What's special?:
Spectacular creek scenery, granite outcrops, a scenic waterfall and eucalypt forest remnants in the headwaters of Crows Nest Creek are protected in Crows Nest National Park on the Great Dividing Range west of Brisbane.

Few places have such a wonderful variety of eucalypt trees from gums to stringybarks, bloodwoods and ironbarks, delighting the amateur naturalist. The park is a haven for wildlife including platypus, swamp wallabies, echidnas, bandicoots, lace monitors, birds, and the brush-tailed rock-wallaby Petrogale penicillata, which is vulnerable to extinction in Queensland.

Exploring Crows Nest:
Go wildlife watching. Look for platypus in the creek near the picnic area and brush-tailed rock-wallabies on the rocky cliffs along the creek. Be patient and quiet and you may be rewarded. For your safety and to protect the wallaby habitat, stay on the track.

Go birdwatching during the day. See pale-headed rosellas, magpies, yellow robins, thornbills, golden whistlers, eastern spinebills, grey fantails or blue-faced honeyeaters. Try spotlighting for sugar gliders, brushtail possums, ringtail possums and greater gliders along the walking track. Enjoy the wildflowers in spring.

Have a bush picnic or explore around the creek. Be careful ? rocks and stepping-stones can be slippery, especially after rain. Follow the steep-sided gorge in the upper reaches of Crows Nest Creek to a lookout overlooking Crows Nest Falls. Continue to Koonin Lookout for a spectacular view over a deeper gorge known locally as the Valley of Diamonds.

Bush camp in the eucalypt forest. Toilets, showers (operating on a self-serve donkey boiler system), barbecues, firewood, water and bins are provided. Bookings are recommended for school holidays and long weekends. Boil or treat the water before drinking.
Walking
Wear a hat and sunscreen and carry water on your walk. Stay away from the waterfall and stay on the track. Never dive or jump into the pool below the falls.
Getting there
Crows Nest National Park is just outside the town of Crows Nest near Toowoomba. Take the New England Highway north from Toowoomba and drive 50km to Crows Nest. Turn off the highway and drive 6km east to the park.