Mt Barney Wilderness Retreat

Welcome to Mt Barney Retreat - a true wilderness escape...

Mt Barney Retreat is a true wilderness retreat set into the foothills of the McPherson mountain range of the Scenic Rim and located at the base of the Focal Peak volcanic caldera. The Retreat adjoins Mt Barney National Park on its north and southern boundaries. The national park forms part of the great Gondwana Rainforest region stretching inland along the eastern seaboard of South East Australia to just north of Sydney.

The Retreat has magnificent views, a private and tranquil location and crisp clear night skies  . . . it really doesn't get any better than this.

The Retreat is an easy two hour drive from Brisbane and is reached by a series of four wheel drive tracks which takes you right into the heart of the wilderness area.

Mt Barney Retreat is in an area of wild and natural beauty: eucalypt forests, escarpments, subtropical rainforest and on the high ridges ancient Gondwana forest. The retreat is ideally suited for walks along the western edge of Focal Peak caldera including Mowburra Peak, Durramlee Peak, Double Peak, Mt Ballow and for the adventurist: Focal Peak itself. A little further afield are the mountains of Mt May and Mt Maroon.

Mt Barney Retreat is at the headwaters of Yamahra Creek and a walk down through the valley into the Upper Portals of Mt Barney National Park is a truly remarkable experience. The walk criss-crosses Yamahara Creek and the track passes through patches of rainforest, hoop pine and eucalypt forests. As Barney Creek flows out of the Focal Peak caldera it wends its way through the steep Upper Portals gorge and around the northern face of Mt Barney in a series of waterfalls, rapids and rock pools to eventually flow out of the Lower Portals ten kilometers downstream.

Our aim is to provide a simple, functional and sustainable eco-tourism retreat. By limiting the number of guests to 20 on our 130ha property we hope to reinforce an authentic bush experience, reduce the impact to the surrounding environment and generate a greater sense of wilderness isolation. It may also mean you can just rest and recuperate.

The Retreat in a Nutshell!

• Great base camp (725m) ideal for some wonderful walks into Mt Barney National Park;
• Access to the fabulous forests of the Gondwanaland vegetation;
• A great 10km walk into the fabulous Upper Portals of Mt Barney NP;
• Peaceful and low impact camping ground;
• Camp fire structure to sit around and boil the billy;
• Well grassed area ideal for cricket, volley ball or touch footy;
• An area in front of the camp which is well lit at night – ideal for the kids to play;
• Easy 30min forest walks that start and finish at the camping ground;
• Guided walks into the National Park; and
• Guided night walks and spotlighting.

Benefits of the Retreat

• Limited and sustainable camping sites;
• Peace and solitude;
• Fresh mountain air;
• Community hall ideal for meals and get togethers;
• Some 4WD tracks to practise on; and
• Cool with low humidity most of the year round

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