If you’re looking to make an adventure out of your weekend, Mount Beerwah is a must do. As one of the Glass House Mountains, Beerwah provides an iconic location with a challenging climb.

Elders of the Jinibara people have called on the government to prevent climbing of Mt Beerwah and ask that people consider alternative hikes.

Highlights

  • Sweet rock scrambling
  • Amazing 360° views at the peak
  • Caving with bats

A Mount Beerwah Love Affair

I’ve gone from fearing this mountain to falling in love with it. Whilst the climb can be challenging at times, there is so much beauty all around you the whole way up. From some pretty gnarly rock scrambling at the start to squeezing into a deep cave with bats, there is plenty to see and do.

Standing 556m tall (above sea level) and situated about one hour from Brisbane City, it lies in a pretty convenient place for people who live anywhere between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

From the carpark, follow the short trail to a small undercover shelter with toilets. I advise you use these before you head off so nobody runs into any toilet troubles during the climb (you could be up there for quite some time depending on your experience).

From here there is an information board about the history of Mount Beerwah and Aboriginal significance. It contains some pretty interesting facts and is worth a read this before you head up.

When you’re done with a light reading sesh, walk through a small gate and follow the bushwalking track to the first section of rock scrambling.

 

Climbing and Caving at Mount Beerwah - Glass House Mountains (QLD), Shot by @hindles_, Rock scramblig

‘Organ Pipes’ and Tight Caves

There are arrows painted onto the mountain the whole way up that point in the direction of the advised trail. Follow the obviously marked trail up Mount Beerwah and don’t rush. You will eventually reach the halfway point which has the famous ‘Organ Pipes’ hanging right over your head.

At this point, the normal trail will follow in a Westerly direction (right when you face the Organ Pipes). To find the cave, you must walk east (left) for about 150m. You will then come across a small opening with a faint orange arrow painted above it.

It’s a tight squeeze, and quite dirty in there, so you’ll need to have some older clothes on that you don’t mind getting dirty.

Once you’ve squeezed in, you’ll find there are tiny bats hanging all around the cave. It’s a pretty cool sight to see, and the cave goes on for quite a while. This isn’t for the faint of heart or claustrophobic!

Mount Beerwah Summit

When you finish with caving, follow the track back to the halfway point and proceed to take it to the peak. When there, enjoy the amazing 360° views of the surrounding mountains. You can see out over the D’Aguilar Range and out to Maleny/Montville area.

The trip down is a lot more challenging than going up so make sure to take your time and use your common sense. Give yourself ample time to go down before the sun sets, I’ve gone down in pitch black before and trust me, you don’t want to try it yourself.

 

Climbing and Caving at Mount Beerwah - Glass House Mountains (QLD), Shot by @hindles_, Mount Beerwah, Summit, Glasshouse Mountains

Essential Gear

  • Water
  • Torch
  • Camera
  • Sunscreen
  • Phone 

How To Get There

Mount Beerwah is located about an hour north of Brisbane. Follow the Bruce Highway and take the Glass House Mountains Tourist Route/Steve Irwin Way. Follow the signs on the road to Beerwah. When you get there, there is a short dirt road that you must take in order to get to the carpark.

Activities

  • Caving
  • Climbing/hiking
  • Photography

Skill Level

The climb is rated as ‘Very Hard’. Depending on your experience, it can be very challenging. I advise taking somebody who is experienced if you have never done it before.

Distance Covered / Elevation Gain

2.6km return / Mount Beerwah is 556m tall