Get to know Queensland’s best short walks under two hours

List

By Scott Russell

Feel the warm embrace of the sun, smell the salt on a sea breeze, hear bird song or see glow worms light up a cave – walking in Queensland is a feast for the senses.

You don't need to trek for days, either (although we’ve got you covered here if that’s your thing). You’re only a short walk away from exploring a lake in a volcanic crater, feeling the mist from a towering waterfall or spotting humpback whales frolicking in the surf.

So put on your walking shoes and read on for our guide to some of Queensland’s best short walks in under two hours.

(These walks are mostly Grade 1 (easy) or Grade 2 (moderate). Grade 1 walks are less than 5 km and suitable for assisted wheelchair users. Grade 2 walks are less than 10 km and may have some steps or gentle slopes. Before departing, check the Queensland Government’s Park Alerts).

The best short walks in South East Queensland

Natural Bridge Circuit, Springbrook National Park, Gold Coast

Two women stood underneath a rock formation looking at a waterfall — Natural Bridge, Springbrook National Park, Gold Coast

Wander amongst prehistoric jungle, Jurassic-period hoop pines, and tumbling waterfalls in Springbrook National Park, part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforest. While there are dozens of trails to choose from, for something the whole family can enjoy, we recommend the Natural Bridge Circuit, where a short trail leads to a 'bridge' inside a cave formed by water over thousands of years.

Return at night between December and March on a tour when the cave is illuminated by thousands of bioluminescent glow-worms.

Duration: 1 km and should take 45 minutes to complete.

Classification: Grade 2: Moderate

Accessibility: Not completely accessible (there are stairs)

Oceanview Walk, Burleigh Heads National Park, Gold Coast

Just metres from the sands of Echo Beach, (one of the Gold Coast's best-kept secrets) you’ll discover the Oceanview Walk. This family-friendly stroll meanders through pandanus groves, subtropical rainforest, and along the surf front of Burleigh Headland—an untouched gem of natural beauty that extends out into the Pacific Ocean at Tallebudgera Creek.

You can return the same way or take the Rainforest Circuit – a 2.3 km Grade 3 (moderate) track leading up to Tumgun Lookout, offering sweeping ocean views. Visit between May and November to spot humpback whales frolicking in the sea.

Duration: 1.2 km and should take 30 minutes to complete.

Classification: Grade 2: Moderate

Accessibility: Some wheelchair and pram-access

Daisy Hill Conservation Park Tree Discovery Trail, Brisbane

This easy-going trail wanders around the open eucalypt forest and melaleuca wetlands of Logan’s Daisy Hill Conservation Park. Whether it’s a leisurely walk or a family outing you’re seeking, the trail offers a relaxed walk suitable for everyone—little kids and big kids alike.

Afterwards, make your home amongst the gum trees for the afternoon and enjoy a picnic or BBQ in the Day Use Area, or visit the Daisy Hill Koala Centre and learn about these amazing marsupials.

Duration: 940 metres and should take 20 minutes to complete.

Classification: Grade 1: Easy

Accessibility: There's a DDA-compliant pathway through the day-use area.

Mooloolah River to Alexandra Headland Coastal Pathway, Sunshine Coast

Couple enjoying the pathway following the coastline of Mooloolaba Beach towards Alexandra Headland — Mooloolaba Foreshore Boardwalk, Sunshine Coast

Hugging the Sunshine Coast’s 60-kilometre ribbons of golden sand is the ‘Coastal Walk’—a 73 km network of Grade 1 (Easy) and Grade 2 (Moderate) shared pathways from Bells Creek in the south to Coolum in the north.

You can’t go wrong with any of the sections, but our fave is the coastal pathway that links the Mooloolah River to Alexandra Headland. This 3.7-kilometre stretch offers ocean views with cafes, playgrounds and parklands dotted along the way, making it perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and families alike.

Duration: 3.7 km and should take 45 minutes to complete.

Classification: Grade 1: Easy

Accessibility: Wide shared pathway suitable for wheelchairs and prams.

