Activities in parks and forests
Nature-based recreation and tourism are allowed in most Queensland national parks where you can walk, camp, watch birds, ride horses or mountain bikes, or venture out in your four-wheel–drive. (You will require a permit for some of these activities in some locations.)
For further details, select the activity you are interested in from the list on the left.
Hang gliding, caving, abseiling and rockclimbing are also allowed in some parks and forests. For your safety, talk to the ranger first, as permits and restrictions may apply.
Visitor facilities
Many parks have facilities for visitors such as picnic tables, fireplaces, water supply, shelter sheds and toilets, though you may need to be self-sufficient if the park is new or remote.
Many parks and forests cater for people with a disability, those who use a wheelchair, and parents with children in strollers. The department is working to improve this access.
- Access for people with a disability (PDF, 394K)*
Overnight accommodation
Tourist accommodation such as hotels, motels, guesthouses and resorts are not provided in Queensland’s national parks, but some of them are close to commercial tourist resorts.
Campgrounds
You can apply for a permit to camp in some parks, but fees apply. Total numbers in each campground and maximum stays are fixed to minimise damage to the park.
Camping facilities are generally better in larger parks with resident rangers. They can include toilets, showers (often cold), water supply, fireplaces, picnic tables and prepared tent sites (but not powered sites). Facilities in other campgrounds can be very basic and visitors must be self-sufficient.
Bush camping
Bush camping (with few or no facilities) is allowed in some parks. Bush campers must camp well away from streams and lakes and any walking tracks and picnic areas. Camper numbers are limited and open fires are usually banned.
Recreation facilities and vehicle access
Recreational developments are carefully planned to ensure that they meet people’s needs, but have minimal impact on the park. Facilities and vehicle access are therefore often on the edge of the park or near major access roads.
Queensland's national parks include more than 750 km of walking tracks. Major parks have signs, displays, brochures, ranger-led activities, self-guiding trails and information centres to make your visit more enjoyable.
Special visitor programs
During holiday periods, rangers sometimes conduct slide shows, guided walks, spotlighting, and other special programs for visitors at parks including:
- David Fleay Wildlife Park
- Lamington National Park
- Springbrook National Park
- Moreton Island National Park
- D'Aguilar (Brisbane Forest Park)
- Noosa National Park
- Great Sandy (Cooloola and Fraser Island) National Park
- Main Range National Park
- Girraween National Park
- Bunya Mountains National Park
- Carnarvon National Park
- Blackdown Tableland National Park
- Capricornia Cays National Park
- Cape Hillsborough National Park
- Eungella National Park
- Paluma Range National Park
- Bowling Green Bay National Park
- Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park
- Wooroonooran National Park
- Crater Lakes National Park.
Guided tours
Regular guided tours are conducted at Chillagoe-Mungana Caves, Mt Etna Caves (seasonal only), Fort Lytton and St Helena Island National Parks and David Fleay Wildlife Park.
Connect with Nature
Connect with Nature (formerly the Go Bush program) is the new ranger-led activities and events program run by the Department of Environment and Resource Management.
* Requires Acrobat Reader
Last updated: 09 June 2009