J C Slaughter Falls: Picnic Area, Walks and Parking

J C Slaughter Falls is a creekside picnic area on the side of Mt Coot-tha, about 20 minutes by car from Brisbane CBD. It has barbecues and toilets beside Ithaca Creek, and it is where two of the mountain’s best-known walks begin.

Most families come for a picnic and a short bush walk, and some carry on up the Summit Track to the Mt Coot-tha Lookout. If you are searching for Mt Coot-tha walks that start with a barbecue and room to run around, this is the spot.

The picnic area

The picnic area sits in the bush at the foot of the mountain, with open space for blankets and a creek running through. There are barbecues and toilets on site.

It is a popular spot for birthday parties. Brisbane City Council takes bookings for a picnic site that holds up to 50 people and for a bush chapel that holds 30 to 40, so check the council park booking page if you are planning a big group.

The area was landscaped in the 1960s. During World War II much of the surrounding forest was used as a munitions store by the United States Navy.

Seeing the falls

The falls are a small cascade on Ithaca Creek. Two dams upstream changed the natural flow to the falls, so the water runs best after rain and can be a trickle in dry weather.

Wear shoes with grip. Rocks around a creek get slippery.

Walks from J C Slaughter Falls

Summit Track

The Summit Track starts at the picnic area and climbs to the Mt Coot-tha Lookout. It is 1.9 km one way and takes about 30 minutes. The path is mostly paved, with some stairs, and it finishes at the roundabout near the lookout.

Mahogany Trail

The Mahogany Trail begins at the entrance to the picnic area and ends near the lookout. It is 2.6 km one way and takes about 1 hour 15 minutes, through open eucalypt forest with glimpses of the city. It is shared with bikes and horses, so keep your eyes up.

The other tracks on the mountain are on the council’s Mt Coot-tha walking tracks page.

Make a day of Mt Coot-tha

The Mt Coot-tha Lookout is open 24 hours and has a cafe and a gift shop, and parking there is free. It is the obvious next stop after the Summit Track, or a short drive from the picnic area if you would rather not walk.

Simpson Falls picnic area is another of the reserve’s picnic areas and is also open 6 am to 7 pm daily. Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha is nearby, with free entry and a cafe overlooking the lagoon. Dogs are not allowed in the gardens, only guide and assistance dogs, so leave the dog walk for the reserve tracks.

A simple plan for a full day: barbecue lunch at J C Slaughter Falls, the Summit Track to the lookout for a drink and the view, then a wander through the gardens before the picnic area closes at 7 pm.

Planning your visit

• Opening hours: The picnic area is open 6 am to 7 pm daily (check the council page before you go).
• How long: Allow 1 to 2 hours for a picnic and a look at the creek, or half a day if you walk to the lookout and back.
• Cost: Free to visit. Booking a picnic site or the chapel is extra.
• Dogs: Dogs are allowed in Mt Coot-tha Reserve on a lead. Pick up after them.
• What to bring: Water, sunscreen, a hat and shoes with grip.

Getting there and parking

J C Slaughter Falls is off Sir Samuel Griffith Drive, about 7 km and 20 minutes by car from Brisbane CBD. You can also reach it from Gap Creek Road. There is a car park at the picnic area.

To get there by public transport, use the Translink journey planner.

The council’s Mt Coot-tha precinct page has hours and current notices.

Nearby

• Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha – free gardens, a cafe and shaded lawns a few minutes down the road.
• More waterfalls – other falls around South East Queensland.
• More days out in Brisbane – parks, walks and picnic spots across the city.
• Enoggera Reservoir – A heritage dam at The Gap, about 14 km by road from the Brisbane CBD, with a buoyed swimming area, a paddle craft launch and trails into the D’Aguilar bushland.

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