Mary Cairncross Rainforest Loop, Sunshine Coast

The Rainforest Loop Walk at Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve offers a short but serene escape into the natural beauty of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. A gold-coin donation at the discovery centre gets you access to this 1.7-kilometre trail, where you’ll find peace and tranquillity amongst the Strangling Figs and Piccabeen Palms. After you have finished your walk, make sure to experience the breathtaking Glass House Mountains views from the lookout.

Duration: 1.7 km and should take 1 hour to complete.

Classification: Grade 2: Moderate

Accessibility: The Glider Gallery boardwalk and butterfly walk are wheelchair-accessible.

Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk - Baxter Falls, Sunshine Coast

You don’t need to chase waterfalls amongst the rolling green hills and subtropical rainforest of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland—a short walk is all you’ll need to find one. Kondalila Falls and Mapleton Falls are ever popular—and for good reason—but we like the quieter Baxter Falls. Part of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk, the 3.3 km trail provides a serene escape to nature, winding through rainforests across a suspension bridge to the base of the falls where water cascades into deep rock pools.

Duration: 3.3 km and should take 2 hours to complete.

Classification: Grade 2: Moderate

Accessibility: Not wheelchair accessible

The best short walks in North Queensland

Din Din Barron Falls Lookout Track, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

Couple high above the rainforest at The Edge Lookout in Barron Gorge National Park. The man is in a wheelchair and his female partner stands beside him as they look into the green gorge, with Barron River winding below.

Fly through the tree-tops on the Din Din Barron Falls Lookout Track, a 1.2-kilometre elevated walkway high above the forest floor in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.

Follow the track to the falls, where you’ll be awestruck by mother nature’s power—watch as nearly 2 million litres of water plunges over 125 meters of sculpted granite every minute. Visit during the wet season when the falls are at their most spectacular, and the gorge becomes shrouded in mist.

Duration: 1.2 km and should take 45 minutes to complete.

Classification: Grade 1: Easy

Accessibility: Wheelchair-accessible walkway with some incline.

Lake Eacham Circuit Track, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

Head up into the Atherton Tablelands (think of it like Tropical North Queensland’s built-in air conditioner—temps up here are several degrees cooler than they are in Cairns) and walk around the picturesque, emerald green waters of Lake Eacham—a ‘maar’ or volcanic crater formed 9,000 years ago by exploding superheated groundwater.

As you wander around the track, keep an eye out for eastern water dragons, cute little musky rat-kangaroos (the world’s smallest macropod), or more than 180 species of birds.

Duration: 3 km and should take 1 hour to complete.

Classification: Grade 2: Moderate

Accessibility: Wheelchair-accessible access to the main pontoon and turtle viewing platform.

Hill Inlet Lookout Track, The Whitsundays

Couple looking out to ocean view from lookout — Hill Inlet, Whitsunday Island, The Whitsundays

Starting from the northern end of the world-famous Whitehaven Beach, the Hill Inlet Lookout Track climbs through scenic bushland to offer views of nature’s artistry as the inlet’s turquoise waters blend with white shifting sands.

Located in Whitsunday Islands National Park, this is a Grade 3 Moderate walk—a little more strenuous than some of the others on the list—so make sure you’ve got your good walking shoes and a bottle of water.

Duration: 1.3 km and should take 40 minutes to complete.

Classification: Grade 3: Intermediate

Accessibility: Not wheelchair accessible

Airlie Creek Track, The Whitsundays

Keep an eye out for rock wallabies scurrying across the path and native birds flying overhead as you walk amongst fig trees and sub-tropical rainforests, catching glimpses of the Coral Sea as you make your way up the Airlie Creek Track.

The track starts on the edge of Airlie Beach as a gentle Grade 1 (Easy) walk but becomes increasingly challenging along the way. To make it to the top, you’ll have to brave a short Grade 4 (Difficult) section at the end, featuring a 20-degree quad-burner. Your reward? Trickling rock pools and a waterfall that’s particularly pretty after rainfall.

Duration: 850 metres and should take 1 hour to complete.

Classification: Grade 1: Easy (start) to Grade 4: Difficult (summit)

Accessibility: Not wheelchair accessible