Binna Burra

Binna Burra is the northern gateway to Lamington National Park in the Scenic Rim, Queensland, adjoining the Gold Coast hinterland. It comprises a mountain lodge settlement and surrounding Gondwana rainforest within the World Heritage-listed Lamington National Park. Notable for its extensive bushwalking track network, dramatic escarpments, ancient Antarctic beech forest and heritage-listed Binna Burra Lodge, it is a major centre for ecotourism and nature-based recreation.

Visitors can expect subtropical and temperate rainforest on the McPherson Range escarpment with maintained walking tracks, lookouts over the Coomera Valley and Gold Coast, and the Binna Burra Lodge precinct with accommodation, tea house and campgrounds. The area offers graded day walks and longer through-tracks, interpretive displays, picnic areas, and opportunities to see pademelons, birds and ancient forest. Access is via a winding mountain road with parking at the trailheads.

Lamington National Park was declared in 1915 following campaigning by Robert Collins and Romeo Lahey. Binna Burra Lodge was founded in 1933 by Arthur Groom and Romeo Lahey as a pioneering ecotourism and bushwalking lodge. The lodge and surrounding landscape are listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. In 1986 Lamington National Park was inscribed as part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area. The 2019 bushfires significantly impacted the historic lodge, which has since been rebuilt.

The area lies within the traditional lands of the Yugambeh people and holds significance for its rainforest cultural landscape. Binna Burra is culturally important as a birthplace of Queensland's nature conservation and bushwalking movement and as an early model for ecotourism in Australia, reflecting community appreciation of rainforest preservation and outdoor recreation.