Where to see fireflies in Spring
Every year in November, fire flies emerge at our beautiful town of Killarney, just over 2 hours from Brisbane. This annual fairy wonderland only lasts for a very limited time, so keep reading to get all the insider tips so you catch them this Spring! Do be ‘nature -aware’ however as they are a very delicate creature and the potential disruption of their breeding cycle can happen if there is too much light shone on them. Enjoy the delight of this annual occurrence whilst treading lightly.
Image by Stephen Reid. Check out more of his firefly photography.
Where to go to see fireflies:
Want to see these beauties? You’ll need to head to Queen Mary Falls in Killarney, which is part of the Main Range National Park. It’s just over two hours drive, and we highly recommend taking the scenic route through Boonah onto the Head Road. If you’re towing something, you’ll need to come through Warwick instead.
Once you reach the Queen Mary Falls carpark, head off on the Queen Mary Falls Circuit track – it’s about a 2km return walk. Take the right hand side track to the first lookout, before continuing to the bottom of the Falls for the best chance to see them.
Insider Tips:
- The fireflies (and sometimes glow worms!) usually emerge in late October to November. During this time they come out at dusk and disappear at last light, so you can only see them around 6:15pm to 7:15pm.
- Bring a torch and cover it with red cellophane – please don’t rely on the light on your phone. Don’t shine any lights directly on fireflies or glow worms as this will harm them. Please don’t try to touch them – they are a very delicate species!
- Remember this is a National Park, so no pets please!
- Want to make a night of it? The closest food and accommodation to Queen Mary Falls is the nearby Queen Mary Falls Cafe and Caravan Park. Alternatively, head into Killarney for plenty of other options or drive to Warwick for plenty of motels and B&B’s.
While You’re Here
Make a weekend of it by checking out these other things to do in the area:
- If you’re travelling to Girraween or Sundown from Brisbane you’ll drive right through Stanthorpe. Here’s a local’s guide on spending 24 hours there.
- Travelling in Spring or Summer? Here’s our top 7 must visit waterholes to check out.
- If you have the kids in tow, make sure you check out these 20 family activities in the Southern Downs and Granite Belt.
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