Great camping, caravan park and glamping tents available. Lots of wild life, the Lava Tubes are well worth a visit. There is a gift shop, restaurant and bar. We dined at the restaurant and the meals were fantastic. Great view from restaurant with outdoor wood fire on cold nights. Lots of other activities also, campfire sing songs, walks and hikes.
7. Daintree National Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 921 reviews
Part of Queensland Wet Tropics World Heritage area.
Reviewed By VTJedi
The Daintree National Park is huge. Technically it spans both parts of the river which you have to cross by ferry in your car. Forget a tour company - do yourself a favor and see it on your own. The roads were easy to drive and on our day trip from Port Douglas we visited Cape Tribulation (beach and lookout for over an hour - at times the only ones on this pristine beach), we hiked one of the boardwalks and was a cassowary and her baby, we visited the famous ice cream place and had amazing tropical ice cream and walked around the property looking at the trees, and we visited the lookout for views. That was a full day. We would have needed more time to see/do more in Daintree. Maybe next time we'll consider spending the night. It's where 2 UNESCO world heritage sites meet and there's plenty to do here but I recommend do it yourself by car. I watched the way the small tours operate and I would have been miserable on their prescribed highlights. One of the tours didn't even let them people but 5 minutes on Cape Tribulation beach - what a pity for them!
8. Glass House Mountains National Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 118 reviews
Reviewed By 130helenafun - Sydney, Australia
It is the most impressive Mountains National Park on Australia's Eastern Coast. Located just about 70kms from Brisbane, Glasshouse Mountains National Park is a big and beautiful nature Bonsai in the Hinterland region of Sunshine Coast, created by Volcanic activities at least 25 millions years ago. Those dom and pinnacle shaped mountain peaks dominate the lush and otherwise flat landscapes. The secnery is breathtaking. We visited this Park in June 2019, regrettably we did not go for hiking due to the closures of some mountains, as well as our own schedules. Nonetheless, Glasshouse Mountain Lookout and Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve had provided us with wonderful Panoramic views over the National Park, along with easy access, parking and other necessary facilities. Great experiences. Recommended by me.
9. Lady Musgrave Island
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 181 reviews
This island has some of the best diving and snorkeling in Queensland.
Reviewed By P4243WBlisat
What a truly amazing experience. We went with our 4 children aged 17, 15, 12 and 11. On the advice of others we took sea sickness tablets the night before and 30 mins before our boat trip. The 2 hour 15 minute ride over was bumpy but not at all terrifying. We felt safe the whole time and the staff made sure everyone was doing ok. None of us were sick so the trip was comfortable. Once we arrived at the island we could not believe the sheer beauty and colour of the reef. To see it in real life is beyond amazing. We snorkeled as soon as we arrived. My youngest was scared to get into the deep open water but he had a noodle under him and it was so crystal clear the fear disappeared and we took in all it’s beauty. He was the last of our children to leave the water and said it was the best day of his life. The coral and fish were bright and well alive and healthy. There were huge sea clams, blue starfish, a huge variety of fish who were happy to swim around you. We were also lucky enough to swim with 3 sea turtles who were very happy to swim around us. This was the highlight of the day. Lunch was cold meats, salads and miso soup with bread rolls which was nice. A couple of sandwich options for the younger kids would have been good as they only ate the bread rolls. You can take your own food on board which I would suggest for little kids. We then headed over to the island on the glass bottom boat. Our host was Cameron who was very entertaining and just a true blue dinky die Aussie with his larrikin laugh and humor. Similar personality to Steve Irwin. He truly knew the reef well and his love of the reef and it’s animals were very evident. He showed us some resting turtles, a stingray, a huge brain shaped coral formation and some mating green turtles. The island tour was great. The beach is covered in beautiful white coral - remember to take shoes! It sounded like we were walking on glass but the formations were so beautiful and like nothing like what you would see on a normal beach. Walking through the middle of the island was spectacular. The trees are beautiful and the birds and nests were like nothing we had ever seen. So protected and healthy. The tour guide was very informative and she also displayed a genuine love for the island. Once we arrived back to the main boat we headed home and slept most of the way. We would highly recommend this tour. It is very good value for money, it is well run and very safe. The staff go way beyond to be helpful and friendly and are a great team. The boat is clean and well maintained. Can’t wait to return again soon.
