Directions: Maiala Park is part of the D’Aguilar National Park. The easiest way of reaching Maiala Park is to drive west from Brisbane from Ferny Grove along Samford Road to Samford Village. Turn left along Mt Glorious Road and, at the top of a steep hill, turn right and the parking lot from Maiala is just past the Camp Constable turning.
Maiala, along with Mt Nebo, is one of the beast patches of accessible Highland rain forest close to Brisbane. The picnic area quite often hosts Wonga Pigeon and both Bowerbirds and Topknot Pigeon can often be often be seen overhead. There is loop track just after the parking lot which is good for Ground-thrush, Catbirds and Wompoo Pigeon (although these are much easier to hear than see) as well as the more common rain forest birds. At the end of the track you can loop back along the other path, cross Browns Road and go onto Green’s Falls, or walk back to the main road along Browns Road – this is good for Honeyeaters when trees are in flower.
From Maiala you can go onto Lake Wivenhoe along Northbrook Parkway, back through Mt Nebo and The Gap or back the way you came. (In dry weather the is an interesting dirt road called “The Goat Track”, which is just before Mt Nebo Village, and which goes down to Samford Valley.)
After your walk you could do worse than have a coffee at the
Maiala Rainforest Teahouse and Restaurant at 1850 Mt Glorious Rd, about half a kilometre back towards Brisbane. They have a number of bird feeders and also water in the garden behind the coffee shop and this attracts many birds. Wonga Pigeons, King Parrots and Satin Bowerbirds are regular in the garden, along with numerous Honeyeaters. Don’t be put off by the numerous bikies on week ends, they are normally of the Baby Boomer subspecies and relatively harmless.
Note: National Parks advise that the Maiala Picnic Ground and facilities will be closed from late July 2019 until early 2020. Access to the Rainforest Circuit is available via Brown’s Road (no parking available in this road)
- eBird bird list (Maiala Picnic Ground): https://ebird.org/australia/hotspot/L961145
- eBird bird list (Maiala Loop Walk): https://ebird.org/australia/hotspot/L966772
