Mount Coot-tha Lookout

Mount Coot-tha rises about 280 metres on the western edge of Brisbane, and the lookout at the top gives the view used in most images of the city: the river winding through the centre, the towers, and on clear days Moreton Bay and its sand islands beyond. A café and restaurant sit at the summit, and the surrounding forest park holds walking tracks to J.C. Slaughter Falls and Aboriginal art trails. At the base, the Brisbane Botanic Gardens hold tropical and arid collections, a Japanese garden and a bonsai house, and the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, with the largest projected dome in Australia, runs shows through the day.

History

The hill was long called One-Tree-Hill, after the single large tree on its bare summit, and the range was named Glenmorrison Range by John Oxley in 1823; the botanist Charles Fraser, Captain Patrick Logan and the explorer Allan Cunningham made the first recorded ascent on 6 July 1828, Fraser praising the very grand view over a thinly wooded plain. A request to buy the hill in 1865 was refused because it was needed for surveying and was already a favourite place of recreation, and the lookout was built from 1918 to about 1950 and added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 13 January 1995 (Wikipedia, Mount Coot-tha Lookout).

Highlights

• The city panorama - Brisbane, the river and Moreton Bay from the summit.
• The botanic gardens - tropical, arid and Japanese collections at the base.
• The planetarium - the largest projected star dome in the country.
• The forest tracks - walks to falls and lookouts through the reserve.

When to go

April to October for clear dry-season air; summer haze and storms reduce visibility. Sunset and evening are the busiest times, when the city lights come on. The planetarium runs to a session timetable and closes on Mondays.

Good to know

The summit car park fills at sunset and traffic backs up on the access road. The lookout itself is a terrace beside a café rather than a natural summit. Summer humidity often flattens the view.

Nearby

The botanic gardens and planetarium are at the foot; the city centre is fifteen minutes east.

Key facts