Bellthorpe National Park

Bellthorpe National Park protects 75.5 km² of rugged bushland in the Conondale Range, about 100 km north of Brisbane. Straddling the boundary of Moreton Bay and Somerset regions, the park conserves both eucalypt forests and rainforest gullies that form the headwaters of Stony Creek and the Stanley River:contentReference[oaicite:68]{index=68}:contentReference[oaicite:69]{index=69}. It was declared in 2009 (with later additions) to secure these upland habitats. The landscape here is hilly and incised with creeks – remnants of a former logging area now recovering. Scattered hoop pines and rainforest pockets indicate what once was extensive subtropical rainforest on these ranges:contentReference[oaicite:70]{index=70}.

A highlight is the Stony Creek day-use area on the park’s southeastern edge. This site offers wheelchair-accessible facilities, picnic tables, and wood-fired BBQs amid tall eucalypts:contentReference[oaicite:71]{index=71}:contentReference[oaicite:72]{index=72}. There is also a basic toilet. A short walking track from the picnic area leads to a waterhole on Stony Creek, where visitors can paddle or relax (swimming is possible but not patrolled). Another trail follows an old logging track to a small waterfall. These are forested walks with no formal signage – Bellthorpe is relatively undeveloped for tourism, so tracks aren’t well marked and there are no large lookouts or visitor center. The area is popular for birdwatching (look for wompoo fruit-doves, Paradise riflebirds, and noisy pittas in the rainforest patches) and for spotting red-necked pademelons in the undergrowth at dusk.

Camping is not permitted within Bellthorpe National Park:contentReference[oaicite:73]{index=73}. The focus is day visits and through-hikes into adjacent forests. There is a awd loop road that experienced drivers use to traverse the park’s interior, linking to nearby Conondale National Park. Remnants of Bellthorpe’s past, such as old timber-getters’ camps and a disused forestry fire tower, can still be found by those exploring off the beaten path. Today, aside from the Stony Creek area, the park is essentially wild. It provides a crucial link in the hinterland conservation corridor, connecting habitats for wide-ranging species like the Glossy black-cockatoo and helping preserve the water quality of the Stanley River catchment. On misty mornings, the sight of clouds rolling through the Bunya Pines and eucalypts (the park’s namesake trees) is quite magical, giving Bellthorpe a mysterious, tranquil atmosphere:contentReference[oaicite:74]{index=74}:contentReference[oaicite:75]{index=75}.