Glass House Mountains

Located 70 kilometres north of Brisbane are the Glass House Mountains. Situated in Glass House Mountain National Park, these mountains are recognised on the National Heritage List of Australia.

The Glass House Mountains are made up of several steep volcanic plugs that rise dramatically from the low lying Sunshine Coast landscape, the highest being Mt. Beerwah.

An Aboriginal dreamtime legend tells the story of the mountains as a family. The father being Mount Tibrogargan, the mother Mount Beerwah and the other mountains the children, with the eldest being Mount Coonowrin. One day, Tibrogargan, saw the sea rising and asked Coonowrin to help his pregnant mother to safety. Coonowrin instead fled and Tibrogargan striked him, dislocating his neck. Feeling guilty, Coonowrin asked for forgiveness but his family just wept with shame. This explains the many small streams that flow through the area.

The dramatic outline of the Glass House Mountains silhouetted along the hinterland horizon really is quite a sight. Formed of hardened volcanic lava, the domes you see today are the result of over 25 million years of erosion.

The Glass House Mountains were named by Captain James Cook when he spotted the natural wonders on his sail up the coast as part of his incredible voyage aboard his ship the Endeavour. He stated the shape of the mountains reminded him of the huge glass furnaces back in his homeland, Yorkshire, and from there they were named.

The volcanic mountain peaks tower over the lush green valleys below and are rich in vegetation and form an important habitat to a variety of birds and animals. Offering impressive walking tracks to panoramic lookouts and mountain summits, locals and visitors alike come to explore the walking tracks, rock climb and simply enjoy the scenery.