Mount Barney National Park
Encyclopedia
Mount Barney National Park is a national park in Queensland
(Australia
), 90 km southwest of Brisbane. It amalgamated the adjacent Mount Lindesay National Park in 1980. It is part of the Scenic Rim
Important Bird Area
, identified as such by BirdLife International
because of its importance in the conservation of several species of threatened birds.
is closest, 15 km to the northeast. This spectacular park became part of the World Heritage Gondwana Rainforests of Australia (formerly known as the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves) in 1994.
The park is dominated by the grand twin peaks of Mount Barney
. Surrounding these peaks
are numerous mountains, steep valley
s, cave
s, deep rock pools and lots of woodland
forest. The park also contains the peaks of Mount Ballow, Mount Ernest, Mount Maroon and Mount May.
Bush camping is allowed at Mount May and Mount Barney. Restrictions apply during peak holiday times. Book your campsite at least three weeks before your visit. You can also camp nearby in private campgrounds at Flanagans Reserve (near Yellow Pinch), Bigriggen and Mt Barney Lodge.
. Many rare and unusual plant species grow in the park including the endangered Maroon Wattle, and the rare mallee eucalypt Eucalyptus codonocarpa, Mount Barney bush pea and Hillgrove Spotted Gum
.
Visitors to the park may notice the abundant bird
life due to their bird song
s. A few playful platypus
live in the park. The rainforest on Mount Barney provides critical habitat
for the Plumed Frogmouth. This bird is listed as vulnerable
.
destination by Australian standards and more than 30 routes lead to the summits of its East and West peaks. The majority of routes are not maintained by the Queensland State government and therefore navigational skills are mandatory, especially for first time visitors. The most challenging routes up Mount Barney include Logans Ridge and Short Leaning Ridge. Peasants or South Ridge is a better choice for less experienced climbers. Allow plenty of time for the ascent and descent, which take between 8 and 10 hours, depending on the route and level of fitness. Walkers need navigational and bushwalking skills and sound physical fitness
. It is not unusual to meet climbers at all hours of the day and night, however prior knowledge of the area is required.
A popular alternative to going up and down South Ridge is to ascend via South East Ridge and descend via South Ridge. Navigational equipment or local knowledge are required for this route. The benefit of ascending via South East Ridge is that the track incorporates the East Peak. From the East Peak the track drops down into the saddle area at the base of the West Peak. The West Peak can be incorporated into this walk at an additional 2km (allow 2 hours). Allow 8-10 hours for the South East Ridge return South Ridge route with an above average degree of civilian fitness and carrying an 6-8kg day pack. A minimum of 4 litres of water should be carried per adult. Seasonal water is available from a small creek in the saddle area however this should not be relied upon.
Nearby Mount Maroon is popular for rockclimbing. The first known climb to the summit by a European was completed in 1828 by Captain Patrick Logan
, by one of the hardest and spectacular ridges on the mountain, named in his honour. Allan Cunningham
and Charles Fraser
were also in his company, however they did not reach the summit.
Mount Barney is a wilderness
area and should be given appropriate respect. Failure to prepare and follow the principles of bushwalking could result in an unfavourable outcome.
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. 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...
(Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
), 90 km southwest of Brisbane. It amalgamated the adjacent Mount Lindesay National Park in 1980. It is part of the Scenic Rim
Scenic Rim
The Scenic Rim is a group of forested mountain ranges of the Great Dividing Range straddling the border between south-eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales, Australia.-Description:...
Important Bird Area
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
, identified as such by BirdLife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
because of its importance in the conservation of several species of threatened birds.
Description
Mounts Barney, Maroon, May and Lindesay rise majestically above the surrounding farmlands in Mount Barney National Park on the Queensland/New South Wales border. These rugged peaks are the remains of the ancient Focal Peak Shield Volcano which erupted 24 million years ago. Mount Barney (1359m) is the second highest peak in south-east Queensland and has some very rare and unique plants. The town of RathdowneyRathdowney, Queensland
Rathdowney is a small town in south-eastern Queensland, Australia. It is on the Mount Lindesay Highway 32 km south of Beaudesert at the base of the McPherson Range. It is located in the Scenic Rim Local Government Area. At the 2006 census, Rathdowney had a population of 198.The town was named...
is closest, 15 km to the northeast. This spectacular park became part of the World Heritage Gondwana Rainforests of Australia (formerly known as the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves) in 1994.
