Lamington National Park, National park in Queensland, Australia
Lamington National Park covers 20,600 hectares of the McPherson Range on the Queensland–New South Wales border, about 85 km southwest of Southport. Its plateaus and cliffs are remnants of the 23-million-year-old Tweed Volcano, with elevations above 900 m and southern parts over 1,000 m. The park protects one of the world's largest upland subtropical rainforest remnants and Australia's most northern Antarctic beech cool temperate rainforests, where some beech roots are over 5,000 years old. Waterfalls such as the two-tiered drop in the photographs cut through dark, blocky rock faces framed by ferns.
Aboriginal people lived in and visited these mountains for at least 6,000 years; Bushrangers Cave near Mount Hobwee, 60 metres long, shows occupation going back 10,000 years. Robert Collins campaigned against logging from the 1890s, and Romeo Lahey pressed for protection before the park was established in July 1915 and named after Lord Lamington, Queensland's governor from 1896 to 1902. It joined the Gondwana Rainforests World Heritage Site in 1986 and the Australian National Heritage List in 2007.
The Yugambeh people call this mountain range Woonoongoora and regard the peaks as sacred places of deep spiritual importance to their traditions. This connection to the land continues to shape how the region is understood and valued today.
The park is accessible through two main entry points: Binna Burra and Green Mountains, both offering accommodation, guided walks, and educational programs. Bring sturdy footwear and rain protection, as the terrain is steep and the climate stays humid.
The park protects more than 200 rare and threatened plant and animal species. David Attenborough filmed here for the 1979 series Life on Earth, featuring Antarctic beech trees and bowerbirds. The roots of the oldest Antarctic beech trees are over 5,000 years old.
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