Mt Coot-tha Forest is around 1,500 hectares of open eucalypt forest forming the south-eastern part of D’Aguilar National Park. These two areas make up a 30,000 hectare forest that extends well into suburban Brisbane. It is home to powerful owls, goshawks, eagles, wrens and robins as well as possums and bats. Visitor facilities in the forest include picnic tables, barbeques and toilets. Approach from Sir Samuel Griffith Drive or Gap Creek Road, Mt Coot-tha. Limited parking is available. The area is popular with birdwatchers, who can see White-throated Treecreeper, Variegated Fairy-wren, Powerful Owl, Rose Robin and Varied Sitella.
In 2006 a 58-year-old Bardon woman was walking her dog through the popular Mt Coot-tha picnic spot Simpson Falls when two dingoes stalked and circled her for a kilometre. Brisbane City Council put up warning signs and set more traps in response to the incident.
Brisbane City Council occasionally burns sections of bush around Simpson Falls to prevent fuel build up.
There is no formal Ithaca Intact group operating in Mt Coot-tha forest, but we hope to work with the Council’s Natural Areas team to set one up soon.
Falls
Photo: Robert Whyte
Map of trails
Map: Whereis.
Near picnic area
Photo: Robert Whyte
Upstream Simpson Falls
Photo: Robert Whyte
Strange WW2 artefact
Photo: Robert Whyte
Creek side
Photo: Robert Whyte
Upstream rocks
Photo: Robert Whyte
