Scrambling up the waterfall gorge on Mount Greville, we think, is one of the most rewarding circuits in the Scenic Rim region. The experience of traversing through palm groves, peering through the fronds at the breathtaking landscape to the south, including Mount Maroon, Mount Barney, and beyond, while being surrounded by two towering vertical walls just 30m apart, is truly awe-inspiring. It is a moment that stands out as a unique and unforgettable experience, different from any other trail run or hike. You are, quite literally, stopped in your tracks!

Moogerah Peaks National Park encompasses the volcanic peaks of Mounts French, Greville, Moon, and Edwards, which are remnants of the ancient Main Range volcano. The volcano erupted approximately 24 million years ago, primarily with basalt lava flows. From Lake Moogerah, three prominent landscapes catch the eye: Mount Greville, a massive rhyolite plug; Mount Edwards, a trachyte plug; and in the background, the Main Range escarpment, a long ridge-like formation shaped by millions of years of water erosion on the volcanic lava deposits. The peaks are mostly covered in open eucalypt forest, while the upper exposed rock faces host montane heath vegetation.

To reach the heath shrubland and the 720m summit of Mount Greville, there are different routes available. One can scramble up either Palm Gorge, which houses a pristine stand of Piccabeen Palms, or Waterfall Gorge, also abundant with palms. Another option is to ascend via the southeast ridge through open eucalypt forest dominated by Eucalyptus dura. Along the way, keep an eye out for small remaining populations of brush-tailed rock wallabies (Petrogale penicillata). The glossy black-cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami) can occasionally be spotted on the eastern foothills of Mount Greville, where they feed on the forest she oak (Allocasuarina torulosa).

But what about before all this? Read our story:

A Supercontinental Drift over Lava and a Scenic Rim is Born

Also read how the story unfolds across our other key Heart & Lava destinations:

Ecologies of Mount Barney
Ecologies of Binna Burra