Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve: Rainforest Walks, Entry and Tips

Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve is a patch of subtropical rainforest above Maleny on the Sunshine Coast hinterland, with short walking tracks, a treetop boardwalk and a viewing deck looking towards the Glass House Mountains. It is about 90 minutes by car from Brisbane, and entry is by gold coin donation.

Sunshine Coast Council runs the reserve. You can walk a loop under tall, old trees, have lunch at the barbecues and let the kids use the playground, all in a morning.

Rainforest walks at Mary Cairncross

There are three circuits inside the forest, the Rainforest, Pademelon and Piccabeen loops, between 1.3 and 1.7 km each. Council rates them grade 2: a hardened, compacted surface with gentle hills and the occasional step. Rainforest walks are open 7 am to 6 pm daily.

The track is mostly gravel and can be rough and uneven, with exposed roots, rocks and steps. It is not wheelchair compliant and can be hard going with a pram.

Many of the trees are hundreds of years old. Council counts 391 plant species, 141 bird species and 68 mammal species in the reserve, and the red-legged pademelon, a small forest wallaby, is the animal the Pademelon Loop is named for.

Rainforest Discovery Centre and the Glider Gallery boardwalk

The Rainforest Discovery Centre has hands-on displays, volunteers who can answer questions, and a viewing deck with views of the Glass House Mountains. It is open 9.30 am to 3.30 pm every day.

From the centre, the Glider Gallery is a 150 m elevated boardwalk that puts you among the middle layer of the rainforest. It is accessible to all abilities. The Butterfly Walk around the edge of the open lawn is also wheelchair accessible.

Picnic area, playground and cafe

Outside the forest there is an open lawn with free barbecues, picnic tables and shelters, toilets, and a playground for children 12 and under. Mountain View Cafe has indoor and outdoor seating (phone 07 5499 9180 for its hours).

Food and drink are not allowed in the forest itself, so eat at the picnic area or the cafe.

Is Mary Cairncross dog friendly?

No. Domestic pets are not permitted anywhere in the reserve, including the car park, the cafe and the walking tracks. Accredited assistance dogs are the exception. See the dog rules in the Maleny guide for where dogs can go in town.

Planning your visit

• Best time: morning, before the heat and the crowds. Most of the track is shaded and Maleny is often a few degrees cooler than the coast.
• Cost: entry is by gold coin donation, with eftpos available.
• Closed days: Australia Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Anzac Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
• What to bring: sturdy non-slip shoes, insect repellent and a camera.
• Wildlife and plants: stay on the path and give snakes room. Do not touch the giant stinging tree or lawyer cane, and do not swing on the vines.
• Groups: groups must book ahead. Phone the Discovery Centre on 07 5494 3023.

Free 4WD electric wheelchair

The reserve lends a 4WD electric wheelchair free of charge. It is designed for the 1.3 km Pademelon Loop. Bookings are taken from 10 am to 2 pm daily and only one hire is available per day, so book ahead on 07 5494 3023.

Getting there and parking

The reserve is at 148 Mountain View Road, Maleny, about 94 km and about 90 minutes by car from the Brisbane CBD, without allowing for traffic. From the Bruce Highway, take the Glass House Mountains Tourist Drive (Steve Irwin Way), turn at Landsborough onto Landsborough-Maleny Road and climb to Maleny, then turn onto Mountain View Road at Cairncross Corner and follow the brown signs. See the official directions.

There is a car park at the reserve, with parking permitted in regulated areas between 7 am and 6 pm.

Scheduled buses run to Maleny town, but the reserve is outside the town centre, so a car is the practical way to get here. See the Maleny guide for bus routes. More details are on the reserve’s website. Details can change, so check before you go.

A short history

In 1941 three sisters, Elizabeth, Mabel and Mary Thynne, gave 100 acres of rainforest to Landsborough Shire Council in memory of their mother, Mary Thynne (born Cairncross). The reserve was officially opened on 12 December 1960. The land is part of Jinibara country.

Only a small share of this kind of rainforest survives: council notes that about 88 per cent of subtropical lowland rainforest has been cleared since European settlement.

Nearby

• Maleny – cheese, coffee and the Sunday market, a short drive from the reserve.
• Gardners Falls – a swimming hole near Maleny town.
• Baroon Pocket Dam – picnic tables, barbecues and kayaking between Maleny and Montville.
• Kondalilla Falls – another rainforest walk to a waterfall on the Blackall Range.
• Mapleton Falls – a falls lookout further along the range.
• Mount Beerwah and Mount Tibrogargan – peaks of the Glass House Mountains you can see from the viewing deck.

Browse more rainforests and the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.

Quick answers