Looking across a pineapple field at Mount Beerwah (556 m) and Coonowrin (the narrow and most dramatic one which is 375 m), two of the Glass House Mountains.

Glass House Mountains
A series of spectacular volcanic plugs rising dramatically from the coastal plain.
The remarkable Glass House Mountains are a series of steep-sided volcanic plugs which dominate the landscape of the Sunshine Coast hinterland. They are formed of rhyolite and trachtyte, lavas which hardened inside the vents of tertiary volcanoes that have been greatly reduced by about 25 million years of erosion.

The first European to see the mountains was Captain James Cook. In his Journal on 17 May 1770 he wrote: '..however, if any future navigator should be disposed to determine the question whether there is or is not a river in this place, which the wind would not permit us to do, the situation may be always found by three hills, which lie to the northward of it, in the latitude of twenty six degrees fifty three minutes. These hills lie but a little way inland, and not far from each other: they are remarkable for the singular form of their elevation, which very much resembles a glass house, and for this reason I called them the Glass Houses: the northern most of the three is the highest and largest; there are several other peaked hills inland to the northward of these, but these are not nearly so remarkable...'

The next European to visit the area was Matthew Flinders who spent 16 days sailing around Moreton Bay in July-August, 1799. During his explorations he came ashore and climbed Mount Beerburrum from which he surveyed the whole of Moreton Bay. The excellent booklet Matthew Flinders in Moreton Bay 1799, published by the Redcliffe Historical Society, records Flinders visit to the Glasshouse Mountains:

'On the following morning Flinders took the boat up a small creek that pointed towards the peaks. About half past nine he left the boat accompanied by two seamen and a native. The country they passed through was swampy, covered with mangroves, they waded through rocky swamps. In observing the flat-topped peak (Tibrogargan) it was considerably nearer than the highest Glass-house (Beerwah) that he had first meant to visit, but seeing one of the round mount (Beerburrum) with sloping sides was nearer, he altered course for it and after walking about nine miles from the boat he reached the top.

'The view of the bay and neighbouring country was very extensive, to the south there were several distinct columns of smoke visible. The mount was a pile of loose stones of many sizes, which had made the ascent quite difficult.'

Today the Glass House Mountains have become one of the premier tourist attractions on the Sugar Coast. Located inland from Caboolture and 61 km from Brisbane they are not only important to the European history of southern Queensland but play a major part in the Aboriginal culture of the area.

According to Aboriginal legend Tibrogargan (which is 364 m high) the father and Beerwah (at 555 m the highest of all the peaks) the mother, had a number of children of whom Coonowrin (377 m - the narrow and most dramatic of all the volcanic plugs) was the eldest, Tunbubudla were the twins (293 m and 312 m), Coochin (235 m), Ngungun (253 m), Tibberoowuccum (220 m), Miketeebumulgrai (199 m) and Elimbah (129 m).

The legend tells of Tibrogargan noticing that the sea was rising and calling out to Coonowrin to help his pregnant mother gather the young children together so that the family could flee from the rising sea. Coonowrin ran away in fear and Tibrogargan, incensed by his son's cowardice, followed and hit him so hard with a club that his neck was dislocated. When the seas retreated the family returned to the plains. Conowrin, teased about his crooked neck and ashamed of his behaviour, went to Tibrogargan and asked for forgiveness but the father just wept with shame. Conowrin then approached his brothers and sisters to ask forgiveness but they too could only weep with shame, thus explaining the area's many small streams.

Tibrogargan then called Conowrin and asked why he had failed to help Beerwah. He explained that he felt she was big enough to look after herself, though he did not know she was pregnant. Tibrogargan then turned his back on his son and still gazes out to sea today, refusing to look at his son who forever hangs his crooked neck and cries. Beerwah, the mother, is still pregnant, as it takes time to give birth to a mountain.

Today the area around the mountains produces tropical fruits such as papaws, strawberries, avocados and passionfruit, as well as vegetables, macadamia nuts and tobacco.

Things to see:  

Glass House Mountains National Park
The remarkable Glass House Mountains are a series of steep-sided volcanic plugs which dominate the landscape of the Sunshine Coast hinterland. They are formed of rhyolite and trachtyte, lavas which hardened inside the vents of tertiary volcanoes that have been greatly reduced by about 25 million years of erosion.

Mount Beerwah is the highest peak, at 555 metres. Coonowrin (377 metres), Ngungan (253 metres) and Tibrogargan (364 metres) are preserved within National Park land and offer fine opportunities for bushwalking, abseiling and picnicking. Access from the township is via the Glass House Mountians-Coonowrin Road. For further information ring (07) 5494 3983.

The Main Lookout
There is a small township called Glass House Mountains which is just off the main road from Caboolture. The road to the main lookout point is clearly signposted and passes through extensive fields of pineapples. It offers an excellent vantage point from which all the mountains can be seen in the larger context of the plains and the Pacific Ocean to the east. There are a number of pleasant drives through the area. Climbing the mountains is difficult and is not encouraged for the inexperienced. For further information ring (07) 5494 3983.

Australian Teamsters Hall Of Fame and Spirit of Cobb & C0
This complex stands as a tribute to the tradition, the people, the way of life and the era associated with animal-drawn vehicles. Of course, a central part of that history, in Australia, belongs to Cobb & Co, the famous coaching company which was established by four Americans in 1853 and which dominated Australian land transport for many years.

Fittingly, the complex is based around Bank Foot House (named after a Scottish shire), an original 1860 Cobb & Co changing station which remained the residence of the original owners until October 2002. Like many such outposts, it also functioned as a post office and trading post and it retains original memorabilia such as postal facilities, furnishings and a pianola.

The complex is owned by Stephen Ralph whose lifelong interest in carriages was capped by a recent discovery that his great-great uncles were Cobb & Co drivers and whose great-great grandfather possessed the first registered station in Queensland after the separation from New South Wales. As part of the bicentenary celebration of 1988 Stephen conducted an historic carriage journey from Melbourne to Longreach (in western Queensland), via the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Birdsville and Charleville, involving a meeting with the Queen who is said to have taken a knowledgeable interest in his horses. More recently he undertook a recreation of Cobb & Co's last run, made in 1924 between Yeulba and Surat (near Roma) - a distance of 83 km. This was also an attempt to establish an official world record relating to the largest number of horses (24) driven in hand in a coach under reign on the open road. Unfortunately, an American undertook a journey with 52 llamas which earned the Guinness Book of Records imprimatur.

This is intended principally as a working complex, with tourism features attached. The business of building and repairing carriages, wheelwrighting and blacksmithing takes place in a workshop measuring about 45 metres by 24 metres. Visitors can learn about Cobb & Co and the teamsters via the Hall of Fame, a ride in an original Cobb & Co coach, an oral presentation, the tea-and-damper tour (with food prepared in the slab-hut kitchen) and a video presentation in the theatrette. With the 150th anniversary of Cobb & Co approaching, Stephen intends to add a campground, a pub and a museum. He also plans to reconstruct the world's largest coach which was made in Australia to conduct people to the Ballarat goldfields. Weighing 15 tons, it was 15 metres long, four metres wide and six metres high, and was drawn by 64 horses. It proved, for practical purposes, to be a lemon, but will make a fine curiosity today.

Located at the corner of Old Gympie Rd and Mt Beerwah Rd, in the township of Glass House Mountains, the Hall of Fame can be contacted on (07)5496 9588.

Mt Beerburrum Lookout
South of the township of Glass House Mountains, along Glasshouse Mountains Rd, is the town of Beerburrum. Nearby is Mt Beerburrum Lookout.