Conondale National Park

Conondale National Park is a vast and diverse park located in the Sunshine Coast hinterland in southeast Queensland.

It covers an expansive 35,648 hectares and offers a range of landscapes, including subtropical rainforest, woodlands, wet and dry sclerophyll forest, and Queensland's tallest tree. The park's rugged topography features gorges, valleys, and mountains, with Mount Langley being the highest peak at 868m. Scenic waterfalls, cascades, and boulder-strewn creeks can also be found throughout the park. The region's sub-tropical climate brings a mean annual rainfall of 1,500 mm, with rainforest mainly occurring at higher altitudes and along watercourses.

The Conondale region has a rich history, serving as an important area for the Jinibara and Kabi Kabi traditional owners. European settlement in the 1860s led to land clearing for agriculture, mining, and logging, which impacted the region's old-growth forests. State forests were declared in the early 1900s, and logging gradually gave way to hoop pine plantations. In 1977, Conondale National Park was established to protect pristine areas of the Conondale ranges and provide recreational opportunities. Today, re-vegetation efforts have been undertaken by private landowners and Landcare groups.

The ecological significance of Conondale National Park lies in its role as a refuge for rare and threatened species. The park contains regenerating forests, forest plantations, and wetlands of national significance. Species such as the plumed frogmouth, giant barred frog, Conondale crayfish, spotted-tailed quoll, Gympie nut, and richmond birdwing butterfly