Discover Queensland and Explore the Geodiversity of the Glass House Mountains
- Wayne Munday
- Apr 17
- 4 min read
Sip back and discover Queensland and explore the geodiversity of the Glass House Mountains. If you are wondering why these 11 peaks look so familiar its because they form the enigmatic backdrop to the second series of the captivatingly dark Australian crime drama Black Snow. Starring Travis Fimmel as troubled Detective James Cormack tasked with investigating cold cases. Only a 1 hour drive north of Brisbane on the M1 is the Glass House Mountains the visible remnants of igneous intrusions formed by volcanic activity dating back between 25 - 27 million years ago during the Late Oligocene Epoch of the Paleogene Period the first period of the Cenozoic Era. This was a time when molten rock intruded and solidified into hard trachyte and rhyolite beneath the surface - they are not known as a source of fossils. Over time the influence of erosion and exposure to the elements has removed the softer sandstone rock and volcanic soils revealing the steep intrusive volcanic plugs seen today that have spiritual meaning to the First Nation peoples of the Gubbi Gubbi and Jinibara Nation. Rather than discuss the plot of BBC's 6-part series Black Snow, its up to you to binge, we shall look into how the ethereal beauty of the Glass House Mountains sitting above Queensland’s Sunshine Coast is perfect casting for this murder mystery.
At the end of the Cretaceous Period some 65 million years ago Australia was situated farther south and remained part of Gondwanaland and was largely covered in tropical rainforest. After separating from Antarctica the continent of Australia began to drifting north and during the Late Oligocene Epoch this region of Queensland passed over a mantle hot spot triggering a prolonged period of volcanic activity that produced widespread lava flows.
The molten magma intruded through older the rock layers creating pillar like bulbous volcanic plugs. Over millions of years, erosion removed the surrounding softer sandstone, revealing the more resistant volcanic rock as the steep-sided peaks of the Glass House Mountains.
The Glass House Mountains were named by Lieutenant James Cook in 1770 who in his journal described their shape similar to those of a glass furnace.
‘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…’
This mountain range includes prominent peaks such as Mount Beerwah (556 meters), Mount Tibrogargan (364 meters), Mount Coonowrin (377 meters) and Mount Ngungun (253 meters). The region experiences a mild subtropical climate with summer temperatures ranging from 18°C to over 35°C and winter averages between 11°C and 20°C.
The Glass House Mountain National Park is an environment that encompasses a range of terrains from rocky peaks to swampy plains all of which support a rich diversity of life. The mountains shelter Montane Heath whilst the surrounding hills have heathlands, forests, woodlands and many other plant species of conservation concern. The Glass House Mountains is home to Koalas, Grey Kangaroos, Echidnas and reptiles including the Goanna and one of Australia's five species of black-cockatoos the vulnerable Glossy Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami).
The Glass House Mountains region in Queensland holds profound cultural and spiritual significance for the First Nations Peoples of the Gubbi Gubbi and Jinibara Nation who are the area's Traditional Custodians.
The Gubbi Gubbi inhabited the coastal Sunshine Coast, while the Jinibara lived to the west, sharing custodianship of the mountains. Both groups regard the mountains as sacred and are deeply embedded in their Dreamtime stories.
Central to Gubbi Gubbi Dreaming is the story of a family of siblings turned to stone by the god Tibrogargan to protect them from a flood. In these stories, Mount Tibrogargan is the father figure while Mount Beerwah is the mother and the surrounding peaks represent their children.
The traditional lands of the Nalbo Clan part of the Jinibara Nation include the Blackall Ranges that also include Mount Beerwah, Mount Tibrogargan, and Mount Coonowrin. These sacred mountains are sacred and thier Dreamtime stories portray them as once living beings turned to stone by the god Tibrogargan.
The Jinibara Traditional Owners request that visitors respect their cultural values by refraining from climbing sacred mountains such as Mount Tibrogargan and Mount Beerwah. Instead, they encourage viewing the landscape from designated lookouts like Wild Horse Mountain and the Glass House Mountains lookout.
European settlement in the 1860s around Glass House Mountain was marked by large-scale deforestation and agricultural development displacing traditional lifestyles. The 1890 the introduction of the North Coast Railway enabled broader settlement and by the early 20th century the Beerburrum soldier settlement scheme.
The Beerburrum Soldier Settlement Scheme was established in Queensland in 1916 and was the state's largest initiative to support returned World War I soldiers by offering land, financial aid, and agricultural training. Its goal was to honour veterans' service and facilitate their transition to civilian life through self-sufficient farming. Despite its intentions, the scheme faced significant challenges, including poor soil quality and economic difficulties, leading to its closure in the late 1920s. This saw many servicemen attempt farming though many eventually turned to timber.
The timber industry, especially around Beerwah became central to the local economy with sawmilling operations opening in Campbellville on Coochin Creek. Plantation forestry began in the 1930s and continues today with pine replanting efforts supporting ongoing commercial harvesting.
The Glass House Mountains is a relevant cinematic backdrop whose dramatic geological formations that rise above Queensland’s Sunshine Coast hold deep spiritual and cultural significance for the Gubbi Gubbi and Jinibara peoples and is a sanctuary for biodiversity. The Glass House Mountains has a unique complexity spanning geology, culture, environmental and historical transformation.
