Kondalilla National Park, Queensland: What are the best walks and lookouts?

The best walks in Kondalilla National Park near Montville, Queensland, include the Kondalilla Falls circuit. It’s also worth trying the Baroon Lookout walk, Picnic Creek circuit and Narrows Lookout track in the Blackall Range.

Where is Kondalilla National Park?

Kondalilla National Park is one of Australia’s smaller, lesser-known national parks. You’ll find it in the Blackall Range in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, and more than likely access it from pretty mountain town Montville.

There are several walking trails within Kondalilla National Park, most of which show off the forest scenery. For beginners and those with not much time on their hands, the 1.7km Picnic Creek circuit is an easy introduction to the national park. Heading through towering eucalypt forest then sclerophyll rainforest, this grade 2 track also includes great views out over the valley from a lookout. It shouldn’t take more than an hour to complete the Picnic Creek Circuit.

12 fantastic Sunshine Coast experiences to book now

Taste coffee and ginger, do rainforest walks, and visit the best lookouts on a highlight-packed hinterland tour.
Take a serene Noosa Everglades cruise along the mirror-like waterways – or canoe through the Everglades.
Learn to surf at a Sunshine Coast surf school – or try paddleboarding instead.
Combine sight-seeing and thrills on a fast boat tour.
Go e-mountain biking on the downhill trails of Tewantin National Park.
Kayak with dolphins as part of a beach 4WD tour.
Explore the Sunshine Coast from above on a seaplane flight.
Take an indigenous cultural tour – with bush tucker tasting.
Visit the region’s best craft breweries and distilleries on a drinks tasting tour.
Go jetskiing through the gorgeous Pumicestone Passage.
Taste wines, cheeses and chocolates on a hinterland food tour.
Watch migrating humpbacks on a whale-watching cruise.

Kondalilla Falls circuit walk

However, the best walk in Kondalilla National Park is arguably the Kondalilla Falls circuit. This is essentially an extention of the Picnic Creek circuit, but one that heads past the rock pools towards Kondalilla Falls. There’s a lookout for the lazy, but anyone doing this walk properly is going to have to take on the 300-odd stairs and get to the base of the waterfall.

Look out for the strange dome-shaped bunya pine trees on the way, as well as other rainforest species such as the piccabeen palm and rainforest ash. The 4.7km Kondalilla Falls circuit should take two to three hours to complete.

Kondalilla National Park walks: Narrows Lookout & Baroon Lookout

There are two other contenders for the title of best walk in Kondalilla National Park, and they start at the Narrows Road car park. The 2.2km walk to the Narrows Lookout rewards you with views over the Narrows Gorge, and passes creeks and palm trees on the way. That should take around an hour.

Kondalilla National Park walks sign — A handy signposts points hikers in the direction of walks in the Kondalilla National Park near Montville in Queensland.

For a longer walk, take on the vines, gullies and tall forest on the way to Baroon Lookout. This 4.4km walk should take around two hours, while the lookout peers over the Baroon Pocket Dam and Obi Obi Gorge.

None of these walking tracks should be attempted during severe wet weather. Heavy rain can cause creek crossings to flood over the tracks, making them extremely dangerous.

Driving distances to the Kondalilla National Park

Montville is the best base for these Kondalilla National Park walks. It is 59km south-west of Noosa, 34km west of Mooloolaba and 34km south of Eumundi. The 104km drive from Brisbane to Montville should take just over an hour and a half. Should you be undertaking the drive from Brisbane to Noosa or Brisbane to Hervey Bay, the Kondalilla National Park isn’t a massive detour.

If you’re visiting Kondalilla Falls as part of trip around the Sunshine Coast hinterland, other attractions include Gardners Falls in Maleny, the Maleny Botanic Gardens and Booloumba Creek in the Conondale National Park. Mount Tibrogargan and Buderim Falls are worth photo stops, too.