10. Blackdown Tableland National Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 63 reviews
Reviewed By talbahtstravels
This breathtaking national park is just off the Capricorn Highway, about 170km inland from Rockhampton. With hikes for a range of fitness levels, gorgeous lookouts, a waterfall to swim under and Ghungalu art work on rock faces, it’s absolutely worth a trip. Best of all, you don’t even need a 4×4! Stay overnight at the campsite, in one of the nearby towns, or get up early and do it as a day trip from Rockhampton. The first time we got a glimpse of the tablelands from the Capricorn Highway, we were seriously impressed. Rising 900m higher than anything else around, this flat topped national park is one of the most beautiful places I’ve visited in Australia. How to get to Blackdown Tablelands: It’s just off the Capricorn Highway, about 170km west of Rockhampton in Central Queensland. If you don’t have all day to visit or it’s too hot to hike, I’d still recommend driving up and going to the first lookout called Yaddamen Dhina (formerly Horseshoe). It’s all on a sealed road, the lookout is just a couple of hundred metres walk from the car park, and the view is incredible. I’d say the drive up there from the highway takes around half an hour, via a winding and scenic road. Do I need a 4×4 to visit Blackdown Tablelands?: No! There are some areas only accessible to 4x4s, but there’s plenty to see and do if you don’t have one. However the road up is very steep in parts, and once you’re at the top it’s pretty bumpy and unsealed. We took our little Kia Rio and she managed OK, but was covered in red dust by the end! I think anything too low to the ground would struggle. If you’ve got a trailer or a caravan don’t even try to get up. When to visit Blackdown Tablelands: The temperature at the top is about five degrees cooler than at the bottom, but as it’s over 200km inland coast prepare for it to be pretty warm whenever you go. If you’re going to do a day trip from Rockhampton then I’d say only do that in the cooler months, as you don’t want to be hiking up there in the 35+ degree midday heat of summer. If you’re happy to stay overnight or camp then it’s good to go anytime, as you can get up nice and early to start your walks. Always check the latest Queensland park alerts before you set off, and bring everything you’ll need to keep yourself safe – drinking water, first aid kit, sunscreen, sensible footwear etc. There is no drinking water up three and there are no bins, so bring a bag for your rubbish and plenty of fluid. What to do at Blackdown Tablelands: Go on some hikes, enjoy the amazing scenery and learn about the Ghungalu people who lived here for thousands of years before any Europeans showed up. There is even some indigenous art on the rock faces. If you only do one hike make it the Gudda Gumoo (formerly Rainbow Falls) one. It’s about 4km in total, and includes 240 stairs down into the gorge to enjoy the pool at the bottom of the waterfall. Obviously that means you have to do 240 steps back up, but as long as you take your time I’d say most people – even with lower fitness levels like me – are able to do it. When we got to the top of the steps we turned left (instead of right to head back to the way we came). If you follow this route for a few minutes you’ll be able to get to the rocks and rock pools that sit above the waterfalls. It’s a little bit of a scramble down, but the views are absolutely worth it – it was our favourite spot in the whole park. Plan your time so you can have a swim in the pool and under the waterfall – it’s a beautiful spot for a picnic too. It had been quite dry so the waterfall was relatively small and gentle, but if you’re lucky enough to go after a period of rain it would be spectacular. Oh and a top talbaht’s travels tip for you – if you’re going to take your drone don’t let it fly out of range and be forever lost to the gorge…(still hurts). (When we went that national parks website helpfully informed us that the Blackdown Tableland Two Mile Walking Track was closed, but nothing on any map shows which track that actually is and none of the tracks are two miles long. Even the man at the Queensland National Parks call centre couldn’t tell us! After lots of investigating, I can confirm it’s the Goodela walk. You’re welcome.) Where to eat at Blackdown Tablelands: I’m sure you won’t be shocked to hear that there’s no supermarket at the top of the tablelands, so you’ll need to bring a picnic or something for the BBQs. And remember there’s no drinking water, so bring lots! We were going to use one of the picnic tables next to the Yaddamen Dhina lookout, but a big lace monitor lizard thing was trying to hunt us/play with us/chase us and so we ran away like the cowardly Poms we are. Eating in the front seat of the Kia Rio wasn’t exactly the scenic experience I’d imagined for our lunch, but needs must. We had food the night before, and breakfast before we set off, in Blackwater. Where to stay at Blackdown Tablelands: There is a campsite inside the national park itself. It’s basic – drop toilets and no showers – but it’s beautiful and has fire pits and BBQs. It’s only $6.55 per person per night, or $26.20 per family, but you’ll need to book before you show up. If you don’t fancy camping, the nearest town is Dingo, which has a couple of accommodation options. We chose to go a little further and stay overnight in Blackwater. All in all it’s absolutely worth exploring the Blackdown Tableland National Park – it’s beautiful.
