Located in Mount Barney National Park Queensland in the Scenic Rim region. Approx 1hr 30min from Brisbane. 6km return, difficult/experienced grade, allow 5 hours (can take shorter, depends on how many stops you want to take to take it all in or just have a chat!). Check out what the hike is like below and more information here.
Written on 17 May just as lock down restrictions eased in Queensland, Australia.
Today was the second time I climbed Mount Maroon, the first time was with a walking group, this time was just myself and my husband. We could go at our own pace and stop (and have a chat) when we liked. It was the busiest we had ever seen it (he had been a few times before) with it being the first weekend we could travel up to 150km as restrictions lift from the Coronavirus. 
Holy Moly it was crowded
It was crowded but the little miss have a chat loved it. Anyone would have thought we have been cooped up at home for almost 8 weeks. Everyone also seemed so chatty and happy just to be out there. I know I was. Usually when we are out hiking there are very few people and people look down and just don’t want to be seen or heard. On the way up we spoke to a few groups with one group on the way down so excited just to be out he replied after we asked ‘how you goin’ – ‘oh so pumped just to be out here’.
Something felt different out there
It felt different, good different, no actually GREAT different. It felt like we were all connecting, we were all off our devices (apart from the occasional photo) and were really connecting with people. We were willing to stop to have a chat, which I am always up for, it just doesn’t seem like people are up for a chat on a hike usually. They are usually rushed and hurried, just like life before Coronavirus hit.
Getting outdoors is good for the soul
Just by being outside and in nature, was truely uplifting. We stopped halfway up when we asked one couple how the top was, as they were coming down. This turned into a 10min chat around them just getting off crouchers and were so excited to be moving, it turned into Emma asking about my boots which I happily and excitedly said La Sportiva TX5 boots. If you go to K2 Base Camp in Brisbane, they will sort you out! When they walked away, I had a smile on my face as I was outdoors, connecting with people and being able to share my knowledge with them. Don’t get my wrong, it wasn’t forced, it just came so naturally. I just love this community of people and I hope I can give back to you so you can get out and enjoy it too!
The hike up to the top
This time of the year it really doesn’t matter when you start the climb, just turn up and you will be rewarded. The track I would break into 3 sections.
Section One
First section is a steep-ish ascent up a rocky incline which involves quite a lot of stepping up – HELLO CALVES! I made the same mistake and didn’t warm the calves out so they were burning! This goes up for about 45min.
Section Two
From here it goes into section two which the terrain starts to turn into more boulders where you need to scramble slightly, once you go up and over this section you come to the base of a tunnel which requires steep scrambling up. Although a scramble it is fairly easy. I needed my gloves for this section. This goes for about 45min.
Once you get to the top of the tunnel up, you hit what would be called a ‘false peak’, great reward at this point though. For us it was quite windy so it was ‘trying to keep your hat on whilst enjoying the view’ moment but so refreshing after the sweat sesh.
Section Three
From here you get into the third section where you walk through some flat ‘bush walking’ with big trees, this is short and you then reach the ascent to the top. This is mainly large boulders/rock but if you have good shoes with grip it’s super easy. This is another 45min to the top.
Ah, now I trust you have brought snacks and a thermos with a cuppa to sit and enjoy the views of Mount Barney, Mount May and others within the volcanic crater that is the scenic rim.
We took about 2.5hrs to the top, with little miss have a chat, then a 20-30min break at the top and then 1.5hrs down, still with miss have a chat.
Ascent to the top
People are out in force post coronavirus but little miss have a chat was a happy chappy. There are 3 sections to this track up to the top and we took 2.5hrs up, 20-30min rest at the top and 1.5hrs back down.
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