O’Reilly’s Rainforest: Tree Top Walk, Birds and Walks

O’Reilly’s Rainforest sits high in the Green Mountains section of Lamington National Park, with a free canopy-level Tree Top Walk, birds that will eat from your hand and rainforest tracks that start at the car park. It is a day trip of about 2 hours each way from Brisbane, and the drive up the mountain is part of the adventure.

The area is run around O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat, which has a cafe, a gift shop and accommodation, but you do not need to stay to enjoy it. Day visitors can walk, picnic and watch the birds for free. The whole national park is part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area.

The Tree Top Walk

The Tree Top Walk is a 180 m series of suspension bridges that takes you through the rainforest canopy, about 15 to 16 m above the forest floor. It is free, needs no booking and suits all ages. O’Reilly’s says it was Australia’s first tree top walk.

O’Reilly’s describes the walk in slightly different ways on different pages: one says a single suspension bridge, another says nine linked bridges, a 30 m viewing deck in a fig tree and 800 m return including the approach. The 180 m figure for the bridges is the one most sources agree on.

A ladder climbs a strangler fig for higher views. It is optional and only for people comfortable with heights. Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to spot birds from the canopy.

Bird feeding at O’Reilly’s Rainforest

The bird feeding area is the part most families remember. King parrots and crimson rosellas land on your arms and shoulders for a feed, and on our visit one king parrot landed on a head within seconds of us walking in. O’Reilly’s gives out birdseed free through its app, so download it before you leave home as mobile reception on the mountain can be patchy.

Feeding is allowed only in this O’Reilly’s feeding area. Queensland Parks asks visitors not to feed wildlife anywhere else in Lamington National Park, so keep your food away from the pademelons, bush turkeys and possums that wander through the picnic areas.

Away from the feeding area the rainforest is full of birds. Queensland Parks lists eastern whipbirds, crimson rosellas, king parrots and regent bowerbirds as regulars, and Albert’s lyrebirds are often seen along the tracks in the cooler months.

Walks near O’Reilly’s Rainforest

Six walking tracks start from the Green Mountains day-use area, and the park has about 130 km of formed tracks in total. These are the shorter ones for a day visit.

Centenary Track

A 1.8 km return walk of about 30 minutes through forest full of birdlife. It is a Grade 1 track, and Queensland Parks describes it as a universal access track that can be enjoyed by everyone, with wheelchair access that may need assistance.

Python Rock Track

A 3.1 km return walk of about 1 hour to a lookout with views of Morans Falls, Castle Crag and Lost World. It is a Grade 3 track, and a good one for sunset.

Longer walks

O’Reilly’s lists half-day and full-day walks such as Elabana Falls (7.6 km return), Pat’s Bluff (5.4 km return) and Box Forest (10.9 km return). Morans Falls is a 4.6 km return walk that descends about 140 m to the lookout. The 21.4 km Border Track runs through to the Binna Burra side of the park.

Facilities, picnics and food

The Green Mountains day-use area has flush toilets, picnic tables and three free electric barbecues. It is open 24 hours a day and has an information centre nearby. It is busy on weekends and holidays, so Queensland Parks suggests bringing your own seating.

O’Reilly’s has the Mountain Cafe for lunch and light snacks, a gift shop and drinking water taps. On weekends, billy tea and damper are served free from 10.30 am to 12 pm. Birds of Prey shows, wildlife encounters and guided walks are bookable extras.

Planning your visit

• How long: 2 to 3 hours for the Tree Top Walk, the birds and one short walk; a full day if you add a longer track and a picnic.
• Best time: early morning or late afternoon for birds and quieter bridges.
• Cost: the Tree Top Walk and walks are free. Cafe food and bookable activities cost extra.
• What to bring: a warm layer (it is up to 7 degrees cooler than the coast), water, grippy closed shoes, a hat, insect repellent and a camera.
• Accessibility: flush toilets and picnic tables at the day-use area are wheelchair accessible, and so is the Centenary Track, with assistance if needed. The first 700 m of the Border Track is also accessible with assistance.
• Dogs: not allowed. Dogs, cats and all other pets are banned from national parks, with on-the-spot fines.
• Swimming: not allowed. The creeks are sensitive habitat and are not suitable for swimming.

Getting there and parking

O’Reilly’s is about 110 km south of Brisbane, roughly 2 hours by car, and about 90 minutes from the Gold Coast. The usual route is through Canungra, then up Lamington National Park Road. The Green Mountains day-use area is at the end of that road, 5.7 km past the park entrance.

The road from Canungra is 36 km of winding, often narrow bitumen. Queensland Parks says to allow at least 50 minutes, and O’Reilly’s says about 40. It is unsuitable for caravans, camper trailers and recreational vehicles longer than 6 m.

There is no public transport to the park, and taxis and ride-share drivers can be hard to find for the trip home. Details are on the O’Reilly’s directions page and the Queensland Parks Green Mountains page. Details can change, so check O’Reilly’s day visitor page and the park alerts before you go.

Nearby

• Tamborine Mountain Rainforest Skywalk – another canopy walk, on the route up from the north.
• Natural Bridge, Springbrook – a short rainforest walk to a cave and waterfall in the next section of the hinterland.
• Essential Tips for Hiking Trails in South East Queensland – what to carry before you tackle the longer Lamington tracks.
• Camping with Kids – tips if you decide to make a night of it.
• Lamington National Park – A World Heritage rainforest park on the Queensland and NSW border with two entrances, Binna Burra and Green Mountains, waterfalls, the 21.4 km Border Track and walks for every level, about 2 hours by car from Brisbane.
• Springbrook National Park – A World Heritage rainforest park in the Gold Coast hinterland with Purling Brook Falls, Twin Falls, cliff-top lookouts and walks from a short stroll to a full day, about 1 hour 40 minutes by car from the Brisbane CBD.

Browse more rainforests and places in the Scenic Rim.

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