Mount Barney
Mount Barney is a mountain located in south-east Queensland, Australia. It lies approximately 130 kilometres south-west of Brisbane, not far from the Queensland - New South Wales border, and forms part of the McPherson Range. It is a popular destination for bushwalkers and campers...
. Surrounding these peaks
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
are numerous mountains, steep valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
s, cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
s, deep rock pools and lots of woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
forest. The park also contains the peaks of Mount Ballow, Mount Ernest, Mount Maroon and Mount May.
Accommodation
Flora and fauna
The park has extremely varied vegetation with open forests around the foothills of the peaks, subtropical rainforest above 600m, montane heath shrublands towards the summit of the peaks, cool temperate rainforest on the summit of Mount Ballow, and mallee eucalypt shrublands on Mount MaroonMount Maroon
Mount Maroon is a mountain in South East Queensland that is part of the McPherson Range. The mountain rises to above sea level about 12 km west of Rathdowney....
. Many rare and unusual plant species grow in the park including the endangered Maroon Wattle, and the rare mallee eucalypt Eucalyptus codonocarpa, Mount Barney bush pea and Hillgrove Spotted Gum
Eucalyptus michaeliana
Eucalyptus michaeliana, commonly known as Hillgrove spotted gum, is a tree that grows to about 30 metres high and has a distinctive mottled, greenish trunk with peeling yellow-brown bark . These trees may be seen growing along the Long Point Road south of Hillgrove...
.
Visitors to the park may notice the abundant bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
life due to their bird song
Bird song
Bird vocalization includes both bird calls and bird songs. In non-technical use, bird songs are the bird sounds that are melodious to the human ear. In ornithology and birding, songs are distinguished by function from calls.-Definition:The distinction between songs and calls is based upon...
s. A few playful platypus
Platypus
The platypus is a semi-aquatic mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young...
live in the park. The rainforest on Mount Barney provides critical habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
for the Plumed Frogmouth. This bird is listed as vulnerable
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
.
Recreation
There are expansive views over the border ranges and scenic rim forests from the summit of Mount Barney. The mountain is an old bushwalkingHiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
destination by Australian standards and more than 30 routes lead to the summits of its East and West peaks. The majority of routes are not maintained by the Queensland State government and therefore navigational skills are mandatory, especially for first time visitors. The most challenging routes up Mount Barney include Logans Ridge and Short Leaning Ridge. Peasants or South Ridge is a better choice for less experienced climbers. Allow plenty of time for the ascent and descent, which take between 8 and 10 hours, depending on the route and level of fitness. Walkers need navigational and bushwalking skills and sound physical fitness
Physical fitness
Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness , and specific fitness...
. It is not unusual to meet climbers at all hours of the day and night, however prior knowledge of the area is required.
A popular alternative to going up and down South Ridge is to ascend via South East Ridge and descend via South Ridge. Navigational equipment or local knowledge are required for this route. The benefit of ascending via South East Ridge is that the track incorporates the East Peak. From the East Peak the track drops down into the saddle area at the base of the West Peak. The West Peak can be incorporated into this walk at an additional 2km (allow 2 hours). Allow 8-10 hours for the South East Ridge return South Ridge route with an above average degree of civilian fitness and carrying an 6-8kg day pack. A minimum of 4 litres of water should be carried per adult. Seasonal water is available from a small creek in the saddle area however this should not be relied upon.
Nearby Mount Maroon is popular for rockclimbing. The first known climb to the summit by a European was completed in 1828 by Captain Patrick Logan
Patrick Logan
Captain Patrick Logan was the commandant of the Moreton Bay penal colony from 1826 until his death in 1830. He is thought to have been killed by Aboriginal Australians who objected to him entering their lands...
, by one of the hardest and spectacular ridges on the mountain, named in his honour. Allan Cunningham
Allan Cunningham (botanist)
Allan Cunningham was an English botanist and explorer, primarily known for his travels in New South Wales to collect plants.- Early life :...
and Charles Fraser
Charles Fraser (botanist)
Charles Fraser or Frazer was Colonial Botanist of New South Wales from 1821 to 1831. He collected and catalogued numerous Australian plant species, and participated in a number of exploring expeditions...
were also in his company, however they did not reach the summit.
Mount Barney is a wilderness
Wilderness
Wilderness or wildland is a natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by human activity. It may also be defined as: "The most intact, undisturbed wild natural areas left on our planet—those last truly wild places that humans do not control and have not developed with...
area and should be given appropriate respect. Failure to prepare and follow the principles of bushwalking could result in an unfavourable outcome.