There are many lookouts in Lamington National Park with spectacular views from the escarpment – but Tullawallal is not one of them! It’s a pleasant loop walk, but one that you do for the journey, rather than desrtination. The Tullawallal circuit starts follows the Border Track from Binna Burra foe 1.9km.
The popular Border Track provides access to a number of bushwalks, and links the Green Mountains and Binna Burra sections of Lamington National Park. Although it’s not the most exciting trail, it’s easy walking and takes you through some stunning subtropical rainforest, with enormous strangler figs, plank buttresses, vines and epiphytes.
After 1.9km is the junction on the right with the signposted trail to Tullawallal, which continues to ascend gently as it winds its way up to the top of a small hill. A plaque commemorates Gus Kouskos, who was employed in 1937 by the Forestry Sub-Department as Lamington’s first track sub-forema, along with the first forest ranger (Jack Gresty). This was the start of the construction of tracks and other facilities across the national park.
The rainforest gradually chamges from warm subtropical rainforest to cool temperate rainforest (with more mosses and ferns) and finally to beech forest.
The track ends at Tullawallal (950m elevation) on top of the small hill, which means “many trees” in the Yugambeh. Which explains why there is no view, or to be more specific, there is no view of the surrounding landscape. What you get a great view of is trees. Antarctic beech trees, which are only found in the high-altitude, cool temperate rainforests of northern NSW and southern Queensland and can live up to 12,000 years. (The Best of All Lookout in Springbrook National Park is another place to see these trees.)
The pocket of Antarctic beech (Nothofagus moorei) on the summit is the northernmost patch of this species in Australia and is one of our remaining links with the ancient forests of Gondwana. Nothofagus forests that were once widespread across Australia and provided a habitat for many animals that have long since disappeared from our landscape.
Parks Queensland
Return the same way to the Border Track; you can then go back along the Border Track, or take the Loop track back to the Binna Burra trailhead .
Getting to Tullawallal circuit
The Tullawallal circuit is reached via the Border Track. which starts opposite the Binna Burra Tea House in Lamington National Park (near the end of Binna Burra Road).It’s about a 45km (50min drive) from the Gold Coast or a 105km (1:30min drive) from Brisbane, via Beechmont.
More information
- QLD Parks – Tullawallal circuit
- QLD Parks – Lamington National Park’s history
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