Glasshouse Mountains National Park

As Captain James Cook sailed along Australia's east coast in 1770, he noted that these giant volcanic plugs resembled the huge glass furnaces back in his hometown of Yorkshire. Using this nugget of inspiration he named the peaks the Glass House Mountains.These 12 magnificent craggy volcanic plugs are the cores of volcanoes formed 26 million years ago, and are deemed so significant that they have been listed on the National Heritage Register as a landscape of national importance. For thousands of years, Aboriginal people used these peaks as places of trading and spiritual ceremony, with many of these sites still protected today.With the national park steeped in fascinating culture and history, a trip to the Visitor Information Centre in the Glass House Mountains township is a must. Here you will find lots of information on the activities and trails available, and the friendly staff are more than happy to help you book accommodation or tours.Whatever your fitness or experience level, there are walking trails to suit hikers of every level, with the easiest on Mount Beerwah (555 metres); the Western Boundary Walk covers a distance of just 1.4 kilometres. Mount Tibrogargan isn't quite as high, standing at 364 metres, however it does offer a wider variety of trails for different levels of experience. Not for the faint-hearted, this three-hour ascent requires some basic rock climbing without the aid of ropes although, with stunning panoramic views of the Sunshine Coast, it is most definitely worth it. There are more difficult, steeper parts of the mountain that do require rock climbing ropes and gear so these are only recommended for the more experienced.If you don't fancy that much of an adrenaline rush, simply follow the short walk to the Mountain View platform. With picnic tables, toilet facilities and barbecues at many lookout points, you can rehydrate and refuel before tackling the rest of the tracks.The Glass House Mountain National Park is approximately 70 kilometres north of Brisbane and you should be aware, if you rent a car, that some of the roads are not asphalted. Make sure that you bring water, correct footwear and plenty of sun cream. A mobile phone and first aid kit are essential items also. It is strongly advised that you stay on the paths and don't climb when it is wet as rocks can become dislodged and heavy rockfalls can occur. Certain trails are sometimes closed due to rockfalls so check the website for updates.