National Parks and Reserves

Currimundi Lake (Kathleen McArthur) Conservation Park is a small remnant of wallum heath that covered much of coastal southern Queensland. Thriving on Lake Currimundi’s northern shore, this type of coastal heathland is rich in plant species, which attract birds and insects seeking food and shelter.

Enjoy short walks, wildflowers, coastal birds, and views of the ocean beach and Currimundi Lake. Wander down the track from Coongarra Esplanade through the park to the beach. After the first 130 metres of wheelchair-accessible track, pause at the lake lookout. Spot the spectacular yellow-spiked flower or knobbly seed pods of the wallum banksia. Walk quietly, looking and listening for wrens, finches and honeyeaters such as the noisy friarbird. Vividly coloured heath wildflowers reach their peak flowering time in late winter and spring months.

The park is named after Kathleen McArthur, a local artist, conservationist and founding member of the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland (1962). Kathleen was passionate about wallum heathlands and campaigned to have these plant communities protected in the Sunshine Coast region. The heathland wildflowers were a favourite subject for her botanical illustrations.