Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve is one of Australia’s most popular and beautiful parks nestled on the eastern side of the Blackall range in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland and located on Mountain View Road, Maleny.
The original land was part of an area of 760 acres which was allocated to Mr Issac Burgess by the Queensland Government in 1878. In 1941 three siblings and relatives of Mr Burgess donated the first 100 acres to the council as a trust to the public and for the purposes of honouring their mother Mary Thynne (nee Cairncross) and also preserving the virgin rainforest. The remaining 5 acres was donated by Elizabeth Thynne on 11 Dec 1966 who was the last surviving daughter of Mary Cairncross and who the reserve is named after.
The reserve now encompasses a total of 52 hectares of rainforest consisting of beautiful trees such as the Strangling Fig. This tree starts life as a parasitic epiphyte, the original seed being deposited by birds and when germinated in crevices of host trees, aerial roots grow downward encircling the original tree until years later it is strangled to death while the rest of the Strangler Fig reaches into the sunlight zone above the canopy making them a very tall tree. After the host tree dies the Strangler fig retains the columnar shape of the original tree while the central core remains empty.
The famous furniture made from the wood of the Red Cedar tree is another spectacular species. In one corner of the park a large solid wooden sitting deck with planks for seats, faces one of these stately giants dotted with the epiphytic species of Elkhorn, Staghorn and Birdsnest Ferns.
Lastly the Yellow Carabeen, even though a tall tree up to 50 metres in the rainforest, can be recognised by their massive pink plank-buttressed roots which make them an unusual oddity. Many of the larger trees and native creatures have very descriptive wooden signs placed strategically throughout the rainforest giving much information about the life and habitat of that species.
Amongst the pristine settings is an undercover outdoor kiosk serving light meals, delicious coffees with the added bonus of magnificent views to the Glasshouse Mountains. The kiosk also caters to functions such as weddings and their guests can be transported in buses as the parking facilities within the park caters to both buses and cars due to the high number of tourists who visit the site daily.
An earthy homeland feel welcomes you as you walk towards the kiosk past the English style green painted bollards with the whole scene resplendent with picturesque green lushness that reminds many visitors of English countryside. Other facilities include picnic tables and electric barbeques, children’s playground with an open recreation area for playing cricket or kicking the football around and modern composting toilets.
The park also has a ranger who lives on site and guided walks can be arranged through the Thynne Natural Education History Centre.
The reserve is an ecological recreational retreat and a leading example where education and conservation sustain the uniqueness of the Mary Cairncross Rainforest. The Thynne Natural Education History building is quaintly surrounded by rainforest and a man made rock pool outside lures the visitor to the rainforest walk while within the wooden structure a diorama illustrates a partial history of prehistoric Australian rainforest. Within this building are many artefacts and photos displayed on walls of varied bird and animal wildlife giving the visitor an apt description of each creature that lives within the park precinct.
Moving through the strategically placed information centre which is the only entrance to the 1.7 kilometre walking tracks the visitor can amble through cool and ambient rainforest, spotting the Brush Turkeys, which are commonplace as is an abundant avian population such as the endangered Coxen's Fig Parrot, the rare Grey Goshawk, Golden Whistler, Eastern Whipbird, Regent Bowerbird and the plaintive cry of the Green Catbird.
An abundance of other wildlife can be seen including the Red-legged Pademelon, Red-necked Pademelon, Red-necked Wallaby and Red bellied black snakes leaving the visitor with pleasant memories of one of the most beautiful parts of Australia.