Toohey Forest Park - Nathan

Council will be undertaking restoration works on the Toohey Mountain Track. This is in response to damage sustained during the February 2022 severe weather event.

These works will commence mid May 2023, estimated completion is early June 2023 (weather and project conditions permitting). This track will be closed for the duration of the project, please seek alternative tracks during this time.

Brisbane City Council's Toohey Forest Park is approximately 260 hectares in size and located 10 kilometres south of the Brisbane Central Business District. The park adjoins bushland owned and managed by Griffith University and includes barbecues, picnics, views, bush walking tracks and designated shared use tracks for walking and cycling.

Walking track information and track map

Toohey Forest Park offers a variety of walking tracks, shared use trails for walking and cycling and a bikeway. 

For track locations, length and grading, download the:

Special features

Picnic areas

  1. Mayne Estate and Toohey picnic area - Toohey Road, Tarragindi. Gates open from 6am-7pm every day.

Flora and fauna

Toohey Forest is typical of the open eucalypt forests that once covered Brisbane. Rainforest species grow along creeks and in moist gullies. It is home to over 400 species of native wildlife and plant species. The forest features sandstone outcrops and is made up of a variety of eucalypt trees. The understorey has wattles, she-oaks, heath species, creepers, grasses and in sandstone areas, stands of grass trees. The woodlands with heath understorey plants, grass trees and banksias, are beautiful around Griffith University.

The most threatening weeds are lantana (Lantana camara), ochna (Ochna serrulata) and cat’s claw creeper (Macfadyena unguis-cati).

Toohey Forest is home to koalas, echidnas and lace monitors. It has more than 100 species of birds and a diversity of reptiles, butterflies and frogs. This is unique for an area with such a close proximity to the city centre.

You may see:

  • koalas, possums and gliders
  • bats and flying foxes
  • owls, hawks, kites, tawny frogmouths, kookaburras, kingfishers, parrots, doves, pigeons, honey eaters, fantails, whistlers, finches, pardalotes, fairy wrens and thornbills
  • lizards, goannas, skinks and geckoes
  • ant nests disturbed by echidnas.

Photo gallery

View the Toohey Forest Park photo gallery as a slideshow, or view the photos individually as part of Council's Flickr account.

Toohey Forest Park - Nathan

History

Toohey Forest is named after James Toohey, an Irishman made wealthy in the California gold rush. He selected these lands in 1872 and his family held the forests until Council gradually acquired them after 1945.

Toohey Mountain is made of tough quartzite formed 380 million years ago - a time when the coastline was far to the west and the region was deep under ocean. This is an indication of the enormous forces that shaped the ancient ocean floor sediments and resulting mountains.

Related information

Last updated: 4 May 2023

Brisbane City Council acknowledges this Country and its Traditional Custodians. We pay our respects to the Elders, those who have passed into the dreaming; those here today; those of tomorrow.