The columnar rhyolite cliffs of Frog Buttress on Mount French in Moogerah Peaks National Park

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Mount French

Mountain

Mount French is a 579 m mountain in South East Queensland, Australia, popular with rock climbers and day visitors for its dramatic cliffs and valley views.

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Mount French essentials

Address: Mount French, locality of Mount French (near Boonah), Scenic Rim Region, Queensland, Australia

Mount French sits within the Moogerah Peaks National Park and forms part of the rocky skyline of the Scenic Rim; it rises to about 579 m above sea level and has two main summits.

The traditional owners, the Ugarapul people, named the southern peak Punchagin and the northern peak Mee-bor-rum; European naming history includes early names such as Mount Dumaresq and the later Mount French.

The mountain is best known among climbers for the steep cliffs of Frog Buttress, a trad climbing area developed in the late 1960s and 1970s, and for easy cliff-top walks from the picnic area.

Visitors will find a sealed road to the summit picnic area, basic facilities including picnic tables, barbecues, a single block of toilets, tap water and self-registration camping sites, with Logans Lookout offering sweeping views over the Fassifern Valley.

  • Frog Buttress: A world-famous trad climbing buttress on the mountain’s cliffs offering long, technical routes developed from the late 1960s.
  • Logans Lookout: A constructed lookout reached by an easy track from the picnic area with broad views over the Fassifern Valley.
  • Cliff-top walks and picnic area: Short walks along the cliff edge give dramatic viewpoints and lead back to picnic tables and barbecues at the summit area.
  • Summit peaks - Punchagin and Mee-bor-rum: The mountain’s two traditional-owners’ peaks offer different outlooks and a sense of the area’s cultural history.
Things to Do
When to Go

Best Time to Visit Mount French#

Mount French has a humid subtropical climate with hot, wetter summers and cooler, drier winters; choose timing based on weather and what you want to do.

Winter (best)
May - August · 6°C - 22°C (43°F - 72°F)
Generally drier and cooler, making walking and climbing more comfortable and reducing the chance of storm-related closures.
Summer - Wet season
December - February · 16°C - 29°C (61°F - 84°F)
Hotter with frequent heavy showers and storms, which can make cliffs slippery and increase the risk of sudden weather changes.
Shoulder seasons
March - April, September - November · 9°C - 27°C (48°F - 81°F)
Transitional periods can be pleasant with milder weather, but expect variable conditions and occasional heavy rain in late summer and autumn.

Weather & Climate near Mount French#

Climate

Mount French's climate is classified as Humid Subtropical - Humid Subtropical climate with warm summers (peaking in January) and cool winters (coldest in July). Temperatures range from 6°C to 29°C. Moderate rainfall (983 mm/year).

Air Quality: AQI 25 Good
Best Time to Visit
SeptemberAprilOctober
Temperature & Rainfall
Temperature Range
43°
Warmest Month
-1°
Coldest Month
Monthly Conditions
Month Comfort Temp Feels Rain Sky Humidity Wind UV Daylight
January Very Good 18° - 29° 23° 140 mm partly cloudy 68% 2.8 m/s 2.7 extreme 13.6h
February Very Good 18° - 28° 23° 146 mm partly cloudy 74% 3.0 m/s 2.4 extreme 12.9h
March Very Good 16° - 27° 22° 83 mm partly cloudy 76% 3.8 m/s 1.9 very high 12.1h
April Excellent 13° - 25° 19° 61 mm partly cloudy 74% 3.6 m/s 1.4 high 11.3h
May Excellent 10° - 22° 16° 75 mm some cloud 71% 2.5 m/s 0.9 moderate 10.6h
June Very Good 7° - 19° 13° 34 mm some cloud 77% 2.3 m/s 0.6 moderate 10.2h
July Very Good 6° - 19° 12° 47 mm some cloud 71% 2.4 m/s 0.7 moderate 10.4h
August Very Good 6° - 20° 13° 31 mm mostly sunny 64% 2.8 m/s 1.0 high 11.0h
September Excellent 9° - 23° 16° 36 mm some cloud 62% 2.9 m/s 1.5 high 11.8h
October Excellent 12° - 25° 18° 80 mm some cloud 63% 3.2 m/s 1.9 very high 12.6h
November Very Good 15° - 27° 21° 114 mm partly cloudy 64% 3.3 m/s 2.4 extreme 13.4h
December Very Good 16° - 28° 22° 136 mm partly cloudy 67% 2.9 m/s 2.6 extreme 13.8h
Getting There & Around

How to Get to Mount French#

Mount French lies about 100 km west of Brisbane and is west of the town of Boonah in the Scenic Rim Region; the nearest major airport is Brisbane Airport and the nearest regional centre is Boonah.

Access to the mountain top is via a sealed road with a car park at the picnic area; public transport to Boonah is limited so most visitors drive or take a taxi from Boonah or larger nearby towns, and check local signage for the final turn-offs.

Tips for Visiting Mount French#

  • Frog Buttress is primarily a trad climbing area - if you plan to climb, use proper trad gear and check local access advice before you go.
  • There are self-registration campsites and basic taps at the summit picnic area, but no shops, so bring water and supplies for the day or overnight stay.
  • Check seasonal conditions and any park alerts with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service before visiting, especially after heavy rain when cliffs and tracks can be hazardous.
  • Facilities are simple (single toilet block and picnic infrastructure) so arrive prepared and follow leave-no-trace practices.