Mount Ngungun
Mount Ngungun
This hike is all about silhouettes and sky. The volcanic plugs of the Glass House Mountains stand in a loose circle around you, scattered across the landscape, no two alike. Paddocks and forest drop away on all sides, and there’s horizon whichever way you look. For a relatively short walk, it feels like you’ve climbed straight into the middle of the landscape. This is Mount Ngungun.
Quick Details
Total Length: 2.8km
Elevation: 190m
Grade: Moderate
Best season: Year round, but avoid on really hot days
Suitable for kids: Young kids no, older kids only if they’re ok around unfenced cliff edges
Starting the Trail
It’s 7am on a Saturday, and the Mount Ngungun carpark is already mostly full. Originally, I had planned to hike to the top for sunrise, but chickened out the night before. I was convinced it would be really steep and rocky, and figured I should at least hike it once during the day to get a sense of what it was like before attempting it in the dark on my own.
Turns out there was nothing to worry about. Yes, it’s steep and rocky in places, but the trail is surprisingly manageable. It would absolutely be achievable in the dark — even for first-timers. That said, as I’ve come to learn, sunset is really the better option — but I’m getting ahead of myself. More on that later.
Right from the trailhead, the track heads uphill. It starts easily enough: a wide dirt path through dry forest, gently leading you higher up the mountain. Before long, though, it gets steeper. Still manageable, but definitely steeper. That’s fine, I told myself — I am hiking up a mountain after all, and it's bound to get worse.
I continued up the trail and came to my first staircase — and honestly said out loud, “What on God’s green earth is that meant to be?” Because it wasn’t really a staircase so much as it was a jumble of large stones scattered over the hill. I almost twisted my ankle just looking at the thing.
By the time I was halfway up, though, I realised the design wasn’t actually that bad — and in a lot of ways, it was probably better than traditional stairs. Instead of having uniform steps at the same height and depth, I could pick my own line and choose whichever rock felt most natural. A few of the hill sections were built this way, but there were also some classic, well-formed staircases thrown into the mix.
The dirt trail started to get a bit rocky, and I passed by a sign warning about unfenced cliff edges — a clear sign I was getting close to the top. I’d heard there was a rock scramble at the end, and had been mentally preparing myself for some difficult terrain. Based on what I’d read online, I was expecting something borderline vertical.
The trees began to thin, and suddenly it was just open sky and a few small boulders ahead — with a rope handrail off to one side. Wait… this is the rock scramble? Surely not. I mean, yes — technically it is a rock scramble — but it was far easier than I expected. I stepped up and over the rocks, and suddenly I was standing on the summit, greeted by a stunning view of Mounts Beerwah and Coonowrin.
On Top of Mount Ngungun
I was actually genuinely surprised to find myself at the top so quickly. I suppose because, from the ground, the Glass House Mountains look so intimidating, so you don’t expect it to be such a short hike to the top. All up, it took me about half an hour — and I wasn’t rushing. The hike is listed as moderate, and I’d say that’s fair. You’ll need to be reasonably fit, but nothing extreme.
Once you’re up there, a thin ridgeline spans the top of the mountain. It’s a bit rocky and exposed in parts, but if you take your time — especially if you’re nervous — it’s not too bad. The highest point (which I suppose would count as the proper summit) is off to the left.
The views are completely uninterrupted, with the horizon visible in every direction. The other iconic peaks are scattered around you, and it’s hard to know where to look first. I wandered past the summit to the far end of the ridge. The view behind me was mostly of the township of Glass House Mountains, but the view ahead — toward Beerwah and Coonowrin — was something else entirely.
Standing here, I realised this end of the ridge faces almost directly west — perfect for sunset. I only had one day in the Glass House Mountains, so I decided to hike back down, move on to my next track, and then return in the evening to catch golden hour from the top.
Sunset
I pulled back into the carpark around 4.30pm — a good two and a half hours before sunset. Now that I knew how easy the trail was, and how good the view from the top would be, I was sure it was going to get crowded. I figured the earlier I went up, the better the chance I’d secure a decent spot. The hike up was once again relatively quick — although it did feel a little harder this time, thanks to the long day I’d already had.
I took my seat, and for the next two hours defended it against other sunset chasers trying to push me out. Groups would walk up and try to sit in a space that wasn’t large enough for their group — guess I’m part of your group now, because I’m not moving. Rock climbers popped up next to me, climbing up from God knows where — and still I stayed put. A rainstorm rolled in from the north, I put on my raincoat and watched it sweep across the valley — and still I stayed put.
About twenty minutes before the sun was due to set, the clouds parted enough to show the sun casting golden light across the valley — and I had a perfect, uninterrupted view of the show. It’s always nice when my obstinance pays off…
The sunset itself was fairly short, thanks to the storm clouds, but still beautiful. There’s something rare about a spot like this — where you can watch the sun go down in front of you, and see the twilight creeping in behind at the same time.
I started to pack up my stuff and repack my bag. Most of the people had already shuffled off back down the mountain, but a few were keen to stay on to wait for the stars. I took one final look at the sunset, and headed back down to the car. Pretty happy with the views I’d already found for the day.
Getting There
Mount Ngungun is located in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. The trailhead starts from the carpark on Fullertons Road in Glass House Mountains, which is easily found on most maps or navigation apps.
There’s a small carpark just off the road — but it fills up quickly, especially on weekends and around sunset.
Tips and Tricks
Sunset is probably the better option than sunrise from this one — either way, bring a torch. You don’t want to trip on one of those rocky slopes in the dark.
This is a really popular trail, it’s low on effort and high on reward. It’s absolutely worth doing, just know that you will be sharing the trail and views with other people.
As with many hiking trails in southern Queensland, you will find biosecurity stations at the trailhead. Do the right thing, at the start and end of your hike, brush off your boots and spray them with the disinfectant. You’re done in thirty seconds, and it helps stop the spread of some pretty nasty fungi’s and bacteria.
