Brisbane Forest Park - Nature, culture and history
Natural environment
Brisbane Forest Park has a variety of habitat types including dry and wet sclerophyll forests, eucalypt woodland, subtropical rainforests, rocky outcrops and freshwater systems. In these habitats, more than 200 species of native animals, ranging from birds to invertebrates, can be found. Areas that have species of great conservation value are protected as national park.
Several rare, vulnerable and endangered animals and plants occur in the park.
- The tiger quoll, a once common, carnivorous marsupial, has not been sighted for many years.
- The Mt Glorious torrent frog, which occurs only beside mountain rainforest streams and waterfalls within areas of south-east Queensland, has not been seen since 1979.
- Platypus have been sighted occasionally in the park. Their main habitat lies outside the park in areas threatened by clearing, siltation and pollution.
- The Mt Glorious spiny crayfish is endemic to the park and found only in one creek system near Mt Glorious.
- Broad-leaved spotted gum has a very limited distribution in south-east Queensland but is common within the park.
- Other rare trees such as the broad-leaved whitewood, giant ironwood and brown myrtle are also found within the park.
Cultural environment
Sacred country
D’Aguilar Range is important to a number of Traditional Owner groups and contains significant cultural values. Sites recorded to date include artefact scatters, bora rings, dreaming trails and walking tracks. The bora rings situated around the foothills of the D’Aguilar Range suggest that the mountains were and still are of spiritual significance to Traditional Owners.
A changing land
The first Europeans to enter the D’Aguilar Range area were timber-getters and gold prospectors in the 1860s. Much of the valley country either side of D’Aguilar Range was then cleared and farmed. The gold mines produced very little gold and were of little significance in the overall Queensland gold production. Remains of gold mine shafts can still be seen in the park today.
Protecting heritage
The earliest timber reserves were gazetted in 1918 and extensive logging of hardwoods took place after World War II. In 1930, Maiala National Park was declared – the first national park in the Mt Glorious area. Declaration of other national parks followed, including Jolly’s Lookout (1938), Manorina (1949) and Boombana (1950). McAfee’s and Camp Mountain lookouts were constructed in the 1970s.
The Brisbane Forest Park Act in 1977 introduced the “visionary concept of a unique forest park” in the bushlands on Brisbane’s north-western outskirts. This vision was supported by the community, Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council, and enabled a new authority to oversee co-operative management for conservation and recreation over national park, state forest and Council reserves. Innovations such as new picnic and camping areas, an information centre and restaurant, and the Go Bush program were keenly received by Brisbane people.
Today the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service manages a variety of uses around the D’Aguilar Range on national park, state forest, forest reserve and some Brisbane City Council reserves.
<<Return to Brisbane Forest park InformationLast updated: 26 October 2005
