Mount Bartle Frere, Mountain summit in Queensland, Australia

Mount Bartle Frere rises to 1,622 meters as Queensland's highest peak, with steep rainforest slopes that transition to a rocky boulder field approaching the summit. The final section requires scrambling and basic climbing skills to reach the top.

George Elphinstone Dalrymple named the mountain in 1873 after Sir Henry Bartle Frere, then president of the Royal Geographical Society and British Governor of Cape Colony at the start of the Anglo-Zulu War. Christie Palmerston made the first European ascent in 1886, blazing a tree at the summit with "'P' October 26, '86". On 21 April 1942 a US Army Air Corps B-25 Mitchell of the 3rd Bomb Group, 90th Bomb Squadron, crashed on the mountain, killing all seven crew.

The mountain carries the name of Sir Henry Bartle Frere, a British colonial official and president of the Royal Geographical Society, chosen by George Dalrymple in 1873. This naming reflects the colonial history embedded in the landscape.

The eastern approach to the summit covers approximately 15 kilometers return with about 1,500 meters of elevation gain, typically requiring 10 to 12 hours for experienced hikers. Weather conditions can shift rapidly, especially during the wet season, so proper preparation is essential.

On 21 April 1942 a US Army Air Corps B-25 Mitchell of the 3rd Bomb Group, 90th Bomb Squadron, crashed on the mountain, killing all seven crew. The aircraft had only recently returned from the Royce Mission against Japanese forces in the Philippines.